About the Organization
Save Philly Festivals is an initiative of the DiasporaDNA Story Center dedicated to documenting, amplifying, and sustaining Philadelphia’s vibrant network of community festivals, block parties, and cultural celebrations. Through storytelling, oral history collection, digital archives, audience engagement, and public programming (including the Save Philly Festivals Bus Tour), the project treats festivals as vital civic and cultural infrastructure. The work centers community voices—especially those of festival producers, block captains, residents, and local artists—while building public awareness and support for these living traditions.
Position Overview
The Journalist & Media Fellow produces high-quality editorial and multimedia content, maintains accurate festival data, manages and grows the @Phillyfestivals social media presence, and helps expand overall audience reach for Save Philly Festivals. This is a hands-on, community-facing role that combines independent journalism, data stewardship, collaborative storytelling, social media strategy, and strategic content distribution. The Fellow exercises strong written and oral communication, agency, adaptability across Philadelphia’s neighborhoods and event environments, disciplined time and project management, and the persistence required to turn community stories into compelling public work.
The fellowship is designed as a structured professional-development experience. Fellows receive mentorship, real deadlines, and opportunities to strengthen core competencies (including critical thinking, leadership, and multimedia skills) while contributing meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
Key Responsibilities
Editorial Content & Storytelling
- Research, report, write, and edit articles, festival recaps, features, promotional pieces, listicles, quizzes, and lifestyle content that highlight unique community voices and the cultural significance of Philadelphia’s festivals.
- Pitch original editorial features and story ideas grounded in community engagement and audience interest.
- Conduct interviews and collect oral histories from festival producers, block captains, residents, attendees, vendors, and artists at targeted events, applying cultural respect, active listening, and ethical interviewing practices.
- Collaborate with the Ohoro journalist and Photojournalism Advisor on shot lists, visual storytelling, and integrated written + visual packages.
- Uphold journalistic standards of accuracy, fairness, fact-checking, and attribution.
Social Media, Data & Audience Growth
- Manage and grow the @Phillyfestivals social media account across platforms, developing and executing a consistent content calendar that includes original posts, stories, reels, event coverage, community highlights, and engagement with followers.
- Create and schedule platform-native content (captions, visuals, short-form video, carousels) that amplifies festival stories, drives traffic to the website, and builds an authentic community presence.
- Monitor analytics, respond to comments and messages in a timely and brand-aligned manner, and iterate strategy based on performance data to increase reach, engagement, and audience growth.
- Maintain and continuously update a regional festivals database with accurate records of events, producers, locations, and related information, demonstrating attention to detail and technological literacy.
- Create lead-generation and engagement assets designed to increase site traffic, time-on-site, and audience retention; use basic analytics to inform iteration.
- Contribute to the strategy and execution of paid campaigns (Google, Reddit, Threads, and similar platforms) aimed at raising visibility and conversion; monitor performance and recommend adjustments.
Project Management, Collaboration & Professional Practice
- Manage personal workload, event attendance, and competing deadlines with rigorous time management and punctuality, including evenings and weekends when festivals occur.
- Exercise agency by identifying process improvements, content or data gaps, and opportunities to strengthen editorial quality, social media performance, and team culture.
- Network respectfully with festival producers, community partners, and stakeholders.
- Approach new or unfamiliar tasks with adaptability and a willingness to learn; perform other duties as assigned.
- Demonstrate persistence when stories are difficult to secure, logistics change, or feedback requires revision.
Required Qualifications
- Working knowledge of Philadelphia geography and the ability to navigate the city independently.
- Access to reliable transportation and a demonstrated commitment to punctuality and consistent attendance at citywide events (including evenings and weekends).
- Genuine enthusiasm for Philadelphia’s festival culture and community storytelling.
- Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to produce clear, polished, audience-ready content.
- Capacity for independent work with minimal supervision (agency) alongside productive collaboration with colleagues and community members.
- Comfort with digital tools for research, writing, content management systems, basic database work, social media platforms (Instagram, Threads, etc.), scheduling tools, and advertising/analytics interfaces (technological literacy).
- Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines (project management + time management).
- Willingness to self-advocate for clarification or resources and to engage respectfully across cultural and neighborhood contexts.
- Commitment to journalistic ethics, accuracy, and cultural sensitivity.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior writing samples or portfolio demonstrating community-oriented journalism, features, or cultural reporting.
- Experience managing or growing social media accounts (preferably Instagram or multi-platform community/cultural accounts), including content creation, community management, and basic analytics.
- Experience with oral history collection, interviewing, or community-based storytelling.
- Familiarity with SEO best practices, short-form video, basic photography/videography, or multimedia production.
- Experience with Google Ads, analytics platforms, CMS tools, or spreadsheet/database management.
- Background or strong interest in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, cultural heritage, or nonprofit/community media work.
- Candidates still developing strength in critical thinking, leadership, or advanced multimedia tools are encouraged to apply—the fellowship is intentionally structured to build these capacities.
Schedule, Location & Compensation
- Time commitment: Approximately 15 hours per week.
- Stipend: $800 per month.
- Philadelphia-based role with significant on-site presence at festivals and community events across the city. Some remote content production and social media management is expected.
- Flexible schedule that includes evenings and weekends during festival season.
- Fellowship duration and any additional benefits details to be confirmed (or insert specifics here).
- Reports to Programs Manager & Founder with collaborative work alongside the Ohoro journalist and Photojournalism Advisor.
What Success Looks Like
The Fellow leaves with a stronger portfolio of published community journalism, demonstrated growth of the @Phillyfestivals social media presence, proven ability to manage real editorial, social, and data projects under deadline, an expanded professional network in Philadelphia’s cultural sector, and tangible contributions to the preservation and amplification of the city’s festival ecosystem.
How to Apply
Please send your resume, a brief cover letter explaining your interest in the role to info@diasporadna.org by August 21, 2026.
DiasporaDNA Story Center and Save Philly Festivals are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, especially those with lived experience in the communities whose stories we seek to honor.
