Hi, I’m a cryptid and a supervillain.
I tell stories about scapegoats, underdogs and “blatant injustice.”

My name is Jen Byers, and I’m a freelance journalist and producer.
I write, shoot & investigate in the so-called United States.
Maybe you’ve seen my work or maybe not. Either way, thanks for stopping by.

A little bit about me:

  • I co-founded Aegis Safety Alliance and have trained hundreds of journalists on physical, psychological and digital safety.

  • As a Selden Ring Investigative Fellow, I founded the Activism Desk at USC Annenberg — an experimental news beat covering social justice and protest stories.

  • I’ve spoken and written extensively about press freedom, movement journalism and counter-narratives.

  • I’m currently a Creative Futures Collective + Soho House Fellow (‘24-25).