In many countries around the world, Black voices remain underrepresented in the newsroom. Consequently, media outlets’ reporting can neglect to include or fail to adequately cover the experiences of Black communities.
On Sunday, June 19th, the U.S. celebrated Juneteenth, a newly declared federal holiday commemorating the freeing of the last Black slaves in America, more than two years after the end of the Civil War. The push for a federal holiday commemorating Juneteenth gained renewed momentum following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests condemning police brutality against African Americans.
Over the past two years, media outlets in the U.S. have, albeit imperfectly, attempted to reckon with their relationship and history with race in the newsroom, and how their own policies and coverage have fallen short in the past.
In our own effort to honor Juneteenth and the pivotal role of Black voices in the media, we reached out to our global team of editors to spotlight Black-run media outlets in their countries and regions.
Here’s a sampling of these organizations, and the reporting they carry out:
The Bahamas
The Jones Communications Network (JCN): The first Black-owned multimedia news organization in The Bahamas. This outlet encompasses JCN-TV, Love 97.5FM radio, and The Bahama Journal newspaper.
Brazil
Nos mulheres da periferia: This outlet, run by Black women as well as women from other marginalized communities in Brazil, produces reporting on class, race, gender and more. The newsroom’s goal is to help further a pluralistic, anti-racist, non-patriarchal society.
Revista Afirmativa: This media collective of Black journalists and communication professionals, created in 2013, produces multimedia content that seeks to increase and enhance the representation of Black people. In addition to its reporting, Revista Afirmativa carried out an initiative to exchange experiences with Black and feminist media in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica, titled “Transnational Narratives of Black Women.”
In March 2020, Revista Afirmativa launched the Editorial Lab Afirmativa de Jornalismo – Respeita a Favela, to support Black media outlets reporting on politics in Brazil.
Noticia Preta: Founded in 2018, Noticia Preta is an anti-racist educational platform seeking to combat existing prejudices through its content. According to its website, its goal is in “Changing the way we communicate” as a “tool in the fight against racism and inequalities.”
France
Nothing But the Wax: In 2010, Chayet Chiénin created this blog focused on African fashion. In the years since Nothing But the Wax has grown significantly, building an international audience. A full-fledged journalistic outlet today, Nothing But the Wax is dedicated to telling untold stories of African youth — “giving a voice to this overshadowed youth, who desires nothing less but to shine a light on their cultural heritage.” The outlet is based in Paris.
Nofi: A contraction of “Noir & fier,” or “Black and proud,” launched in 2014 as a platform to exchange information about the Black community in France. It was founded on February 21 of that year in memory of the assassination of Malcolm X, who was killed on the same day in 1965.
Colombia
Tuu tchika: Based in the department of La Guajira, in northern Colombia, this family-run newsroom delves into issues about culture and the environment, including reporting on Black communities in the region.
Agenda Propia: This independent media organization reports on Indigenous and minority populations in Cauca, Colombia. Agenda Propia collaborates with local communities to inform its coverage of social conflicts, environmental issues and human rights concerns, among other issues.
Revista ViveAfro: With a stated mission to counteract the racism and discrimination toward Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal and Palenquera peoples, Revista ViveAfro aims to use innovative educational, artistic, cultural and journalistic formats to empower these communities.
Ecuador
Relatos esmeraldeños: Based in the predominantly Black city of Esmeraldas in Ecuador, this outlet reports on daily life at the northern border of the country, focusing on vulnerable populations such as Afro-Ecuadorian communities, Indigenous people, refugees, and people with disabilities, among others.
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash.
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