Not many teenagers have the guts to ask their local paper for a column, but Kristi Eaton did. And she got it. Even back then, the freelance journalist who grew up reading the daily paper with her parents wasn’t afraid to ask questions. The interest she had in journalism turned into a college major, followed by a full-time career.

Recognized internationally today for her powerful storytelling focusing especially on women’s rights and underrepresented communities, Kristi is a three-time recipient of Oklahoma’s Tulsa Artist Fellowship. The fellowship, which comes with a financial stipend and free housing, gives her the creative freedom she needs to write the stories she cares about.

 “Freelance journalism is very precarious at this time, in terms of money and getting stories published. The fellowship allows for me to report on the stories that I’m interested in and not be so concerned about livelihood.”

 The pieces she’s written cover a range of different topics, although the aforementioned thread of social justice remains relevant throughout. Kristi often writes about women’s rights and human rights, Native American sovereignty, immigration, criminal justice reform, and travel, to name a few. The pursuit of a story took her all around the world. After graduating from Arizona State University, where she served as editor-in-chief of the college paper, Kristi moved to the Northern Mariana Islands to work for the Saipan Tribune covering politics. After a year, she returned home for a job at the Associated Press, then moved to Cambodia as a freelancer, followed by Indonesia.

 “I was looking for an adventure and I found it.”

Kristi’s work has been published by the New York Times, Ms. Magazine, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, among others. In addition to the Tulsa Artist Fellowship, she’s been awarded grants from other foundations and was recently named a Kiplinger Journalism Fellow.  

When reflecting on the ups and downs of freelancing, Kristi is especially happy with the flexibility her career allows. The downside, unfortunately, is constantly pitching stories to editors, many of whom are unresponsive due to their heavy workload.

 “When you’re on staff and your story doesn’t get published, you still get paid. As a freelancer, you don’t.”

To try to avoid slowdowns in paychecks, she recommends building relationships with editors and being aware of any industry changes, such as a publication closing or a new editor. She also finds comfort in the community of freelance journalists. “It can be lonely,” she warns, but there are resources and peers who are going through similar experiences available to connect with.

Freelancing, however, is what allows Kristi to excel in her craft, that is empowering through storytelling. To take this passion even further, she is beginning work on a project for the immigrant and refugee communities in Oklahoma. Beginning in July 2020, Kristi will offer storytelling workshops for those community members to be able to share their stories themselves.

“I want to empower them to be able to tell their own stories.”

 Though she preaches progress not perfection, it’s that selflessness that makes her a perfect advocate for those in need.

Connect with Kristi on Twitter and Instagram @KristiEaton, or via e-mail at kristi.eaton@gmail.com.