NLGJA 2026 National Convention

Reporting in the field increasingly exposes LGBTQ+ journalists to complex safety challenges — from covering ICE operations and protests to navigating surveillance tools and law enforcement encounters. The recent arrests of Black journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have highlighted real and pressing concerns — from how reporters can safely navigate interactions with ICE, to how to distinguish between agencies such as ICE, local police and the National Guard. Join the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), trainers from the Journalist Assistance Network and our 2026 Safety Ambassador in San Francisco for a practical session on assessing and managing these risks. Safety and legal experts will share strategies on how to distinguish between law enforcement agencies, mitigating on-the-ground threats, top tips for covering protests and ICE actions. Attendees will leave with concrete, actionable strategies to maintain safety while reporting in volatile situations, ensuring they can document critical stories without compromising personal security.