The 19th

“Breaking the News” — the documentary following the inception, launch, and fledgling triumphs and challenges of The 19th’s newsroom — is available to stream for free this month! We’re also excited to share that the film was recently nominated for outstanding documentary in the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. “Nothing about making this film — or watching it — was easy,” said 19th CEO Emily Ramshaw. “But we’re so grateful that the filmmakers stuck with it, and with us, and we think it’s a hopeful portrait of how newsrooms can evolve together.” Stream through March 30 on the PBS App and PBS website. Learn more about the film and how to watch here:

During Women’s History Month, The 19th and Poderistas are marking the role of Latina journalists in giving voice to the nation’s Latinx communities, one of the fastest growing racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Here are some of the journalists who will leave a lasting legacy: Jovita Idar was a journalist and civil rights champion who wrote about violence and injustices facing Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants in the early 1900s. Idar reported on the poor living conditions facing Mexican-American workers and the inadequate access to education among Mexican-American children. The U.S. Mint released a quarter in 2023 celebrating Idar. Lori Montenegro is a political journalist based in D.C. who has blazed trails for Afro-Latina journalists. As the Washington bureau chief for Telemundo, Montenegro helped produce coverage of the Black Lives Matter protest in Lafayette Park, during which she was shot with rubber bullets. Blanca Rosa Vílchez, an immigrant from Peru, is known for being one of the first journalists on the scene following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. María Elena Salinas is one of the most visible Latina journalists in the United States after a long tenure anchoring for Univision. She has interviewed several presidents, and in recent years, has helped shape the public’s understanding of Latino voters. Salinas is a founder of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Ilia Calderón, who helms Noticiero Univision, is the first Afro-Latina to anchor an evening newscast for a major U.S. broadcast network. Calderón gave a voice to some of the issues facing Latino voters by moderating a 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate and a 2024 Republican primary debate. Silvia Foster-Frau and Arelis Hernández won the Pulitzer Prize for in-depth reporting on the role of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in the crisis of mass shootings in America. Two years earlier, Maria Hinojosa led a team that won a Pulitzer for work that chronicled the story of a Latino man reentering society after serving more than 30 years in prison. ??: Mel Leonor Barclay, political reporter ??: John Nacion, Jared Siskin; Getty Images, SWinxy

Baseball is back — and so is my annual rant about how America’s favorite pastime is sexist. Almost every sport has men’s and women’s leagues or mixed-gender participation: soccer, tennis, basketball, gymnastics, hockey — the list goes on. Football is a notable exception. In the United States, however, it’s overwhelmingly accepted that baseball is for boys and men, and softball — a totally different sport — is for girls and women. That’s despite the fact that women played baseball long before the popularization of softball. A few things to know: ?? Softball was invented as an indoor alternative to baseball in 1887 for both men and women. ?? Softball has a smaller field, bigger ball, different pitch (under rather than overhand) and fewer innings. ?? For the above reasons, it eventually became woman coded. As sporting goods giant A.G. Spalding wrote in 1910: “Base Ball is too strenuous for womankind.” ?? Still, women have played professional baseball: The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (see: “A League of Their Own”) went from 1943-1954. ?? The MLB had a ban on women players’ contracts from 1952 to 1992. In 1972, the passage of Title IX cemented a path for women’s participation in high school and college fastpitch softball, shoring up team resources and scholarships for talented athletes. But the protections provided under Title IX for women athletes were almost always interpreted by universities to mean protections for women to play softball, not baseball. Though girls and women found some opportunities to play in high school or college, there were almost no professional avenues if they wanted to pursue baseball. But the last few years have shown small signs of progress: More women have entered the Major League Baseball ranks as coaches, broadcasters, umpires. And in October, the newly formed Women’s Professional Baseball League announced that it would debut in 2026 with a six-team circuit. It’ll be the first women’s professional baseball team since the All-American Girls League. Until then, in between bites of a hot dog, you’ll be getting this history lesson. ??: Abby Johnston, network partnerships editor ??: Al Bello/Getty Images

Phew, this is it, y'all! Just a few more days to apply for the next cohort of The 19th's Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship. The deadline is Monday, March 31 at 5 p.m. CT! Apply today or use your weekend wisely. You've got this. ?? https://lnkd.in/ed5W33tC

Hope Walz, the daughter of Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz, didn't start posting until after the 2024 election — and she's starting to become a leading young political voice. From Rewire News Group:

A case to determine if states can bar Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds is headed to the Supreme Court — which could further Trump's goal of “defunding” the nation’s largest family planning provider.

Meet Chanel Cain, our current audience engagement Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellow. Cain graduated from Howard University, where she served as an editor for the Howard News Service. At The 19th, she has written several trending news stories for social media. She’s most proud of producing an Instagram series called The 19th Survival Kit, which she pitched and developed. The fellowship has given her “an amazing group of people with similar experiences to grow with,” Cain said. Time is ticking to apply for the next cohort of theFrances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship. Apply here by March 31: https://bit.ly/4c453t6

“Breaking the News” — the documentary following the inception, launch, and fledgling triumphs and challenges of The 19th’s newsroom — is available to stream for free this month! We’re also excited to share that the film was recently nominated for outstanding documentary in the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. “Nothing about making this film — or watching it — was easy,” said 19th CEO Emily Ramshaw. “But we’re so grateful that the filmmakers stuck with it, and with us, and we think it’s a hopeful portrait of how newsrooms can evolve together.” Stream through March 30 on the PBS App and PBS website. Learn more about the film and how to watch here:

The Golden State Valkyries have become the first WNBA team to sell 10,000 season tickets — before their first tipoff has even happened. “This community has shown up, and then some to create this milestone,” Valkyries President Jess Smith told Sportico. “This is something that we knew was possible and really just signifies the beginning of our journey in a way that will set a trajectory for the WNBA moving forward.” In 2023, the WNBA announced the expansion franchise in San Francisco, the league’s first since 2008. In May 2024, the Valkyries’ name and branding was announced. The Valkyries set a record in November for season ticket deposits, with 22,000 fans securing their seats. No other women’s sports team has ever surpassed 15,000 ticket deposits. The team’s home opener is May 16 against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center, also home to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. “Thanks for making history with us time and time again. We can’t wait to see each of you @ChaseCenter this summer,” the team shared on X. ??: Sabreen Dawud, reporting fellow ??: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

In the weeks leading up to Transgender Day of Visibility, book lovers are expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for trans-led charities and organizations, while spreading the word about books written by and for trans and nonbinary people.