Credentials, Editors & Industry Moves | Stylists Suite Newsletter May 28, 2026

🎟️ ACT NOW — Credentials Closing Today → 

EDITORIAL ACCESS: MEDIA CREDENTIALS OPENING & CLOSING MAY 28th.

Plan Ahead — Upcoming Credentials → Rochester Jazz (June) + AFI Fest (October), each with "Why This Matters" + "What to Pitch"

HAMPTON JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026

Date: June 12, 2026

Location: Hampton, Virginia

The Hampton Jazz & Music Festival is one of the longest-running U.S. music festivals, founded in 1968 and historically centered on jazz before expanding into a major R&B, soul, gospel, and contemporary music platform.

The festival functions less like a boutique festival and more like a large-scale cultural broadcast event where Legacy Black music meets mainstream touring acts.

Press Link: Hampton Jazz & Music Festival Media Request

AFI FEST 

Dates: Oct 21–25, 2026

Location: Los Angeles, CA

About AFI FEST is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the United States, presented annually by the American Film Institute in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theatres. The festival showcases a curated lineup of world cinema, U.S. premieres, documentaries, short films, and awards-season contenders, and serves as an Academy Award–qualifying festival for short films. The 2026 edition takes place October 21–25, 2026, and continues its role as a major industry gathering point where filmmakers, studio executives, critics, and press converge for red carpet premieres, screenings, and filmmaker conversations.

Media Access: Press accreditation via AFI press office: https://www.afi.com/press/american-film-institute-announces-40th-afi-fest-presented-by-canva-to-take-place-october-21-25-2026

ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026
Dates: June 19–27, 2026

Location: Rochester New York

About Rochester International Jazz Festival 2026: The Rochester International Jazz Festival is one of the largest jazz festivals in the United States, held annually in downtown Rochester, New York, featuring hundreds of performances across multiple venues over nine days and spotlighting a wide range of jazz, blues, funk, and global improvisational music. The 2026 lineup includes headliners and featured artists such as Gladys Knight, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Chris Botti, Robert Cray Band, The Count Basie Orchestra, Galactic, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Bill Frisell, Arturo Sandoval, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, The Soul Rebels, and The Headhunters, blending legendary performers with contemporary jazz innovators and cross-genre talent.

Press Link: Rochester Jazz Festival Credentials

EDITORS ON THE HUNT

Pitch Now — Editors on the Hunt →

FAST COMPANY IS LOOKING FOR MENOPAUSE STORIES

Senior writer Shalene Gupta is collecting quotes and experiences from senior women for an upcoming article in Fast Company regarding menopause in the workplace. She is specifically looking for firsthand experiences about how symptoms are affecting careers and what employers are doing to support women during this time.

Contact Information: Please DM Shalene on LinkedIn or email sgupta@fastcompany.com with your story. (Happy to keep you anonymous, just let me know in the message.)

RUNHER MAG IS LOOKING FOR PITCHES FOR ISSUE 005! 

About RUNHER; They are a quarterly print magazine dedicated to women’s running and are looking for ambitious, impactful stories about women face in the running space.

RUNHER Magazine’s next print issue is set to arrive in mailboxes in early October. They are seeking ambitious, long-form narratives (1,000 to 3,000 words) focusing on female, trans, and nonbinary athletes. Features pay between $0.50 and $1.00 per word. 

They also promise that at least 75% of every issue will be written and photographed by female writers and photographers.

Guidelines & Contact: Review the official RUNHERMAG Pitch Guidelines for details on how to format your submission. Deadline to submit by end of day 5/31

MODERN LOVE AT THE NEW YORK TIMES SEEKS PERSONAL ESSAYS ON LOVE

Modern Love, one of the most influential personal essay platforms globally, is commissioning true stories centered on contemporary love and relationships. This includes narratives on finding love, losing it, sustaining it, and navigating emotional complexity in modern life.

The publication operates across multiple formats including a column, podcast, book, and television adaptation, but remains rooted in deeply personal storytelling. Writers are expected to submit real-life experiences shaped by emotional conflict or a central relational dilemma.

Here are the Topics that they are looking: Personal essays, love, modern relationships, marriage, dating, heartbreak, identity, sexuality, culture, family dynamics

Rate: ~$500 per published essay

Deadline: 30 June 2026

Writers must submit essays between 1,500 and 1,700 words via email. 

Response times typically range from 3 to 4 months due to high submission volume.

VP CHICAGO FOUNDER AND EDITOR IN CHIEF, KELLY GLASS IS LOOKING FOR CHICAGO-BASED FREELANCERS

She posted on her LinkedIN saying “I'm looking for freelancers for The VP Chicago. Specifically, I'm looking for someone adept at health reporting and someone with experience (lived and reporting experience are both valid) with disability. DM me if that's you or someone you know. Yes, this is paid. We don't ask for free labor over here.”

About VP Chicago: The VP Chicago is a Black-led independent news organization focused on the storytelling and solutions that matter to residents of Chicago’s South and West sides. We make news a tool for strengthening our communities—not a mirror of problems but a catalyst for solutions. 

Who is Kelly Glass? Glass is an award-winning journalist from Chicago's Far South Side. As a journalist, her interests focus on deeply reported, evidence-based culture, family, and policy stories. Her writing and reporting have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic, Health, Consumer Reports, and Chicago Tribune,and many more national publications. 

Text us at (773) 234-2723‬

Instagram @thevpchicago

Email: contact@thevpchicago.org

GREATER GOOD MAGAZINE HAS WRITING OPPORTUNITY THAT PAY $300 PER ESSAY 

About Greater Good Magazine: Greater Good Magazine is a publication that turns scientific research into stories, tips, and tools for a happier life and a more compassionate society. Through articles, videos, quizzes, and podcasts, Greater Good bridges the gap between scientific journals and people’s daily lives. It's been published by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, since 2001.

They are looking for essays on love, resilience, fatherhood & community storytelling including actively seeking high-quality pitches that connect human experience with science-backed insights on wellbeing, especially around seasonal cultural moments such as Father’s Day, Juneteenth, and Independence Day. 

You can review the full Write for Us | Greater Good Science Center page.

EDITORIAL MOVES

Track the Industry — Editorial Moves → 

GLORIA MADENGE WAS APPOINTED FASHION CUPBOARD MANAGER ACROSS ELLE UK AND HARPER'S BAZAAR UK.

Gloria Madenge is the newly appointed Fashion Cupboard Manager across ELLE UK and Harper’s Bazaar UK at Hearst Magazines, where she oversees fashion sample management and supports editorial styling operations for both publications. Working within the Hearst UK luxury hub, Gloria manages the daily operations, logistics, and workflows of the fashion cupboards for both publications. 

A fashion cupboard is the fashion closet at a major magazine or publishing house.

BROOKE FRISCHER NAMED NEW SENIOR FASHION EDITOR AT THE ZOE REPORT

The Zoe Report, Bustle Digital Group's digital media brand covering fashion, beauty, culture, and lifestyle, has named Brooke Frischer as its new Senior Fashion Editor.

About Brooke: Prior to TZR, Brooke was the associate editor and social media manager at Fashionista. Over her four years there, her writing focused on industry news, fashion and beauty features, and celebrity and designer profiles

Contact: Muckruck portfolio.

VIBE MAGAZINE PRINT RELAUNCHES

Founded in 1993, VIBE Magazine is a leading American music and culture publication covering hip-hop, R&B, entertainment, fashion, and Black culture. Originally launched by Quincy Jones, VIBE became known for its influential artist interviews, iconic covers, and deep connection to urban culture and music journalism.

VIBE Magazine — Editorial & Digital Team Contacts (2026)

Editorial Leadership

Datwon Thomas — Editor-in-Chief
LinkedIn: Datwon Thomas LinkedIn
Instagram: @datwonthedon

Christine Imarenezor — Executive Editor
LinkedIn: Search “Christine Imarenezor VIBE”

Preezy Brown — Hip-Hop Reporter / Writer
Muck Rack: Preezy Brown Muck Rack
Instagram/X: @preezybrown

Amber Corrine — Staff Writer
LinkedIn: Search “Amber Corrine VIBE”
Instagram/X: @ambercorrine

Armon Sadler — Hip-Hop Reporter
Instagram/X: @armonsadler
Focus: Hip-hop news, artist releases, music journalism

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