Join us for a conversation about how community media reaches and engages youth audiences—by trusting young people as contributors, storytellers, and civic participants. We’ll explore how community media involves youth in their newsrooms and why that engagement is essential to strong, community-centered journalism. Presenters: Moderator: DeAnna Sherman, Co-Founder and Executive Director of True Star Media
Author Archives: Haeven Gibbons
We’re Hiring: Director of Programs
We are no longer taking applications for this role. Location: Remote (U.S.) | Reports to: CEO | Works closely with: Chief Development Officer Direct reports: Portfolio manager, Communications manager (and others as applicable) Status: Full-time, Exempt About The Pivot Fund The Pivot Fund empowers independent, community-rooted news outlets serving underrepresented urban and rural communities. WeContinue reading “We’re Hiring: Director of Programs”
Journalism’s True North: The Audience
A Great Lakes study of nearly 5,000 residents reveals that the crisis in local news isn’t access — it’s relevance. It’s been more than a decade since Tracie Powell — now founder and CEO of The Pivot Fund — emailed me with a simple question: Would I partner with her on a study examining howContinue reading “Journalism’s True North: The Audience”
Black by God’s Folk Reporters are rebuilding rural civic coverage in West Virginia
Across West Virginia, public decisions are increasingly made without journalists or residents in the room. Legislative committees meet. Boards vote. Agencies set policies that shape daily life. In many rural communities, no one is consistently there to witness and document what happened, and that absence is an accountability problem. Pivot grantee partner, Black by God,Continue reading “Black by God’s Folk Reporters are rebuilding rural civic coverage in West Virginia”
Why Print Still Matters for Community and Immigrant-Serving Newsrooms
Print isn’t dead. For many communities, it’s infrastructure. In the digital-first era, print is often framed as a platform newsrooms should move away from. But for many community-rooted and immigrant-serving outlets, print is central to their mission. It’s tied to how trust is built and it’s key for helping people access vital information, and theContinue reading “Why Print Still Matters for Community and Immigrant-Serving Newsrooms”
Black History Month Begins With a Familiar Repression of the Black Press
Black History Month often arrives wrapped in celebration—progress, perseverance, firsts. But this year, it begins with a sobering reminder that some of the most dangerous chapters of U.S. history are not behind us. They are repeating. Last Thursday, Black journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested for doing their jobs. The charges—widely viewed asContinue reading “Black History Month Begins With a Familiar Repression of the Black Press”
Black History Month, Press Freedom, and the Responsibility to Protect It
Dear Friends and Supporters, Black History Month often arrives wrapped in celebration—progress, perseverance, firsts. But this year, it begins with a sobering reminder that some of the most dangerous chapters of U.S. history are not behind us. They are repeating. Last Thursday, Black journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested for doing their jobs.Continue reading “Black History Month, Press Freedom, and the Responsibility to Protect It”
Safety & Arrest Response Protocols for Journalists
1. Pre-Assignment Safety Planning Before covering protests, court proceedings, policing, immigration enforcement, or other government actions: 2. If a Journalist Is Detained or Arrested The newsroom should treat this as an emergency protocol, not a PR issue. Immediate actions (first 30–60 minutes): Do NOT: 3. Legal Response 4. Public Response & Solidarity Silence enables intimidation.Continue reading “Safety & Arrest Response Protocols for Journalists”
Shared Leadership as Infrastructure: What Funders Can Learn From MLK50
🎧 Podcast episode: Building Leadership That Reflects Community: MLK50’s Co-Executive Directors on Shared Power in Journalism Local news organizations are carrying unprecedented responsibility. They are expected to deliver trustworthy civic information, withstand political pressure, diversify revenue, support staff, and remain deeply accountable to the communities they serve—all at the same time. For many community-rooted outlets,Continue reading “Shared Leadership as Infrastructure: What Funders Can Learn From MLK50”
How Communities Are Preserving the Public Record When Traditional Systems Fall Short
What’s unfolding in Minneapolis shows why communities need trusted journalism systems in place before a crisis hits. The first casualty of war is the truth—unless truthtellers are on the ground. In Minnesota, they are. And they are reporting what they see. Over the past month of federal immigration enforcement operations across Minneapolis, St. Paul, andContinue reading “How Communities Are Preserving the Public Record When Traditional Systems Fall Short”