Storytellers of all kinds in Puerto Rico—from photographers and writers to video directors—show your Puerto Rican pride and make your voice heard like never before. Discover Puerto Rico and AFAR, based on our shared belief in the lifechanging power of deeper, more meaningful travel experiences, are launching a special program called United Voices by AFAR. Part content forum and part immersive experience, this first-of-its-kind, three-day summit from April 25-27, 2023 will bring together emerging content creators and AFAR editors in Puerto Rico.
At the summit, we’ll develop stories that celebrate the vast riches of the Island with a focus on sustainability, diversity, and culture in travel, as told by the very people who know it best: Boricua storytellers. Participants will receive a $500 honorarium and an all-expenses paid summit experience (including meals, ground transportation, and lodging), get their work published on afar.com and across other digital AFAR channels, and have more opportunities for paid contributions to AFAR. Keep reading to learn more or apply now on the application page! (The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. EST on March 19, 2023.)
About AFAR
AFAR is a multimedia travel company with a mission to make a positive impact on the world through high-quality storytelling that inspires, enriches, and empowers travelers. Our editorial values include inclusivity, optimism, radical empathy, curiosity, and joy.
We want to arm readers with in-depth, best-in-class destination intel and inspiration to help guide their way. We tell these stories through the lens of travel as a force for good, written for our ever-expanding audience of bright, well-seasoned travelers who care about the planet and the communities they visit.
We write about places where your visit could really count. Places that are lesser known. And when we cover on-the-beaten path destinations, we’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path or unexpected angle. We publish news stories, features and essays, interviews/Q&As, evergreen inspiration, photo essays, videos, profiles, and illustrated guides. And we seek to incorporate diverse local voices and perspectives—like yours!—into our coverage.
It all starts with your pitch and creative storytelling
To apply, submit a story pitch. AFAR is interested in expanding its coverage of Puerto Rico and we want your ideas. What kinds of stories have we missed? What do you want travelers to know about the Island? What do you want our readers to know about your home? What is your Puerto Rican story? We are currently accepting pitches in the following categories:
- Undiscovered Puerto Rico
- Climate Change and Sustainable Travel
- Arts, Culture, and History
Your application pitch should include a proposed headline for afar.com, a 50-word synopsis of a story you’d like to report and write (or help create through photography or video), and a bulleted list of any potential interviews you would conduct, locations or other subjects you would cover, and relevant news pegs. Here’s a sample pitch for reference:
Proposed headline: A Guide to Puerto Rico’s Farm-to-Table Dining Movement
Synopsis: This story will cover the innovative restaurants throughout Puerto Rico that are using local ingredients in inventive ways, from pop-up dinners and wood-fired seasonal dishes to Indigenous-inspired vegan meals and tasting menus. It also will touch on sustainable farmers and farming, along with the diverse influences in the island’s culinary history, for a rich portrait of Puerto Rican culture that inspires and guides travelers who want to visit.
- Interview Carlos Portela, chef and owner of Orujo; Raúl Correa of El Pretexto; Sylvia De Marco, owner of Finca Victoria; Lilliam Ayala, Casa Vieja’s owner; and Jorge Casas, co-owner of O-Markt, a produce distributor with a farm-to-table fast-casual dining concept
- Include facts about Puerto Rican agriculture and food
In addition, include a brief personal bio (under 100 words), and 2-3 writing clips (or samples), videos, or images.
Applications will be evaluated based on your story pitch—with special focus on how timely and distinctive it is—and relevant experience. You must also be a full-time Puerto Rico resident, fluent in English, and able to attend the summit in Puerto Rico from April 25-27, 2023.
Apply now to our first-ever on-Island experience for content creators!
A celebration of the Boricua spirit
AFAR editors will choose four content creators (two writers, one video director, and one photographer) to take part in this summit, where they’ll have the chance to dig deeper to find unique, compelling stories about Puerto Rico for travelers through hands-on experiences. What kinds of stories do you want to tell that shine a light on the Boricua way of life? Perhaps you want to celebrate Puerto Rico’s natural wonders—and how to safely experience them in ways that protect the environment for future generations—its multitude of culinary marvels, or its fascinating Indigenous culture. Come with your brilliant ideas and collaborate side by side with the AFAR team on ways to make bold stories fully come to life and inspire travelers to experience what Puerto Rico has to offer.
A deeply rewarding opportunity
This program is for writers, photographers, and video directors who currently live full-time in Puerto Rico and have experience in one or more areas that relate to travel, such as food, arts and culture, and/or outdoor adventure. Each participant will each receive the $500 honorarium and an invitation to the three-day summit in Puerto Rico with all expenses paid (meals, ground transportation, and lodging), and will have their content published on afar.com, with the chance for more paid contributions to AFAR.
Apply now to our first-ever on-Island experience for content creators!
