🔊 Introducing new “Conversations” and re-introducing “Mindful Black Journalism”
by Sandra Hannebohm
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I'm taking a break and announcing exciting news for 2024.
Recently, I lost my father. He passed suddenly and without warning at only 63 years old.
His death has been extremely challenging for me and my family to cope with, but slowly this pain is transforming. I cherish the beautiful moments I had with my dad so much more, and I can appreciate all the love and fun he poured into my life.
This pain I'm experiencing is being transformed into gratitude, and that takes time. It takes reflection.
It reminds me of the message I've been preaching all this time: journalists are not machines. We carry our emotions, including grief and sorrow, into our work, often without realizing it.
It feels absurd to go on with life after such an important person is lost forever, but through mindfulness practice we have the tools to navigate through suffering rather than sweeping it under the rug.
Sometimes journalists have to cope with fear, loss, and pain as a result of their coverage, and other times it's our personal struggles that we're coping with while we try to maintain some semblance of neutrality in even the most terrifying situations.
But pushing through it without addressing our own emotions isn't sustainable for journalists, or the people who rely on them.
When we do that we stray from our well-being and our journalistic values until ultimately, the world loses another storyteller.
Journalists and media workers should be encouraged to acknowledge our personal well-being, and check in with our values. We do that by tapping into the power of stillness, and sometimes that means taking a pause or slowing down. So to practice what I preach, I'm taking a break to honour the loss of my father, rather than pushing through it and sweeping it under the rug as journalists are often expected to.
I also plan to reflect on the success of Twice As Good so far, and prepare for some exciting changes coming next year:
🏆 Nominated for a LION Publishers journalism award for New Business of the Year
I was honoured to be nominated along with friend and colleague, Flavian DeLima of Spinning Forward, who did win the award. (If you are a BIPOC creator you'll be interested in his newsletter focused on the online creator economy in the Greater Toronto Area).
💰 Selected for the LION Sustainability Audits and Funding Program, awarding up to $20,000 to take the next steps toward organizational sustainability
🚀 New membership platform where you can support mindful journalism and discover more stories about Black life in 2024
🌐 Major website update which you can preview here
In the meantime, if you visit the 2XG website you should be redirected to a temporary landing page. There you'll get a sneak peak of the new vibes while I'm building the full website. If you're already subscribed, you do not have to enter your email again.
If you're not subscribed, you can still sign up to be notified when I return with more stories on mindful journalism and Black life.
Thanks for being here.
P.S.
I do this part-time with the help of freelancers. The rest of the time I’m hosting and producing The Lion’s Roar podcast and other content for Lion’s Roar Magazine.
Want to help? Follow me on Instagram, reply to this email and say hi, or buy me a coffee.
