Check out this case study on Central Desi and apply to be a fellow

As local news outlets struggle to survive and people are inundated with content, Central Desi is being heralded as a possible model for delivering news to a local community.

This newsletter was the subject of a case study presented at the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) convention in Seattle this summer. The case study tells the story of the newsletter, shares what our audience has to say about this venture, and includes perspectives from the donors who support us.

“Central Desi is more than a newsroom. It’s a training ground for the next generation of journalists and a gathering place for the South Asian community,” states Ayinde Merrill, program partner for the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, which funds Central Desi. “Their work creates space for dialogue, storytelling, and skill-building that strengthens both local journalism and community ties. Ambreen has been a pioneer in actively building news with, not just for, her community.”

After presenting the case study to a room of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders at the conference, author Dickson Louie invited everyone to share ideas about how Central Desi could become more sustainable. It was incredible to have the perspective of so many experienced journalism leaders, and you’ll see many of their ideas implemented here in the coming months.

Fellowship opportunities

Thanks to the Consortium’s generous support for the third year in a row, we are once again hiring reporting fellows for Central Desi. This six-month fellowship gives early-career journalists the opportunity to produce stories about and for the South Asian community. You will write feature stories and produce social content on topics of interest to you and ranging from pieces on cultural trends to state politics.

Please help spread the word if you know folks studying journalism in the community! We are looking for people who have some experience and published clips.

We are also launching our first-ever video reporting fellowship this year, with the opportunity for a motivated visual journalist to produce short-form video content for Central Desi’s website and social platform.

Learn more about both opportunities and apply now. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 31.

Our new editor

Finally, it is with great enthusiasm that I share that Ifrah Akhtar, who was an inaugural fellow at Central Desi in 2023, has just joined our team as an associate editor. Ifrah has been producing great stories for us as a freelancer, including pieces on preserving family recipes and designing Benarasi sarees in New Jersey, and she continues to write for a variety of outlets, including Edible Jersey and her own MODEST Magazine.

At Central Desi, she will continue to contribute pieces and serve as an editor for articles produced by our fellows. She is also the fabulous designer behind much of our visual identity. We’re so excited she’s with us!

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