Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced the members of the 2026 CONNECT: Student Journalism Training Project cohort.
The ten students selected for the annual CONNECT: Student Journalism Training Project will cover the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists National Convention in San Francisco from Sept. 10-13. The student participants are Luis Castaneda, Eliot Faine, Apolline Lamy, Fatima B. Jalloh, Tiera Williams, Jazmin Loranne Chapman, Annika Hauer, Aubree Miller, Anne-Elise Tidwell, and Mary Rasura.
We’re proud to welcome these ten upcoming journalists to the CONNECT program,” said Adam Pawlus, Executive Director of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. “Their dedication to LGBTQ+ coverage is undeniable, and it gives us real hope for the future of accurate, fair journalism.”
CONNECT is a multimedia journalism training program for college students and recent grads. It aims to serve students as an innovative leadership program for emerging journalists as well. The cohort of 10 students will attend the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists National Convention, produce portfolio-quality journalism, network with media professionals, and receive feedback on their resumes and career plans. They will work with mentors to report, edit, photograph, design, and produce the news of the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists National Convention and the host city while helping to ensure fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ+ issues at the event. Upon conclusion of the program, students’ reporting will be published on the CONNECT website and presented during a session at the convention.
About the Cohort:
Luis Castaneda (he/him) is a multimedia journalist who recently graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he majored in journalism and political science. His work focuses on technology, public health, politics, and marginalized communities. He is originally from Ocala, Florida, but has reported from across the world. He has covered Capitol Hill with Medill News Service, Chicago’s queer community for Windy City Times, and completed a three-month journalism residency at Agencia Presentes in Buenos Aires.
Eliot Faine (any/all) is a journalist in Oakland. Faine earned two certificates from Laney College’s Journalism program in the fall semester of 2025, and spent the spring semester of 2026 as the Co-Editor in Chief of The Citizen. His work at The Citizen has earned recognition from the Journalism Association of Community College, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Community College Public Relations Organization. Faine’s coverage includes education, local governance, public safety, breaking news and longer-form investigations.
Apolline Lamy (she/her) is a French journalist based in New York City. She earned her masters of journalism at Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. She is currently an intern with WNYC Radio. She loves to report on climate and public health.
Fatima B. Jalloh (they/them) is a queer, Black freelance writer. During their undergrad at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism with minors in Black Studies and Creative Writing, Fatima revitalized the university’s NLGJA chapter through their co-founding of the Queer Media Association. They also served as the Opinion Editor for the sole, historic Black student publication BlackBoard Magazine, a mentor for 150+ first generation, low income first-years, an ambassador for the Black Studies Department, and more. They’ve since worked as an editorial intern for In These Times and The Nation.
Tiera Williams (she/they) is a digital media graduate from the University of the District of Columbia with a passion for storytelling, journalism, and creative expression. Williams has a strong passion for photojournalism and multimedia reporting that highlight real people, real communities, and important social issues, such as raising awareness about AI and data centers, and photographing everyday life to preserve history. Throughout their academic journey, she has contributed to The Trilogy UDC’s online school publication with articles and news reporting. In 2025, they completed an Internship with the National LGBTQ Task Force, where they worked on digital strategies and social media outreach.
Jazmin Loranne Chapman (she/they) is an African American artist of Afro-Caribbean descent. Through photography and visual art, their work focuses on marginalized communities and creating visibility for their underrepresented life experiences. Their work is influenced by her background in fiber and textiles. They are currently exploring these themes through their latest project, Coming into Style & Queerness, which examines style as both a form of self-expression and a political instrument shaped by gender norms and queer identity. In addition to their artistic practice, she has experience in archival photography, digital file organization, and community-based arts programming, including cataloging visual materials, maintaining structured digital archives, and coordinating collaborative creative projects.
Annika Hauer (she/her) is a journalism student at the University of Washington in Seattle. She’s passionate about education reporting that highlights the ways our schools serve kids’ strengths and needs, and the ways they don’t. Last winter, she reported on the Washington state legislative session, where she learned a lot about state democracy, institutional change, and civic health.
Aubree Miller (they/them) is a senior journalism student at Colorado State University, and is hoping to go into local investigative reporting after graduation. Miller is in their fourth year pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and media communication, along with two minors in women and gender studies and ethnic studies at Colorado State University. They spent three years at their campus newspaper, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, serving in two editorial roles before moving to College Avenue Magazine as editor in chief for the 2026-27 academic year. Miller has also worked as the programs intern for NLGJA in Washington, D.C. during the summer of 2025, and also as a reporting intern for the Aspen Daily news in Aspen, Colorado during 2026. They have also served as the president of CSU’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and as a founder of CSU’s chapter of NLGJA – the first in Colorado.
Anne-Elise Tidwell (she/her) is a multimedia journalist and storyteller studying documentary film journalism at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She works as a graduate assistant and content creator for the university’s multimedia design house, UA Productions, while freelancing for local publications. As a first-generation college student, Anne-Elise has spent the last five years mentoring fellow first-generation students in her university’s 360 Program, which has provided international reporting and communication opportunities in Italy and Bolivia. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, The Arkansas Times, The Idle Class, Unclear Magazine and UARK’s student media outlets, The Arkansas Traveler and Hill Magazine.
Mary Rasura (she/her) is a bisexual Hispanic journalist and incoming second-year master’s student in sociology at Florida Atlantic University. Her reporting focuses on LGBTQ+ communities, housing insecurity, public policy, and other issues affecting marginalized people. While earning her bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism, Mary founded OutFAU, an LGBTQ+ student newspaper created in response to the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at her university. As founder and editor, she led reporting, editing, publication design, and newsroom management while mentoring student journalists and building a platform dedicated to covering LGBTQ+ issues on campus. Mary has reported for OutSFL, PRISM, Homeless Voice, Stet News, and the South Florida Gay News, covering LGBTQ+ policy, homelessness, sexual health, and community issues.
Applications for the next cohort will open in Spring 2027. More information about the CONNECT Student Journalism Training Project can be found here.