Project Invictus: The Future of Journalism

Healthy societies need good journalists, and good journalists need safe spaces and like-minded colleagues to chart a course for the future of journalism.

The Dart Society and Images and Voices of Hope are hosting gatherings of journalists in cities across the U.S. as part of Project Invictus: The Future of Journalism.
The Dart Society is made up of journalists who have received fellowships or won awards through the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Dan Grech, who attended the IVoH annual summit in September, is a 2008 Dart Center Ochberg Fellow. He pioneered the project, when he hosted the first conversation in Miami on Dec. 20.

"It started out as a gathering of my journalist friends, a chance to have a structured and safe conversation about the upheaval in our industry and the uncertainties we all now face," Grech says. "But our gathering struck a chord. I began to hear from other journalists around the country who wanted to host similar conversations in their cities."

Roberta Baskin, President of Images and Voices of Hope's Board of Directors says, "These inspiring conversations resonate with Images and Voices of Hope's mission to find ways to strengthen the role of media as an agent of world benefit. Despair is somehow easier to talk about. But we aim to amplify hope and help generate constructive action in these challenging times. These dialogues we've helped design with Dart are creating a kind of human scaffolding for journalists to support each other in an uncertain future."

Dan and Roberta co-hosted a gathering with 2005 Ochberg Fellow Mike Walter at Walter's home outside Washington, D.C. on Jan. 25. About 25 participated, holding discussions in small groups and with the group as a whole about what got them into the business, what they are dealing with now, and how they envision the future. The meeting at Mike's home was inspiring not just because of the amazing talent, experience and integrity of the journalists, but because the participants all still have fire in the belly and a commitment to journalism.

The layoffs are demoralizing and terrifying, but the support of others similarly situated -- big-name journalists and those working behind the cameras or without bylines -- was a real gift, and I'm so proud that the society is leading this effort to promote collegiality and hope.
Our next gathering is scheduled Feb. 15 in San Francisco and will be co-hosted by Mike and another Ochberg fellow, Kim Komenich, who is a photographer at the San Francisco Chronicle.

If you're interested in hosting a gathering in your city, contact the Dart Society's director, Deirdre Stoelzle Graves, at dstoelzle@yahoo.com or by phone: (307) 738-2635.