Rest is an essential practice—one that gives us space to breathe, to dream, and to heal. At Prism, rest is also a regular practice integral to our newsroom and the organization’s culture. And so, for the third year in a row, Prism is on pause. From April 24 through April 28, our offices will be closed, and we won’t be publishing any new reporting.

All of us at Prism believe deeply in our responsibility to cover and contextualize the news as it unfolds. As an independent newsroom led by journalists of color, we’re a team of people who come from the communities we report on. This means we are acutely aware of the trauma of living in systems of oppression and the toll it takes on our bodies and minds. Tending to our mental and physical health is more than a privilege or luxury—it is imperative to sustaining the rigor and care that our journalists, readers, and larger community need. Over the last year, we’ve invested more deeply in cultivating a regular rest practice, most notably by adopting a four-day workweek, and continuing our annual tradition of a “pause” week flows from the same ethos. 

We invite other newsrooms to consider what it might look like to join us in rest. Just as we were initially inspired by MLK50’s regular self-care breaks and the reasoning behind them, we hope Prism on Pause sparks other outlets to give rest a chance, and trust your journalism will be stronger for it.

Lastly, we’re grateful for the understanding of our readership, whose support makes both our work and our rest possible. If you haven’t already, consider becoming a part of our member community to help power our journalism into the future.   

See you upon our return.