May 5-6 for all invited

May 7 for our portfolio (current + alumni grantees)

This May in New Orleans, we’ll gather the leaders of our portfolio with our supporters, partners in the local nonprofit news movement, and the American Journalism Project board and staff.

What we’ll do

You can find a detailed agenda here, but take a look at our quick schedule overview:

• Monday, May 5: We’ll have registration tables set up starting at 2:00 p.m. CT., as well as a gathering room for any early arrivals to meet up with each other and grab a cup of coffee. We’ll kick off AJPalooza with everyone at 3 p.m. CT. After the initial sessions and some breakouts, we’ll meet up at 6 p.m. CT in the Royal Room for an opportunity to remember American Journalism Project co-founder John Thornton with a traditional New Orleans’ Second Line. The Second Line will take us to cocktails and dinner at The Court of Two Sisters (613 Royal St, New Orleans), beginning around 6:35 p.m. CT.
• Tuesday, May 6: This day will include opportunities to learn from each other and a place-based journey exploring New Orleans through the lens of the leaders at Verite News and Deep South Today. Programming will conclude with a dinner at the Orpheum Theater (129 Roosevelt Way, New Orleans) where we’ll hear about the unique regional identity of the Deep South and why access to information in this part of the country is critical.
• Wednesday, May 22 (AJP portfolio of current + alumni grantees only): We’ll have breakfast and lunch together, with some more discussion and learning in between. We’ll officially conclude by 1 p.m. CT.

Tips, tricks and frequently asked questions

Please unplug: We hope you’ll take next week as an opportunity to truly unplug. AJPalooza is all about learning from each other, sharing stories and making real connections. To help with that, we ask that you skip calls, meetings and inbox-checking during sessions. Think of it as a mini digital detox. If you want to take notes, we’ll have trusty paper and pens ready for you — no charging cables required.

Confidentiality: We want AJPalooza to foster open, candid discussions. Unless a speaker specifically asks otherwise, attendees should assume that session content is shareable and attributable. However, if you plan to publicly share or publish a story or quote, you must get the speaker’s approval first.

Accommodations: We are staying at the Hotel Monteleone. AJP grantees: Please refer to the grantee travel expense guidance for specific instructions on travel costs. AJP will directly manage lodging reservations for alumni grantee attendees and current grantees without an AJPalooza expense in their grant budget. 

Directions from airport: The Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal St, New Orleans) is approximately a 30-minute drive from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) (directions to hotel).

Taxi rides from the airport cost a flat fee of $36.00 to the French Quarter for up to two passengers and $15.00 per passenger for three or more. Taxis are required to accept credit card payments.

REAL ID requirements: Starting May 7, 2025, travelers in the U.S. will be required to be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights, meaning your identification must meet a set of federal security standards. Learn more about those requirements here. If you’re unsure whether your state-issued ID qualifies, we recommend bringing your passport as a backup.

What should I wear? AJPalooza attire is business casual — with emphasis on the casual! Jeans are fine; we’d like you to be comfortable and happy during this event. For dinner on Tuesday (only), we’ll dress it up a bit with smart casual attire. The weather in New Orleans in May can vary, so please check the forecast when packing.

Wifi password: The network name is MonteleoneMeetingNet and the password is AJPALOOZA.

What should I do if I’m not feeling well before my trip? We ask that all attendees experiencing symptoms of illness of any kind, please refrain from attending the event.

Why New Orleans?

With AJPalooza, we have a tradition of visiting a different place each year where our portfolio members work: in 2021, we met virtually; in 2022, we visited Chicago; in 2023, we were in Cleveland; in 2024, we went to Minneapolis; and in 2025, we’ll explore New Orleans.

Deep South Today is a nonprofit network of local newsrooms that includes Mississippi Today and Verite News. Founded in 2016, Mississippi Today is now one of the largest newsrooms in the state, and in 2023 it won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. Verite News launched in 2022 in New Orleans, where it covers inequities facing communities of color. We’re excited to introduce you all to them in person to learn more about their work and the state of local news in the Deep South.

What do I do if I still have questions?

Our team is here to help! If you have any questions as you prepare for AJPalooza, send us an email at ajpalooza@theajp.org.