Images are a vital tool for information, connection, understanding and ultimately trust. Yet, media organizations across the United States have lost more visual journalists than any other position.

The CatchLight Local Visual Desk is a new collaborative model for visual journalism that looks to advance visual representation in the State of California. Our program provides visual editing and engagement support to local community newsrooms while subsidizing the salary of full-time Visual Journalism Fellows hosted in those newsrooms. 

Our current partners are: Bay City News, Berkeleyside, Black Voice News, CalMatters, India Currents & Oaklandside. The initiative was made possible with the support of five philanthropic organizations: the Enlight Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Hearst Foundations, in partnership with PhotoWings, for a combined investment of over $2 million.

 The CatchLight Local Visual Desk helps support and produce the visual work of  journalists and newsrooms across the State to better inform and connect communities. This is the best of their work.