Connecting stories around the world

Our Mission

The mission of the Common Language Project is to engage, educate and inform Americans of all ages on the crucial human issues of our time through innovative and accessible journalism.

The Common Language Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

What We Do

The Common Language Project is a nonprofit multimedia journalism organization housed in the University of Washington's Department of Communication.  We work in three key areas:

International Reporting

CLP reporters frequently undertake topical reporting projects around the globe. We also accept submissions from emerging journalists and media makers working around the world. Our work tends to focus on the people affected by key social justice issues--the small human stories that illuminate broad social, political or economic issues. Our coverage is focused on human rights, gender equality, social and economic justice, immigration, education, labor, health, and the environment.

Local Reporting

Inspired by the diversity and globalism of the Puget Sound region, the CLP regularly reports from our home city of Seattle on issues that connect our region to international community such as immigration, refugees and global health.

We engage new media distribution platforms and multimedia storytelling techniques. Our local and international work is distributed by a range of local, national and international outlets, but every story - in its most complete multimedia presentation - is also published here on our website.

Journalism in Education

The CLP believes that a journalist's first duty is to educate. We believe media education is the key to fostering a diverse media landscape and encouraging informed and engaged global media consumers.  We offer digital news literacy and multimedia journalism production opportunities for young people in the Puget Sound region through our work at the University of Washington and through our Seattle Digital Literacy Initiative.  We also partner with emerging international and multimedia journalists through fiscal sponsorship and mentoring.

Our Goals

• Foster an audience of informed, engaged global media consumers
• Cover underreported stories both abroad and in our community
• Produce media that highlights the crucial issues of our time using innovative storytelling techniques
• Encourage American media consumers to engage with global issues
• Promote journalism as a not-for-profit public service
• Tell human stories by seeking out people working on the ground and those directly affected by the issues
• Educate young people through online journalism, digital literacy, and media production

Awards

The CLP is the proud recipient of the following awards:

• 2008 Knight Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism, Interactive Narratives, Notable Entry: Water Wars
• 2008 Society of Professional Journalists Award, First Place, Business Reporting: Bitter Harvest
• 2008 Unity Awards in Media, Reporting of Economics: Bitter Harvest
• 2008 Edward R Murrow Award, Region 1, News Series: Life on the Duwamish
• 2006 Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism, International News, Notable Entry: CLPMag.org
• 2006 Independent Press Association Award, Best Feature: Dismantling a Dangerous Past

Ethics

CLP staff, volunteers, journalists, contributors and editors follow the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and have taken the TAO of Journalism Pledge to be Transparent, Accountable and Open. The CLP is a member of the Investigative News Network. The CLP receives pro bono legal assistance through the Online Media Legal Network.