The Lead is a weekly newsletter that provides resources and connections for student journalists in both college and high school. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox every Wednesday morning.

It’s been a chaotic, tragic week as the country reacts to the death of George Floyd — another name on a long list of police killings. Journalists are at the heart of the ensuing protests, both documenting them and in many cases being targeted by law enforcement.

Schools remain closed around the United States because of the pandemic, limiting campus-specific demonstrations, but it’s likely that as a student or professional journalist you’ll cover activism or demonstrations.

There are many resources available from experienced journalists and expert organizations. Here’s a collection of readings to address questions you may have been thinking about recently.

What are student journalists’ rights when covering a protest? Does curfew apply to journalists?

Know your rights when covering a protest (Student Press Law Center)

Covering a protest? Know your rights (Poynter)

Does the curfew order where you live exempt the media? (Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press)

What precautions should I take to stay safe?

Eighteen tips for staying safe while covering protests (Student Press Law Center)

Student journalists were pepper-sprayed by police during an Ohio protest (Poynter)

Violence towards the media is on the rise. Here are tips to stay aware and safe while working on the street. (National Press Photographers Association)

23 guidelines for journalists to safely cover protests (Poynter)

Security manual for covering street protests (Global Investigative Journalism Network)

Can I protest as a student journalist? What should I consider?

As students lead a movement, student journalists face a decision: Can they be both reporters and participants? (Student Press Law Center)

Should journalists protest in Trump’s America? (Poynter)

How can I use language accurately and sensitively in my reporting?

‘Unarmed Black Man’ doesn’t mean what you think it means (Poynter)

Best practices for journalists reporting on police killings of black and brown people (Race Forward)

What do we want? Unbiased reporting! When do we want it? During protests! (The Conversation)

AP Stylebook update: It’s OK to call something racist when it’s racist (Poynter)

The New York Times was accused of siding with police because of ill-placed passive voice (Poynter)

Share your humanity while reporting on protests (Trusting News)

Is it ethical to photograph protesters’ faces?

The rights and limitations of a journalist to photograph and record in public (Poynter webinar)

Do No Harm: Photographing police brutality protests (Authority Collective)

I’m not a journalist of color. How can I better understand what my colleagues are experiencing?

‘The terror of wearing both a press badge and black skin’: Black journalists are carrying unique burdens (The Washington Post)

Column: George Floyd and the special hell reserved for black journalists covering his killing (The Los Angeles Times)

Essay: Black journalists are exhausted (The New York Times)

Essay: The grief that white Americans can’t share (The New York Times)

What resources are available to help me process covering intense times?

Safety & self-care strategies for every beat (Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma)

How journalists can take care of themselves while covering trauma (Poynter)

Opportunities and trainings

• The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters are offering free weekly online trainings starting in June. View the sessions and register here.
• Apply for Poynter’s summer high school journalism workshop, which will be held online this year, by June 19.
• College students and recent graduates, apply for NPR’s Next Generation Radio Project, a weeklong audio journalism training program at locations around the country.
• Apply for the Ian Parry Scholarship for photojournalists by July 5.
• The Information is offering eight free classes in July for anyone interested in building a journalism career. Learn more here.
• The Student Media Virtual Bootcamp will provide two weeks of training from three college media organizations from July 20-30. Learn about the tracks and register here.

💌 Last week’s newsletter: Public records can help you dig into the coronavirus crisis

📣 I want to hear from you. What would you like to see in the newsletter? Have a cool project to share? Email blatchfordtaylor@gmail.com.