DEAR FRIENDS OF LOCAL MEDIA, When Freedom’s Journal, our nation's first Black newspaper, was founded in 1827, it proclaimed, “We choose to plead our own cause. For too long have others spoken for us.” The voice of the Black press has consistently been the drumbeat for Black America for almost 200 years — from the initial cries to end slavery, to the coverage of Black soldiers in the Civil War. The Black Press chronicled the lives of those who would have otherwise been invisible. From major constitutional battles to Supreme Court decisions, the Black press became a key player in BLACK NEWSPAPERS URGENTLY NEED changes occurring across the country. FUNDING TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP AND GOOD INFORMATION The lynching of Emmett Till, the Montgomery Bus READERS SEEK IN THIS MOMENT. Boycott, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the inauguration of former President Barack Obama — the Black Press has been there, told the story, cried the tears, bled the blood, and raised our flag in pride. Now in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Black citizens in communities across the country are looking for answers. Many do not trust mainstream media, and have largely been ignored by major news outlets as a constituency throughout the years. With your support, Black media organizations can take their rightful place as leading reporters on this crisis. THE FUND FOR BLACK JOURNALISM WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CREATE SOLUTIONS ADDRESSING RACISM IN AMERICA? WE ARE COMMITTED TO EDUCATING, INFORMING AND ENGAGING COMMUNITIES TO FIND SOLUTIONS IN THESE TURBULENT TIMES. The mission of the Fund for Black Journalism is to collaborate in order to create and discover SOLUTIONS for issues surrounding police brutality, and disparities in health, education, employment and the economy. MANY VOICES TELLING MANY STORIES MANY VOICES TELLING MANY STORIES SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM The Fund for Black Journalism will shine a light on stories impacting change and creating solutions to issues that Black communities have faced for decades. Accountability reporting and community journalism created through this fund will encourage positive change in every city and every neighborhood. COLLABORATIVE JOURNALISM Taking a strength-in-numbers approach to reporting, our collaborative group of Black-owned media operations will work together on common themes and threads in each market, and produce comprehensive stories with a local focus ... together. PHILANTHROPY JOURNALISM We can't build this alone. We need the coordination, resources and funding only the foundation and business communities can provide. Please partner with us to help drive solutions in communities across the U.S. WHO IS INVOLVED IN PHASE 1? Ten media organizations with a history of collaboration have come together to launch this fund including: New York Amsterdam News, The Atlanta Voice, Houston Defender Network, The Washington Informer, The Dallas Weekly, St. Louis American, Michigan Chronicle, The Afro, Seattle Medium and The Sacramento Observer. Our goal is to invite 10 more to join, including broadcasters. HOW WILL THE FUNDING BE USED? For this program, we seek $2 million to be used two ways: Shared resources to include a central project team focused on video, data and investigative reporting Stipends that each media organization can use to enhance its coverage of these issues. More funding will allow us to expand beyond 20. HOW WILL THE TEAMS COLLABORATE? CENTRAL PROJECT TEAM A central project team will be hired to oversee, manage, coordinate, produce, and deliver the coverage. We expect the team to include a national journalist with deep experience covering race issues in the U.S., a documentary filmmaker with a social justice background, a data journalist and a graphic artist. COORDINATED COVERAGE This group will work with local media organizations to coordinate coverage, produce content and assist reporters. For example, a reporter in Houston might use the data journalist to compile information for a local story, or the documentary filmmaker will work with the central team to bring stories to life through video. ENHANCED LOCAL COVERAGE All participants will receive stipends to enhance their own local coverage. This funding is to be used only for reporting resources. WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS TO PARTICIPATE AS A MEDIA PARTNER? STRONG TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL LOCAL NEWS BLACK-OWNED LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE ON REPORTING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES FUND FOR BLACK JOURNALISM "The Fund for Black Journalism is so much more than just about a story. It is about legacies. It is about history. It is about the future of the Black Press, the ability to tell our own stories for our communities, and by our communities." ELINOR TATUM PUBLISHER, NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS "The Black Press was the nation's first Black business, starting in 1827 — 38 years before the end of slavery. It is one of the most important institutions that exists in the Black community. For nearly 200 years, we have not only chronicled our experiences but we have also inspired greatness within our communities. This moment requires greatness from our publications as the disparities and injustices are a matter of life and death. Black lives have always mattered to us. Our publications matter to Blacks. We hope that matters to you too. Please support this fund." LARRY LEE PUBLISHER, THE SACRAMENTO OBSERVER FUND FOR BLACK JOURNALISM "It is essential for the survival and sustainability of Black-owned print media and their journalists that they rapidly submerge themselves in digital transformation to remain relevant sources of news. The Fund for Black Journalism would provide the necessary resources to successfully enter, compete and thrive in the digital space” JANIS WARE PUBLISHER, THE ATLANTA VOICE "For us, about us, and by us, the Black Press has been a trusted source serving as the advocate and historian of the advances and challenges the Black community has confronted: slavery, Harlem Renaissance, lynchings, civil rights movement, health disparities, education inequities, environmental racism, criminal injustice, police killings and more. Because we have shared these experiences, the Fund for Black Journalism will provide resources to expand solutions journalism and our mission to improve the quality of life for all." SONCERIA"SONNY" MESSIAH JILES PUBLISHER AND CEO, HOUSTON DEFENDER NETWORK With more than 3,000 members in the local newspaper, broadcast and digital space, and services reaching even further, Local Media Foundation (LMF) has the reach and relationships to facilitate support for local journalism quickly and extensively. Local Media Foundation provided fiscal sponsorship to independent for- profit local news organizations to raise funds supporting COVID-19 coverage. The program raised almost $1.5 million from 15,000 donors in all 50 states over two months, including many publishers of color. LMF also runs a digital transformation lab with five Black publishers, designed to expedite their transition to a digital and sustainable future, and two journalism collaboratives in Chicago and Oklahoma. The Fund for Black Journalism is a program administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36‐ 4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association. LMF is raising funds for Black-owned media organizations for coverage of issues and protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, that will educate and inform the public in communities across North America. MORE INFORMATION CONTACT [email protected].