Journalism was one of the IJC founding leadership’s key initiatives.

The Indigenous Justice Coalition is excited to announce the relaunch of our Journalism department! The Journalism department will function as a core component of digitally nationalizing the youth-led advocacy currently rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area. While the broader Coalition works on political recognition, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights, its Journalism unit will play a distinct role in documenting and communicating this work to more diverse audiences. As part of the Coalition’s internship program, student journalists are tasked with writing news articles, covering tribal events, and reporting on the progress of key campaigns, thereby helping to “amplify the voice of the tribe” within public discourse and traditional media outlets; ensuring articles remain digestible and accessible to a wide variety of readers.

Within its coverage, the Journalism department foregrounds issues central to contemporary Indigenous advocacy. A substantive portion of reporting will focus on political news—especially developments in tribal recognition efforts and legislative advocacy. For example, members may attend meetings with policymakers and document ongoing campaigns for federal recognition of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, fostering transparency in complex political processes for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers. Coverage will often include detailed narrative accounts of events, candidate or official engagement with Indigenous rights campaigns, and analysis of political strategies pursued by the Coalition.

In addition to political reportage, the Journalism department will work to emphasize stories of cultural significance and community resilience. This may encompass coverage of tribal ceremonies, educational initiatives, and grassroots mobilizations aimed at preserving Indigenous heritage and rights in the face of systemic inequities. By reporting on lived experience and advocacy campaigns, the department aims to counter mainstream under-representation and challenge prevailing narratives that marginalize Indigenous communities and ensure better education for future generations.

The relaunch of the Indigenous Justice Coalition’s Journalism department represents a shift in how our Indigenous advocacy can reach the public. Centering youth voices and firsthand reporting, the department connects grassroots work to audiences beyond local communities. Our coverage will focus on advocacy, cultural preservation, and community resilience, emphasizing clear and accessible storytelling, as well as the truth. In doing so, our Journalism team helps make sure that Indigenous struggles and successes are covered with depth and context, rather than being overlooked or reduced to just headlines. We at the IJC Journalism department are excited and committed to this mission. As the Coalition continues its work advancing sovereignty, recognition, and justice, this department will play a role in delivering the truth, building awareness, and allowing the next generation of Indigenous and allied journalists to tell these stories with care, accuracy, and purpose.

The journalism department will be headed by Dhruv Malachira, a student at Bellarmine College Preparatory. Speaking on the departments values, Malachira stated that “The IJC is an organization that values integrity, empowerment, and connection. The journalism department will continue that tradition, going above and beyond to highlight the untold stories of Indigenous communities across our country.”