Our Mission
The Conversationalist is an independent nonprofit and feminist publication focused on global perspectives, from the personal to the political. Our mission is two-fold: publishing feminist solutions journalism on global affairs and culture, and incubating a community that wants to engage constructively with the media. We seek to change the way people feel after reading the news by prioritizing empathy in our reporting, interrogating the impact of policy on vulnerable people and publishing under-amplified voices. The Conversationalist is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for journalism, civic engagement, and democracy, one brave conversation at a time.
Feminist stories. Global Perspectives. Zero BS.
Our History
Founded in 2018, The Conversationalist was born out of watching authoritarianism proliferate around the globe largely unchecked by mainstream media and politics. We saw a lack of transparency, accountability and integrity in coverage of events and felt called to challenge the dominant narratives. From the start, The Conversationalist connected the rise of authoritarian regimes to the backlash against civil and human rights, identifying stories that were missed, underestimated, or desperately in need of context. In the United States, American exceptionalism stood in the way of people understanding how the country’s past informs its the present, and how the rest of world thinks. In an effort to move past the media’s myopic and sensational approach to news, The Conversationalist began as a platform that amplified the voices of women and people of color with deep insights and creative solutions about our chaotic, interconnected world. We believed, and still do, that people are hungry for thoughtful, engaging journalism that they can trust, a natural response to the proliferation of disinformation, propaganda and equivocation over basic facts and human dignity. Curiosity and empathy thrive when the rage clicks disappear.
Our Values
Community. The media should encourage curiosity, offer nuance, reinforce our dignity and push our capacity for empathy and collective action. We’re fostering a digital community that enables constructive dialogue and meaningful human connection.
Global. The Conversationalist holds a standard that our newsroom is not complete without considering global events. When our news sources are exclusively domestic, it’s easier to miss global trends, and flatten the geopolitical and cultural contexts of people’s stories, and the lessons that come from those experiences. In order to give our readers holistic context, we seek out and elevate global voices
Feminist. At its core, feminism is about linking the personal to the political. We believe that feminism is for everybody, and that feminist stories are human stories. Our approach to feminist reporting simply involves being considerate, inclusive and intersectional.
Our Content
We publish solutions-oriented analysis of today’s biggest stories through a global and feminist lens, prioritizing empathy and intersectionality, and interrogating the impact of policy on vulnerable people and publishing under-amplified voices. Our writers encompass a full spectrum of expert perspectives, with an intentional focus on people with first-hand experience with the policies and systems they explore. Instead of chasing clicks, we publish impactful reporting, thoughtful essays, and long-form, investigative pieces. By sharing richer stories, we aim to inspire deeper insights and informed conversations. We circulate two newsletters: The Conversationalist’s newsletter for the latest stories and staff recommendations, and Late Bloomer, a newsletter and community for teen girls. Unbreaking Media, our weekly podcast, examines politics and culture through an intersectional feminist lens. The Conversationalist aims to expand the horizon of what’s possible for journalism and society to de-escalate conflict and create a sustainable alternative.
