Engagement Journalism

This is a shorter version of my final Community Practicum, which I did for Newmark's Engagement Journalism masters program. For 16 months I employed a number of engagement tactics to work with and for adoptees and birth mothers who have been fighting for adoption reform.

"From September 2021 through December 2022 I worked with birth mothers and adoptees who are making efforts to complicate the narrative around adoption online. This resulted in a multi-platform project, creating a highly successful TikTok channel, an Instagram page, a private Facebook group and a Substack newsletter. The platforms decided on as well as the content on these platforms were decided upon in collaboration with the community, using deep listening and collecting both qualitative and quan..."

This is my final piece for my Entrepreneurial Journalism class, which was a third (and final) semester class for the Newmark School of Journalism's Engagement Journalism masters program. In this class I developed a news product in collaboration with and for the community I worked with for the duration of the program. This is an account of that project and my methodologies to creating it.

The holidays can be hard for a lot of people; this can especially be the case for those impacted by adoption.
Join us this Sunday at 3PM EST (NYC time) for a panel discussion about inherent mental health impacts of adoption and how to navigate this holiday season. This is a LIVA AMA (ask me anything) event, so please come with your questions!
Joining us will be three incredible adoption-competent therapists, who are also themselves impacted by adoption, Marcella Moslow, Amy Barker D'Alessandro and Jennifer Joy Phoenix.
We wanted this to reach as many people in the community as possible as possible, so here are all the ways in which you can tune in:
TikTok: @sajotheadopteehag's page (app-only, does not work on web)
Facebook: Conversations About Adoption ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/conve...) private group as well as the Adoption Savvy Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/getadoptions...)
Twitter: @amandakmchugh (

/ amandakmchugh.. )
YouTube: www.whatnowproductions.com
Twitch: @whatnowproductions
Amanda Kari McHugh, adoptee, journalist and founder of Voices of Adoption will be moderating the panel.
We will also have Sara Jo moderating the TikTok chat amd Jen Matthews moderating Facebook!
Looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday.
_____________________________________________ #adoptiontruth #adoptee #adoptiontrauma #adopteevoices
"*we are using the term birth mother in our graphics because it is what is used legally in adoptions and it is also what AP style says to use. We are aware and empathetic to the fact that this is a term that many mothers dislike. During the live event, we will make sure that our panelists are referred to by a term that is their preference, which will also hopefully help educate a general audience about other terms that are often preferred. It is not our personal perspective that birth mothers are birthing vessels and nothing more. We respect and appreciate all mothers in the adoption constellation."

If you’ve been following adoption on social media lately, you’ll find that information about November in the adoption community is split into two camps: those that are celebrating families that came together through adoption and those who are raising awareness about the inherent ethical and systemic issues that adoption encompasses. But you won’t find t…

This is a post reflecting on my first semester at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism’s Engagement Journalism program.

Still undecided about Prop 22? Not sure how this relates to AB5, or even how this proposition and assembly bill could affect you directly?
Hearing one thing from press, another from drivers you know, and still yet another from that super-liberal friend of yours?
Well here's a panel to help clear things up! For our panel, we've got four well-informed activists, freelancers, and small business owners who have been very active in the fight for job freedom since AB5's inception.
Amanda Kari McHugh, a former rideshare driver and freelance documentary filmmaker, will be moderating, and there will be an open Q&A at the end!

• Outreach Partner:

Can't spare the cash but still want help?

Promoting our project via social media and e-mail helps us reach those who can and because of that is most valuable!

Sharing the link to our Kickstarter to a mailing list of more than 500 people, or a facebook group of 1,000+ will **earn you a credit as an "Outreach Partner" in the film credits and on our website! It's a way to bring creative projects to life. Learn more about accountability.
• Santa Claus Gift of Giving Reward