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There’s so much on the line: fighting disinformation, ensuring equity and reparations for Black communities, and strengthening local journalism. Free Press organizers and advocates are hard at work in communities across the country to ensure that journalists, policymakers and advocates have the tools they need to strengthen our democracy.
Let’s check in on some of the recent highlights of our work that would not have been possible without your commitment to Free Press:
Towards Justice: The Fight for Reparations
Our Media 2070 team co-hosted a powerful conference on race, racism and the American media alongside Georgetown Law and the University of Houston Law Center. Speakers at the two-day event included Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Senior Director of Strategy and Engagement Joseph Torres.
Media 2070 Campaign Manager Venneikia Williams took part in the discussion “Black Media: Makers and Keepers of History” at CUNY. This conversation explored the harms inflicted on Black news outlets and the ways that Black media connect present events to the historical record. Venneikia delivered a presentation on what media reparations might look like.
Venneikia also took part in a panel discussion exploring the fight for federal reparations for the Black community. Panelists shared their strategies for nationwide organizing, ranging from education to storytelling to direct action.
Speaking Truth to Power: Supporting Local Journalism
Co-CEO Jessica J. González testified about California legislation that would create a $50-million fund to support local journalism. “California has lost 25 percent of its newspapers and total circulation has dropped by 50 percent,” she testified to the California Senate Governmental Organization Committee. “The decimation of local news has disproportionately harmed the poor, people of color, rural communities and immigrants.”
The California fund would share similarities with New Jersey’s Civic Info Consortium, which distributes public funds to innovative news-and-information projects throughout the state. Free Press Action helped conceive and pass the New Jersey bill that created the consortium. In March, Senior Director of Journalism Policy Mike Rispoli, who is also a consortium board member, testified in support of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposal to invest $2 million in funding for the nonprofit.
Leading the Way: Toward a Safer and More Sustainable Media Environment
Associate Legal Director and Senior Policy Counsel Carmen Scurato spoke on a MozFest panel exploring the fight against disinformation that targets communities of color. Also on the panel were Free Press allies in the Disinfo Defense League, which is calling on social-media companies to combat racialized disinformation about voting, the pandemic and other crucial issues.
Senior Director of Strategy and Communications Timothy Karr spoke at a Columbia University event on global efforts to save journalism. Drawing on Free Press research, he examined the need to reform or reinvent the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to better support noncommercial media.
Celebrating Women Leaders
New Voices Director Vanessa Maria Graber received an Atlantic City Ladies in Leadership Award for Media Activism from the Light, a radio-and-events organization. She also received a nomination from Al Dia News for a Women of Merit award in the public-service category. Congratulations, Vanessa Maria!
As one of Free Press’ most committed activists you are helping to make this — and all of our work — possible. Will you take the next step and donate to Free Press to sustain our important organizing work? We rely on donations from our most dedicated supporters to support the workshops, speaking engagements and testimonies that move our work forward and help us achieve justice for all.
With gratitude,
Amy Kroin
Editor
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