After several writers and journalists I knew lost their jobs during the pandemic, I started offering freelancers (free) help with their pitches. My friends Emily Smibert and Chloé Braithwaite - both writers and editors themselves - graciously offered to help. We made this a semi-regular thing we called “Freelance Fridays” over on Instagram, which ran for over two years.

What became apparent to me as we went on doing this, however, was that the media remains severely skewed in favour of those with privilege. Often, only people with enough social and cultural capital end up in editorial roles, and (unknowingly or knowingly) gatekeep. Getting more freelance voices (especially marginalised ones) out there became a logical next step in decolonising the media.

On this page, I’ve sectioned off a few starting points for freelancers (primarily in journalism, but a few in content and copy). Within these are resources I’ve found useful and some that friends have found useful. Think of this page as a glossary directing you to the real resources rather than a definitive list of places to go to and things to read (note: these contain no affiliate links).

— Akanksha

P.S. If you’re a freelancer putting together your own list of resources, take what you need from here and add to it. Most importantly, pass it along.
P.P.S. If you know of a resource you think I should include here, or if you chance upon a broken link, please drop me a line.