The Fulcrum and the Hortencia Zavala Foundation are joining forces in 2026 to expand opportunities for the next generation of journalists. Together, they are growing The Fulcrum Fellowship, hosting two cohorts of students—one in the summer and one in the fall.
The Fulcrum Fellowship, part of The Fulcrum’s NextGen initiative, is a 10-week immersive program that trains students from across the country in solutions journalism and complicating the narrative techniques. Fellows learn to produce stories that counter one‑dimensional narratives too common in mainstream media, while amplifying underrepresented voices and perspectives.
Since its launch this year, the Fellowship has nurtured young journalists who are committed to equity, inclusion, and civic engagement. By expanding to two cohorts in 2026, The Fulcrum will double its reach, offering more students the chance to gain hands‑on experience in reporting that strengthens democracy and builds trust in civic dialogue.
Hugo Balta, Executive Editor of The Fulcrum, leads the initiative. "The Fellowship is more than a training program—it’s a commitment to building a new generation of journalists who listen deeply, report with integrity, and reflect the diversity of our nation. The partnership allows us to expand that mission and ensure more students have the tools to tell stories that matter.”
The HZF has been a steadfast supporter of students since its founding in 2017. The Foundation, created by Balta's family in honor of his maternal "abuelita", began by collaborating with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) to identify scholarship recipients, then expanded its impact by launching a journalism camp in 2021 and adding paid internships in 2024.
This partnership reflects both organizations' ongoing investment in student success, ensuring that aspiring journalists—especially those from underrepresented communities—have access to mentorship, training, and professional opportunities that prepare them to thrive in the media industry.
"Together, The Fulcrum and the Hortencia Zavala Foundation are building a pipeline of diverse, equity‑minded journalists who will shape the future of civic media," said David Nevins, Publisher of The Fulcrum. "Public support is vital for NextGen initiatives. By donating, you help sustain these programs, expand opportunities for students, and strengthen the civic infrastructure on which our democracy depends."
Contributions are tax‑deductible to the extent permitted by law and go directly toward advancing the mission of these initiatives.
Please consider donating today to invest in the next generation of journalists and civic leaders by clicking HERE.
The Fulcrum is committed to nurturing the next generation of journalists. To learn about the many NextGen initiatives we are leading, click HERE.
U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on August 14, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Trump is traveling to Long Island to tour law enforcement facilities in Nassau County and rally support for local Republican candidates ahead of the upcoming midterm elections
Travel Far Enough, You Meet Yourself
Is it possible that our President has simply not traveled enough?
Born and raised in Queens and attending Fordham University in the Bronx, Donald Trump has no record of traveling outside New York until he was over 20, when he transferred to a college in the neighboring state of Pennsylvania. Were his formative years amiss, then, in his learning about other places and other people?
Is his view akin to the famous New Yorker cover by Saul Steinberg, an illustration of the United States with New York City as the epicenter of the country and the Hudson River the border of the known world? We can now at least add Washington, D.C., and Mar-a-Lago to the map of “the realm.”
Our President has now traveled some, but what we recommend is another kind of travel. Not a state-sponsored trip or a venture to scout locations for future Trump Towers. This would be a genuine travel experience, enriching and eye-opening, showcasing other cultures and ways of living.
It will extend far beyond viewing military parades, hobnobbing with such “understanding” world leaders as Kim Jong Un, or taking tea with the King.
WHERE, then, should the President go? As Elon Musk’s Starship spacecraft is not yet ready to take passengers to Mars, perhaps he could explore our own vast country?
Maybe he could travel to “flyover country,” the farming states, where his ying-yanging tariffs and trade restrictions have played havoc with rural economies. Or possibly to California, number one in homeless U. S. citizens, and while there, regale homeless veterans (approximately 32,500 nationwide) with tales of his brave exploits invading and bombing foreign countries.
Or he might tour the Great Lakes, and rename the other four?
WHEN should he go? This will be tough, as he is very busy building his ballroom and renaming bodies of water.
How about a trip in early November, around the midterm elections? Despite the long-discredited accusation of widespread voter fraud, it would be reassuring to know he might be so caught up divvying out ladles of soup in a soup kitchen somewhere that he wouldn’t remember to deploy the military for “election security.”
HOW will he travel? He should definitely not take his Qatari-donated, newly renovated 747, especially after last time, when he had to be smuggled off clandestinely in a catering truck. It’s unlikely any traveling companions, like the Secretary of State or of the Treasury, are going to fall for the ruse a second time. Besides, we may need those people. No more decoys!
Perhaps the President could fly commercially, although this likely would expose him to undue suffering. Without gold bathroom fixtures and maple wood floors, the trip will be no “Luxury Experience.” If only he still had his “Trump Shuttle,” bought with a massive loan he later defaulted on, saying then, “I’m smart. I got out at a good time.”
Considering the potential pitfalls, maybe it’s best the President travel incognito, disguised perhaps as an elderly woman wearing a lot of bronzer.
Wherever, whenever, however: our President needs a vacation.
Moreover, we need a vacation from him.
If the President refuses our travel suggestions, here’s another idea:
Let’s get him a pet! He has never owned a pet. As we know with our children, pets teach essential life lessons: compassion and empathy; they instill a sense of responsibility. There is a well-established connection between those who can care for a pet and those who can care for people.
So, which pet should we choose? A puppy? A kitten? A boa constrictor?
Imagine, the President may even decide he likes having a pet. After all, what is more obedient than a well-trained dog, besides possibly the Cabinet? And what is more docile than a sweet kitten, other than plausibly the Supreme Court?
The President may even become more mellow with a pet afoot and less likely to slap tariffs on our allies, or attempt to annex our neighbors, or bully our Congress. (Realizing, of course, a bully requires active participation from the bullied to maintain his status.)
Maybe we should do both: get the President a pet and devise a travel plan for him. (Do you think we could possibly convince him to leave his phone at home?)
Let’s go for it! After all:
Travel far enough, you meet yourself. (David Mitchell)
And for our President, that would likely be the most profound discovery of all.
Amy Lockard is an Iowa resident who regularly contributes to regional newspapers and periodicals. She is working on the second of a four-book fictional series based on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice."