Mentorship — People of Color in Publishing

Mentorship Program

The People of Color in Publishing Mentorship Program is a volunteer-based initiative that aims to create mentorship relationships between entry-level and experienced-level POC industry professionals. The initiative’s goal is to provide entry-level POC professionals a personal resource for support, guidance, and encouragement, as they begin to navigate a career in publishing. We are no longer accepting applications for our 2025 Mentorship Program.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Mentees: Applicants must submit a short statement of intent and a list of departments they are interested in receiving guidance and mentorship in. This mentorship is open to full-time and part-time entry-level POC professionals, as well as individuals with internship(s) experience.

Mentors: We welcome all industry professionals with over two years of experience to volunteer to become a mentor. Since mentees and mentors are matched on the basis of the mentee’s area of interest, volunteers from all departments--including but not limited to editors, agents, designers, publicists, marketing professionals, and foreign rights/scouts--are invited.

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email

Title

Company

By selecting the option below, you are confirming that you identify as a person of color.

Yes

This initiative was created for and by people of color in publishing. To qualify as either a mentee or mentor, one must self-identify as a person of color.

ABOUT THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

The mentorship program lasts for 6 months, beginning January, with each mentor/mentee pair determining the scheduling, pace, structure, and circumstances of their mentorship. Mentors are asked to spend at least an hour per month one-on-one (whether by phone, Skype, gchat, or in person) with their mentee in order to provide the kind of attention and information they can put to good use in their careers. This amounts to a total commitment of 6 hours between the mentor and mentee across the 6 month mentorship period.

Each pair is assigned one member of the subcommittee as their point person, who will be there to give guidance, advice, and to take feedback and address concerns. We welcome any and all comments that may help us improve and refine this program so that it truly works to combat the disproportionate lack of POCs in the publishing industry.