I'm Jean Zembe and I'm BA Parker and this is Coat Switch from NPR so

Jean as you know, I used to be a professor before I got into journalism. I know that's what you told us when we introduced you to the world

Yes, that's right. Yeah, but I knew I wanted to try something different and so one day

I saw an announcement and an alumni email about a mid-career fellowship and it was at this American life a big deal

Yeah, and it piqued my interest so I remember the application was due at midnight or like 1159 whatever and I started filming it out around

10 p.m. That night which don't don't do that. I'm just stressed out. Yeah, don't be me don't be me

But I sent it off and forgot all about it and a few weeks later I found out that somehow I ended up getting it

Mm-hmm, okay, that fellowship lasted six months and it was for people who were in the middle of their careers and

like it changed my life like

That was five years ago and now I'm on this show with you see all you see what happens when you shoot your shot look at that

Okay, God, how do blessings as I produce a kumari would say

As it happens Parker

We have a mid-career fellowship over our own at Coat Switch now. I know when it's amazing

Mm-hmm. So

Let's say you are a journalist who was a few years into your career

With this fellowship you was spent six months reporting out a story about race and identity that you proposed to us

You would get a $12,000 stipend for travel and all the things you would need to do your reporting

And a Coat Switch producer would be with you every step of the way and that reporting might even become

An episode of Coat Switch. I love that

So

We're looking for a mid-career journalist who already has a story in mind that they really want to tell

But could you use some guidance and resources to do that

...