Friend,

February 2021 has been Black Narrative Power month at Free Press.

Throughout the month, the Media 2070 project, in its call to dream up #MediaReparations, brought together media-makers, journalists and activists for a series of events exploring how to create a future ripe with the capital needed for Black folks to control the creation, production and distribution of their own stories. Sign up to learn more about the Media 2070 project at Free Press.

Here are some highlights from our last two events:

On Feb. 9, Twitter users across the country joined us in a Twitter storm using the hashtag #BlackFutureHeadlines. Nearly 600 tweets were shared as participants creatively communicated dreams for a future in which reparations have been realized and Black media power is abundant.

On Feb. 16, we jumped on Clubhouse for “Black Journalists Uprising,” a live conversation with media-makers who are inspiring transformation in newsrooms from Los Angeles to New York City. The event featured Black journalists Erin B. Logan (Los Angeles Times), Alexis Johnson (Vice) and Tauhid Chappell (Media 2070), with moderation by Peabody-winning podcaster and Rutgers University scholar Chenjerai Kumanyika (the NPR podcasts Uncivil, Seeing White and Louder Than a Riot).

Conversations among the panelists and audience touched on confronting toxic newsroom culture and envisioning what a Black media future could look like.

Media 2070’s Tauhid Chappell underscored a central question: “If you don’t own your own story, it’s going to be difficult to change the media apparatus. How can we own whatever infrastructure we need to tell Black stories?”

On Feb. 23, we joined our allies at MediaJustice in presenting “Reclaiming Our Story,” a Facebook Live conversation where Black movement journalists and activists explored narratives and shifts that could carry us to a future filled with Black joy and self-determination. This conversation featured Anoa Changa (The Way With Anoa), Diamond Hardiman (Media 2070), DaLyah Jones (Texas Observer), Tia Oso (ACRE) and Bridget Todd (UltraViolet; host of There Are No Girls on the Internet podcast).

During the roundtable, panelists shared their dreams of what Black narrative power looks like, and discussed the obstacles they face to tell their stories honestly and authentically. Check out some of their quotes below:

“Black narrative power is owning our stories and being able to control and advance narratives that we’re centered in.” —Tia Oso

“Black narrative power is being able to be seen in your fullness and being able to see yourself and your community reflected.” —Diamond Hardiman

Sign up to learn more about the Media 2070 project, and get invited to cool events like these.

And finally, this week we hosted a special encore event: “Black Lives and the Media System,” a virtual conversation between Malkia Devich-Cyril and Joseph Torres, two beloved voices in the fight for media justice. The hour-long discussion is a must-watch for anyone seeking to understand how dominant media, even so-called progressive spaces, contribute to the dehumanization of Black people.

“The history of our media system is the same as any other system in this country: It wasn’t created to help Black folks, it was created to harm Black folks.” —Joseph Torres

“As outlets have struggled for resources, investigative journalism has waned and punditry has risen. We’ve seen the emergence since the 80s of a right-wing echo system, and what it’s echoing is that Black life doesn’t matter.” —Malkia Devich-Cyril

In solidarity,

Alicia
media2070.org

P.S. The Media 2070 project is working to radically transform who has the power to tell their own stories by 2070. Check out the team’s visionary essay, which documents the history of racism in U.S. media and tech — and lifts up the fight for #MediaReparations.