The Inkling Special Edition: 2025 in Review

🌟 Special Edition: 2025 in Review

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Happy New Year! As we step into 2026, we’re filled with pride and gratitude reflecting on an extraordinary year for the NYC Youth Journalism Coalition. From the passage of Local Law 27 to the launch of journalism courses across New York City, 2025 was a year of big wins powered by youth leadership and collective action. Take a look below at all we’ve built together over the past year, and what’s ahead as we continue expanding access to journalism for NYC’s young people.

🎬 2025 Impact at a Glance

🧑‍🎓 800+ students taking a journalism course for the first time through Journalism for All

🏛️ 200+ attendees at our second annual J-Day at City Hall

📜 Local Law 27 passed, mandating public reporting on journalism access

🎤 Student leaders moderated and headlined public conversations with national figures

🤝 New partnerships and cross-city connections built through strengthened strategy and shared learning

🗞️ Journalism for All: From Vision to Reality

This year marked a major leap for journalism access across NYCPS. In 2025, we welcomed the pilot cohort of Journalism for All, from orientation to course implementation.

Photo by Sari Goodfriend

Our teachers completed comprehensive training through CUNY Newmark J+, supported by coaches to guide their development as first-time journalism instructors.

Photo by Seyma Bayram, courtesy of Chalkbeat

The Journalism for All curriculum was finalized and published, now available for open use.

Photo by Erica Berger, courtesy of The United Federation of Teachers

📣 Youth Advocacy Driving Change

Student leaders helped turn vision into policy by lobbying all 51 City Council members and playing a key role in the passage of Local Law 27, sponsored by Council Member Rita Joseph, which mandates citywide reporting on access to journalism education across NYCPS.

We organized more than 200 students, educators, and partners at our second annual J-Day at City Hall, where we announced DOE’s first-ever data release on journalism programs because of Local Law 27.

Photo by Dulce Marquez

🤝 Community, Learning, and Connection

We hosted Minnesota’s ThreeSixty Youth Leadership Board for shared learning and dialogue.

We gathered for semesterly potlucks in both June and December to reflect, celebrate, and build relationships.

We launched our Speaker Series, welcoming journalists Troy Closson and Cheryl Wills and student moderators to speak with the coalition.

Coalition engagement also grew, from spring collaboration in the Journalism for All and Advocacy Working Groups to the fall launch of the Member Engagement Working Group, with 20+ members stepping into leadership.

🚀 Showcasing Youth Leadership

YJC student leaders headlined J-Day at City Hall, addressing the press and City leaders on the importance of youth journalism equity.

Photo by Dulce Marquez

YJC student leader alumna Fredlove Deshommes moderated a livestreamed town hall with Rev. Al Sharpton in honor of Black History Month.

YJC students convened a student-led roundtable at Tweed Hall, engaging DOE leaders in dialogue about expanding Journalism for All and strengthening accountability.

Photo courtesy of DOE Press

YJC students collaborated with fellow youth advocates at the Youth Impact Forum at the Athena Film Festival.

Photo courtesy of Athena Film Festival

✈️ Looking Ahead

2025 laid powerful groundwork for deeper programming, expanded access, and even stronger youth leadership. As we move into 2026, we remain committed to centering young people as leaders and making journalism accessible to every student who wants it.

Your support makes this work possible. As we continue to implement and expand Journalism for All across New York City public high schools, every gift helps us sustain and grow this work month after month. You can make a one-time or recurring gift on our website.

If you’re interested in making a larger gift, grant, or exploring sponsorship opportunities, please email us at info@youthjournalismnyc.org.

To our students, educators, partners, and supporters, thank you for believing in this work and helping make 2025 an extraordinary year.

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