Behind the fellowship: Sarah Rafique, KXAN-TV

We’ll be raising money at the 2018 IRE Conference in Orlando to support diversity scholarships. All donations made during the conference — on-site or online — will go toward this important cause and help send journalists of color to the 2019 IRE Conference in Houston.

We asked previous diversity fellowship recipients to share how the award made a difference in their careers. Here’s what Sarah Rafique of KXAN-TV told us:

I wanted to go to the IRE Conference for years, but as a first-generation American and woman of color, it is sometimes hard to justify spending money to invest in yourself and your career. Receiving the Philip L. Graham Diversity Fellowship to attend the conference last year gave me the same opportunities to grow and connect with fellow journalists and truth mongers. The skills and tips I learned throughout the conference contributed to successful reporting over the last year and allowed me to make a positive impact on my community.