More than two dozen reporters, journalism students and newsroom managers representing TV stations, newspapers, local schools and other outlets participated in an all-day training FAC led in partnership with the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation on Nov. 13, 2025.
The First Amendment Coalition and Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation teamed up in Palm Desert last week for an all-day training focused on how to turn California transparency laws and press access rights into impactful, in-depth reporting. More than two dozen reporters, journalism students, and newsroom managers representing TV stations, newspapers, local schools and other news outlets across the region participated in the sessions.
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FAC press education specialists Paloma Esquivel and Thadeus Greenson led sessions on records-based reporting, immigration enforcement coverage and using public records to document police use of force and misconduct.
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FAC education specialists Paloma Esquivel and Thadeus Greenson started the day with a session on how to incorporate records-based reporting into all stories and beats. The session offered an overview of the California Public Records Act, with reporting tips gleaned from Thad and Paloma’s decades of experience in the field to help reporters anticipate and overcome denials and delays.
Covering Protests
The recent wave of nationwide protests against Trump administration policies, particularly demonstrations over its aggressive deportation campaign, has heightened journalist concerns about safety, access and preparedness. The FAC team addressed common questions during a dedicated panel discussion.
FAC Legal Director David Loy, who is part of the legal team representing journalists in cases against the city and county of Los Angeles over mistreatment of press at anti-ICE protests this summer, provided an overview of relevant state law and First Amendment protections, including areas of friction in the field. Thadeus offered tips about what newsrooms can do to prepare to cover protests and other First Amendment activities, with an eye on staying safe in the process. The conversation repeatedly turned to the gap between what the law says and the realities faced by reporters in some jurisdictions.
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FAC Legal Director David Loy talks media access at natural disasters and protests during a legal rights question-and-answer period
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Press Rights Q&A
Coachella Valley journalists got a primer on media law topics from David during a working lunch presentation and Q&A. Discussion covered shield law protections, rules around recording in public and restricted areas, state laws providing press special rights of access to restricted locations and other media law topics. Many of these topics are addressed in the FAC legal team’s Explainers resource and Asked & Answered.
The FAC team spotlighted other resources, including FAC’s free Legal Hotline, and legal services and referrals provided by national organizations, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, including its ProJourn initiative, and Lawyers 4 Reporters.
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Julie Makinen, a veteran newsroom leader and serves as secretary-treasurer of the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation, co-hosted the event.
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New Reporting Tool
Responding to news coverage priorities around the state, FAC recently launched Reporter’s Field Guides and rolled out related workshops during the day of training in Palm Desert.
Paloma walked attendees through the ins and outs of covering immigration enforcement in California, with a focus on using state transparency laws to shed light in areas federal agencies often shroud in darkness. The presentation offered concrete reporting tips journalists can use to access immigration court proceedings and documents, track and interview detainees and probe local agencies’ interactions with the Department of Homeland Security, and culminated with about 20 minutes of audience questions related to their reporting experiences and efforts. Find the Reporter’s Field Guide: Immigration Enforcement in English and Spanish.
The day of training — which one attendee likened to a “mini IRE conference” — ended with a workshop on how to assess police misconduct and use of force records in California. Led by Thadeus with legal insight from David, the session delved into the details of state law governing disclosure of police records, with tips for navigating common denials and delays, all with the aim of helping attendees do the kind of reporting that holds agencies to account and informs the electorate. Find the Reporter’s Field Guide: Police Shootings.
Julie Makinen, a veteran newsroom leader who co-hosted the event and serves as secretary-treasurer of the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation, said these sessions were particularly valuable.
“The segments on immigration reporting and investigating police misconduct through public records were especially timely and relevant for the Coachella Valley,” she said. “The presenters shared not only the legal framework but also real-world techniques for accessing and analyzing records that hold institutions accountable to the communities they serve.”
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FAC Legal Director David Loy fields questions during the all-day training.
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Expanded Journalist Support
The daylong training held at UC Riverside-Pam Desert is one of 36 educational or advocacy events FAC staff has organized or participated in this year. And it reflects our expanded journalist education program made possible by the made possible by the Knight Foundation.
“What set this workshop apart was the instructors’ deep expertise combined with their commitment to practical application. They understood the challenges journalists face and equipped attendees with tools to overcome them,” said Makinen. “The First Amendment Coalition’s investment in supporting journalism in the Coachella Valley, an area that has one of the lowest per-capita numbers of journalists of any region in the state, demonstrates their genuine commitment to press freedom and government transparency at the local level.”
Request a Workshop
If you are interested in learning more about the topics covered in the Coachella Valley, check out FAC’s workshops, some of which can be provided in English and Spanish. We also offer training for student journalists and early career reporters. If this sounds like something you’d like to see replicated in your newsroom or your community, reach out to our education team at education[at]firstamendmentcoalition[dot]org.
Photos: Froylan Ramirez