About the Fellowship
Too many talented journalists, especially journalists of color, low-income and LGBTQ+ journalists and journalists with disabilities, never get the chance to break into respected newsrooms. Not because they lack ability, but because their professional networks exist outside traditional journalism spaces.
The LA Press Club wants to change that.
Each year, the Foot in the Door Fellowship selects five promising early-career journalists and pairs them with experienced veterans in the field. This is your chance to gain hands-on guidance, strategic support and a trusted partner to secure meaningful, real-world opportunities in the world of journalism. Apply today!
What Fellows Get
More than a mentoring relationship, this will be a direct partnership between the fellow and a journalism veteran to figure out how to launch career dreams and take concrete steps together to get there.
LA Press Club fellows will meet once a month for six months with their journalism partners. During this time, the fellow will work on a plan for getting their foot in the door at the news outlet or journalism institution they would love to work at.
Each month, the fellow will consult with their mentor and present their progress made on the plan. This might include collating a reel or portfolio of professional work, mapping the area of journalism that interests the fellow and creating a list of outlets to target for a position, doing research on who works there and what positions might be attainable, creating a personal website or more robust LinkedIn page, creating shareable nuggets of the fellow's best work that can be emailed to help make the case for hiring someone.
As part of the program, fellows will also get networking opportunities with journalists covering their beats of interest, as well as training. You will leave the fellowship with more contacts, new skills and a deeper sense of community in the media world.
Click here to read what some of our fellows had to say about the program!
Who Can Apply
This fellowship is open to any early-career journalist in Los Angeles looking to move to their next big opportunity. You might be a recent grad, in an entry-level position, working outside of media but looking to break in, or completing an internship at a media company.
If you have been in journalism for less than five years, you should apply!
Application Timeline
* February 13, 2026 — Application Deadline
* March 6, 2026 — Fellows Announced
* March 30, 2026 — Fellowship Begins
* September 2026 — Fellowship Culminates
Ready to Apply?
This year, the Los Angeles Press Club fellows will also receive a $3,000 stipend! Apply today and don't miss out on this awesome opportunity. Got a question? Email info@lapressclub.org.
Meet Our Mentors
Shana Nys Dambrot
13ThingsLA
Shana Nys Dambrot is an art critic, curator and author based in DTLA. Formerly LA Weekly Arts Editor, now the co-founder of 13ThingsLA art review calendar, and a contributor to Flaunt, Village Voice, Alta Journal, WhiteHot and other publications.
She is the recipient of the Rabkin Prize, the Mozaik Prize and the LA Press Club Critic of the Year award. Her novella "Zen Psychosis" was published in 2020.
Nic Cha Kim
PBS SoCal
Nic Cha Kim is the Senior Producer for Arts & Culture at PBS SoCal, where he produces the anthology documentary series Artbound. Nic previously reported for SoCal Connected on KCET and worked as a multimedia journalist for Spectrum News 1 and Free Speech TV.
Devoted to increasing diversity in the newsroom, Nic co-chairs the Foot in the Door Fellowship and mentors for PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs.
David Ono
ABC7
David Ono co-anchors ABC7's Eyewitness News at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. He has witnessed history worldwide, covering the pope, royal weddings, natural disasters and terrorist attacks. He has also traveled across Europe and Asia, chronicling the brave acts of the Nisei soldiers from World War II.
David has produced multiple award-winning documentaries, two of which have made their way to the Smithsonian Institution.
Bianca Rae
CBS Los Angeles
Bianca Rae is an Emmy-winning journalist in Los Angeles and the founder of the Bianca Rae Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit serving underprivileged middle school children. Now at CBS Los Angeles, Bianca previously anchored the evening news for Spectrum News LA.
Bianca received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2017, the youngest honoree in history, for her activism and philanthropy in Southern California.
Brittany Levine Beckman
Los Angeles Times
Brittany Levine Beckman is the features editor at the Los Angeles Times, managing lifestyle and West Coast experiences/travel.
She is a member of the LAPC’s Foot in the Door committee and helps coordinate the program for early career journalists. She also volunteers for WriteGirl, a nonprofit that empowers teen girls. She previously worked as the managing editor at Mashable.
Past Recipients
Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2025
Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2024
Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2023
Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2022
Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2021
Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2020
Andrea
Gutierrez
Hawken
Miller
Shivani
Patel
Matthew
Rodriguez
