Author: talatyaq

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News

Applications for the 2026 opinion writers’ programme are OPEN.

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APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

This year’s women of colour writers group is now open for applications. The programme runs from March 2026 – November 2026 for 20 participants.

As part of the programme you can expect:

  • Allocation to a media partner (The Scotsman, The National, The Courier, The Guardian, The Sunday Post, The Scottish Beacon, Bella Caledonia) Please note: allocation is based on ensuring a diverse range of writers and topics across platforms
  • There is a £100 payment for your article. Whilst many opinion pieces are published without pay, we refuse to enable systemic inequality by building content through unpaid labour.
  • Online development sessions

This opportunity is for women of colour to write opinion pieces on topics they feel need to be given more space or to respond directly to current affairs. The topic can be about personal experiences or based on topics related to areas of “professional” work. Given 2026 is the year of the Scottish Parliament elections, we are particularly keen to publish articles related to political participation and key issues for voters.

The programme is usually oversubscribed, and if selected, we trust that you will commit time and effort to attend development session and publish an article.

You can read previous articles by our amazing participants on our website.

Fill in the form below by the 23rd of February 2026

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News

Join Us: Shape Media Commentary for the 2026 Election

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Next year will be the Scottish Parliament elections, a crucial moment for the nation with potential for significant change in what politics looks like and what it delivers over the next 5 years.

In our previous media monitoring in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, we found that women of colour were woefully under-represented and overlooked during commentary and key issues discussed in the 2024 general election. We know this will not change unless we push media to do better. To make this happen, Pass the Mic is looking to train and support women of colour with experience and expertise on the topics below. This will involve media training and supporting you to give quotes to newspapers and take part in TV or radio interviews in relation to how these topics are being discussed or presented by political parties or within public opinion over the election period in May 2026. You would need be available for interviews in person or online for media between early April – early May 2026.

The topics we are looking for experts on are:

  • Economy/jobs market
  • Immigration and asylum
  • Health/NHS
  • Education
  • Environment/Climate justice
  • Housing
  • Poverty / social security
  • Anti-racism
  • Women’s rights/ violence against women and girls
  • Community cohesion and belonging

Interested? Get in touch with us and register your interest by the 6th of December.

Uncategorized

National Gathering 2025 – tickets open

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Now in its third successful year, the Pass the Mic National Gathering is back!

A day of inspiration, solidarity, and sisterhood. The purpose of the National Gathering is to create space for us to grow together and crucially, to have discussion on challenging and changing media and influencing in Scotland.

Women of colour are disproportionately harmed by culture war media content and ineffective policy decisions, yet their voices and expertise are rarely included in influencing change. We are talked about, rather than talked to. At this event we come together to push for change.

There will be workshops, keynotes speeches, panels and a meet the media session. Tickets are limited and are likely to go quickly – so get registered today

Speakers include:

Dr. Joanna Abeyie – Author, Equality and inclusion consultant, and former head of creative diversity at the BBC

Yassmin Abdel-Magied – Sudanese diaspora writer, broadcaster, and award-winning social advocate, a globally sought-after speaker and advisor on social justice issues and inclusive leadership.

Zara Janjua – Award-winning TV, radio & podcast presenter, writer and producer. Finalist of “Women of the Future” award.

Talat Yaqoob – Founder of Pass the Mic, award-winning campaigner and writer, and consultant and adviser across equalities and social justice policy.

Assa Samaké-Roman– Scottish and French journalist, columnists in the National newspaper, and media commentator

Uzma Mir– Radio and television director, producer and executive producer and former columist providing skills on article writing

Hannah Bardell– Former MP, consultant, and media commentator providing a news interview skills workshop

and more speakers to be announced!

Tickets are limited and are likely to go quickly – so get registered today

Uncategorized

Finding my outlet – Jahzara Joyce

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My name is Jahzara, I am currently an MA Philosophy and Politics undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh, and I was part of the 2024 Pass the Mic writers group. I was introduced to Pass the Mic by a friend who saw their post on social media and sent it to me urging me to apply. I thought it was a great opportunity, but I was hesitant because I didn’t consider myself an ‘expert’ in any regard. I questioned what Pass the Mic meant by ‘expert’, and it was their warm and welcoming response that led me to apply.

I wanted to be part of Pass the Mic because it is an organisation which aims to empower women of colour to tell the stories they think matter. As a self-proclaimed outgoing individual, I like to share my perspective, and I have plenty to say, but I don’t often have an outlet for that. My experience at Pass the Mic, which led to my article being published in the Press and Journal, gave me an outlet.  

The voices and expertise of women of colour are often drowned out by the voices of those who speak louder and with more ferocity because society has emboldened them to do so. Pass the Mic challenges this by providing women of colour in Scotland a platform and the connections to thrive. As a part of the 2024 writers’ group, we had many workshops and networking opportunities. Pass the Mic has given me, undoubtedly, the most successful networking event I have ever attended. Through the community it has cultivated, and the workshops provided, I learnt so much about the media industry, and the space available to women of colour.

Pass the Mic and its founder Talat Yaqoob have created a space for us, a space that the media industry desperately needs. I urge you to make use of it. Claim any opportunity that comes your way. Your voice is wanted and needed. 

A major highlight of my 2024 was being part of Pass the Mic’s writers cohort. I implore every woman of colour who has something to say to apply. If I had to sum up my experience in one word, it would be enlightening. I have grown so much in being surrounded by incredible women of colour in Scotland from all walks of life. Having completed my time in the writers’ group, I feel more confident in my ability to succeed in the media industry because of the valuable insights I gained. It is an experience I will always look back on with the utmost gratitude – I couldn’t thank Pass the Mic enough.

News

Applications for the 2025 opinion writers’ cohort are OPEN.

talatyaq

This year’s women of colour writers group is now open for applications. The programme runs from March 2025 – November 2025 for 20 participants.

As part of the programme you can expect:

  • Allocation to a media partner (The Scotsman, Press and Journal, The National, The Scottish Beacon, or The Herald) Please note: allocation is based on ensuring a diverse range of writers and topics across platforms
  • There is a £100 payment for your article. Whilst many opinion pieces are published without pay, we refuse to enable systemic inequality by building content through unpaid labour.
  • Online development sessions with editors and guest speakers
  • Secured place for Pass the Mic event in Glasgow in June

This opportunity is for women of colour to write opinion pieces on topics they feel need to be given more space or to respond directly to current affairs. The topic can be about personal experiences or based on topics related to areas of “professional” work.

The programme is usually oversubscribed, and if selected, we trust that you will commit time and effort to attend development session and publish an article.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

You can read previous articles by our amazing participants on our website.

Uncategorized

Our research – where are the women of colour in news – Take 2

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Working with researchers and leaders in this area at the University of Strathclyde, Pass the Mic commissioned research on media monitoring to assess the number of women of colour on TV news shows and newspapers ahead of the general election in July 2024. This is the only research of its kind in the UK which prioritises women of colour’s representation and expertise.

Given the importance of an election as a democractic event, and particularly this election in the current political landscape, the visibility of women of colour, our depiction, and whether the stories we care about make the news, is more important than ever.

The research monitored over 7000 news programmes and articles, and the findings are not surprising to us, but illustrate why the work of Pass the Mic matters:

* Women of colour remain under represented relative to the population.

* Two-thirds of people in news stories with a Scottish angle were men.

* Women of colour were less likely than other groups to be quoted and more likely to be photographed.

* Only 1% of people quoted in newspapers were women of colour and the majority of WOC quoted were not based in Scotland.

* Women of colour were more likely to occupy the functions of personal experience and popular opinion than other groups.

* 80.9% of all people of colour in news stories with a Scottish angle were men.

However, we know Pass the Mic is making a difference, as where women of colour appeared in published news articles, almost all of these over the media monitoring period of four weeks, were writers associated with Pass the Mic.

You can read the findings and methodology in full here.

News

National Gathering for Women of Colour – 2024 tickets out now

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After the huge succcess of last years’ event, we’ve decided to do it all again! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

The event is an all-to-rare opportunity for women of colour to come together in Scotland in a space that is build with them and for them. The purpose is to build skills around sharing your expertise with media through newspaper article writing, TV or radio interviews, as well as learning about public speaking and inflencing policy spaces. We want to see more women of colour having a stake in the commentar, story-building and decision-making in Scotland

The event this year will include workshops and well as informal networking space to build sisterhood. There will be lunch and afternoon mocktails.

We are DELIGHTED to also annouce our keynotes speakers:

Fatima Manji: Fatima Manji is a journalist and former presenter for Channel 4 news, she regularly covers national and international stories and became Britain’s first hijab wearing TV newsreader in 2016. Fatima has won a number of awards for her journalism and in 2015 she was a finalist for the Royal Television Society’s Young Journalist of the Year. She was also named media personality of the year at the Asian Media Awards. She is the author of Hidden Heritage: Rediscovering Britain’s Relationship with the Orient, a timely book providing a new perspective on British history, empire, national identity, and migration.

Jean Johanssan: Jean Johansson is a TV presenter and broadcast journalist from Glasgow, born in Kenya. She has become a household name due to her roles presenting Channel 4’s A Place In The Sun and the BBC’s Animal Park. She is also a regular report for the BBC’s The One Show and a columnist for Sunday Mail. In 2022, Jean presented the BBC documentary, Disclosure: The Truth About Scotland and Racism. Whilst studying Broadcast Journalism, Jean presented the STV weather bulletins and also appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2018.

Spaces are limited, so get your tickets quick!

News

Media Commentator Training

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Pass the Mic and Women in Journalism Scotland are working together to host a media commentator training day exclusively for women of colour who are based in Scotland.

This training will be on 8th March 2024, at the BBC Scotland studios in Glasgow. The purpose of the day is to give you a chance to experience giving interviews on radio and TV. You will meet journalists and presenters, and lunch will be provided.

We are limited to 25 spaces, but they are going fast! Apply below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZylx-BuRnTDJJuEVYu6zJZYrUZr5usl730dfWK6tqiyg63Q/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Please remember with all work we do, we are also challenging the definition of “expert”. Whether you have personal or professional expertise; it could be life as a parent/carer, the lived reality of sexism/racism, the difficulties of student life, or as a campaigner in your local community. It can be on any topic that you feel needs to be highlighted and influenced on in Scotland; climate change, disability rights, economy, domestic abuse, education, public health, human rights and international crises, the arts, care – all expertise are valid, all that is needed is the want to share a story and make change.

News, Uncategorized

2024 writing group open for applications

talatyaq

Applications are now CLOSED. Please consider adding your name to the experts directory.

The 2024 women of colour writers group is now open for applications. The programme runs from March 2024 – November 2024.

As part of the programme you can expect:

  • Allocation to a media partner (The Scotsman, The Courier, Press and Journal, The National, or The Herald) Please note: allocation is based on ensuring a diverse range of writers and topics across platforms
  • There is a £100 payment for your article. Whilst many opinion pieces are published without pay, we refuse to enable systemic inequality by building content through unpaid labour.
  • Online development sessions with editors and guest speakers
  • A development day on 8th March at the BBC studios (please register for that here as this is hosted by a different organisation and requires an application): https://bit.ly/41PEbro
  • Secured place for Pass the Mic event in Glasgow in June

This opportunity is for women of colour to write opinion pieces on topics they feel need to be given more space or to respond directly to current affairs. The topic can be about personal experiences or based on topics related to areas of “professional” work.

The programme is usually oversubscribed, and if selected, we trust that you will commit time and effort to attend development session and publish an article.

Fill in the application below by 15th February 2024

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Blog

What needs to change – insights for media from our recent events

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This summer, Pass the Mic organised the first women of colour gathering in Scotland focused on what needs to change in media to amplify the voices and expertise of women of colour. The event was a huge success and included more than 80 women from across Scotland along with speakers and workshop hosts. One of the participants, Anisha, has written about the day for Women in Journalism Scotland.

During the event we hosted a “conversation cafe” to ask participants what needs to change within media, commentary, and wider cultures to enable them to take part more effectively and without concern. Many women expressed their want to share their expertise and skills in the same way others do in Scotland to influence public narratives, but felt that that they were either locked out of these opportunities, or did not have the access or networks to enter. During the workshop, participants told us what need to change within processes and internal (sometime hostile) cultures. This included; investment by news outlets in sustained outreach and engagement, media monitoring and public targets, and internal training and auditing of processes that may be actively excluding women of colour. A key point was raised repeatedly, that whilst media needed to change, institutions (such as universities and political parties) also need to go significantly further in assessing their own processes on who they give opportunities to and who they put forward to media.

The following day, a second event was hosted with those working in media and those working in media education. Whilst discussions were helpful and have informed the future developments of Pass the Mic, it was particularly disappointing to see such a low turnout of individuals from media and, particularly, those with decision-making power within media. We hope that future opportunities of this kind are more readily engaged in, if there is to be any hope of positive change.

In order to support the change in culture and systems needed, Pass the Mic has developed a briefing (below) for those working within and around media which shares our media monitoring research along with the outputs and learning from our events. We hope this is shared widely and helps instigate important discussions within media and commentary spaces.

Pass-the-Mic-Briefing-for-attendeesDownload