definition of zenith
1: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the nadir and vertically above the observer
2: the highest point reached in the heavens by a celestial body
Name by Zenith Mentor Melinda Fakuade.
We are the Zenith Cooperative,
a group of journalists in our twenties and early thirties striving towards a sustainable alternative to the labor conditions of modern media. We chose the name Zenith to denote that our journalistic mission is to provide an alternative, or the opposite, of what mainstream media is today; if we are at a low point as an industry, we want to reach for the greatest possible heights.
We are committed to providing guidance and mentorship to aspiring journalists of all ages and backgrounds. Though we write and report on a wide variety of topics—including politics, science, technology, labor, and culture—we share a vision of a future of journalism that prioritizes meaningful storytelling that questions systems of power and pushes forward impactful conversations.
We believe that journalism should be a collaborative rather than competitive field, and that anyone, regardless of education, class status, age, or background, should be able to enter this industry and develop the necessary skills to sustain the career they envision. We aim to offer an intentional, accessible space of community and support where emerging writers can ask questions, creatively experiment, and ultimately grow as writers and thinkers alongside a group of like-minded peers. Our members will act as mentors to accepted applicants on an initial term of six months by helping develop pitches or giving guidance on other writing projects. Members of The Zenith Cooperative will also provide a small number of open classes to any writer who wants to ask questions about journalism.
The media industry is in a continuous period of upheaval and job insecurity, dictated by the whims of venture capital and other market interests. This has led many to ignore the structural problems created by the gig economy and lack of labor protections. We know it doesn’t have to be this way, and that’s why we’re starting from the ground up. By fostering a changing labor force that knows its worth and has its own resources, the industry itself will have to prepare itself for us, not the other way around.
In order to enter the industry, many of us began as self-taught freelancers or worked minimum-wage entry-level journalism jobs that centered clickbait and metrics as the only measurable goal. This mentorship program offers a different model for emerging writers: