from PEN America (May 2024)
The 2024 U.S. general election comes at a critical time for press freedom in the United States, amid increasing hostilities toward the press and intensifying politically-motivated abuse and violence. Going into a key election year, the U.S. fell 10 spots on the World Press Freedom Index, dropping to 55th in 2024. Journalists in the U.S. are confronting a rise in domestic extremism manifesting in physical anddigital attacks, threats likely to increase in the lead-up to the November election.
Join the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Women’s Media Foundation, and PEN America for a free webinar series that will help journalists prepare for covering the upcoming U.S. general election and election-related events. The series will provide safety guidance on assessing risk, bolstering digital safety and online abuse defense, ensuring physical safety when covering rallies and protests, understanding the legal rights of journalists, and addressing psychological safety and mental health.
SESSION 6: PROTECTING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE FACE OF ONLINE AND OFFLINE ATTACKS
July 30, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
In an election year where journalists are facing intense pressure, how do we find ways to sustain ourselves from collective burnout? IWMF Next Generation Safety Trainer Rosem Morton will discuss how trauma affects journalists in this webinar on navigating mental health and self-care. The IWMF will also present resources available for journalists, including A Mental Health Guide for Journalists Facing Online Violence released in 2022. This resource was created with the needs of journalists in mind by mental health professionals specialized in working in trauma and the media.
Speakers
Rosem Morton is a documentary photographer, registered nurse, and safety consultant based in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a National Geographic Explorer whose work focuses on daily life amidst gender, health, and racial adversity. Rosem uses her camera to explore issues from the effects of gender-based violence and the unheard stories of healthcare workers to the forgotten histories that have shaped Filipino culture and migration.
WHAT IS PEN AMERICA?
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.
Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 centers worldwide that make up the PEN International network. PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. Our strength is our Membership—a nationwide community of more than 4,500 novelists, journalists, nonfiction writers, editors, poets, essayists, playwrights, publishers, translators, agents, and other writing professionals, as well as devoted readers and supporters who join with them to carry out PEN America’s mission.
PEN America’s programs defend writers, artists, and journalists and protect free expression worldwide. This work includes research and reports on topical issues; advocacy on free expression challenges; campaigns on policy issues and on behalf of individual writers and journalists under threat; year-round festivals and events; literary awards; fellowships; and more.
PEN America, a registered 501(c)(3) organization, is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. and chapters in 10 regions.
