THTF Neighborhood Voices trains and pays Portland residents to document the history, culture, and daily life of their own communities — in their own language, from the inside out. Participants leave with a verifiable work sample and demonstrable production skills.
"Who gets to tell the story of a neighborhood? Our answer is the people who live in it."
Portland's local journalism has contracted sharply. Neighborhood-level coverage — already sparse in the city's highest-diversity communities — has thinned further. The communities least covered have become even more invisible. But the stories are still there. They're in kitchens, on stoops, in the memories of elders, in the businesses that have anchored a block for thirty years.
THTF Neighborhood Voices doesn't parachute storytellers into communities. It trains and pays the people who already live there — and keeps every story free for anyone to read.
Participants leave with a verifiable work sample, demonstrable documentation and production skills, and a portfolio credential that supports employment, community leadership, and further media training. This is workforce development with a storytelling method.
Every participant — regardless of which tier they reach — leaves with something real and portable.
No journalism background required. No English fluency required. Curiosity, reliability, and community trust are the only prerequisites. Childcare and transportation support at every session.
This is a presence and preservation program. We document the stories that shape a community's sense of itself — the ones told nowhere else.
Not every participant will publish a full story in their first cohort. That is a normal and expected outcome — not a failure. We tell you this now, before you apply, because honest expectations build real trust.
Every story in the archive. Every Story Circle event. Free — no registration, no paywall, no suggested amount. Voluntary community donations are welcomed because they mean something different than a ticket price.
"This evening is free. If it meant something to you, help us do it again."
We begin in neighborhoods where immigrant and refugee communities are already building something — and where their stories are most urgently in need of being told.
Neighborhood Voices Leads are anchored to a specific Portland neighborhood with a standing commitment to document stories regularly. You complete 8-week training, move through the five-stage story pipeline with coordinator support, and are paid a monthly stipend of $200–$350. No journalism degree. No English requirement. Curiosity, reliability, and community trust.
6-month cohort commitment. Renewable. Childcare and transportation stipends at every training session.
→ Apply to Be a LeadStory Contributors complete the 8-week training and submit stories without a standing monthly commitment. When you have a story worth telling, you bring it through the pipeline. When it's accepted, you're paid. No standing deadline, no minimum output.
Payment: $50 for short pieces and photo essays · $100 for reported stories · $125 for audio or video. All languages accepted.
→ Apply as a ContributorPartner organizations are co-designers of the program's priorities and the primary channel through which stories reach community members. The minimum ask: identify 2–3 potential participants per cohort through direct introduction, and share one story link per month through your existing channels.
Partners may also host training sessions, co-host Story Circle events, provide cultural review for stories involving their community, and help with multilingual outreach.
→ Start a Partner ConversationThis program is free to participate in and free to read because of people who believe that community narratives belong to the communities that created them. Your support pays for participant stipends, multilingual training, coordinator time, and the operational infrastructure that makes every cohort possible.
The Humble Travelers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible. Donations are processed through Zeffy — 0% platform fees.
→ Donate via Zeffy (0% fees)This program operates through HTF's existing partner network — not alongside it. These organizations are co-designers of the program's priorities, primary channels for participant recruitment, and the infrastructure through which stories reach community members.
We're building our next cohort now. If you live in Portland and there are stories in your neighborhood that deserve to be told — we want to hear from you.
We respond to all applications within 10 business days. Applying doesn't commit you to anything.
We review every pitch and respond within 10 business days. Payment on publication.
We respond to all partnership inquiries within one week.
We'll be in touch soon. Thank you for making room for this story.