Announcing the First Black Media Initiative Bridge Project: Audience Revenue Cohort

Denver Urban Spectrum chosen for national ‘First Black Media Initiative’ project By Center for Community Media

Six Black-led newsrooms from across the U.S. have been selected to be part of the inaugural cohort of the Black Media Initiative Bridge Project: Audience Revenue. The sixmonth program provides technology and design support for Black publishers looking to launch an audience revenue campaign.

The selected newsrooms are both traditional print media and digital-first organizations and represent communities all over the country from Maryland, Mississippi, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, and New York.

“I am thrilled to announce this cohort. Audience revenue can provide a sustainable source of income for Black media outlets, allowing them to continue producing meaningful content with less reliance on traditional sources of funding,” said Cheryl Thompson-Morton, director of the Black Media Initiative.

She added: “Audience revenue for Black media provides a unique opportunity to empower Black voices and stories. By giving readers the chance to directly support Black media, we can create a more equitable system of media production, one in which Black journalists are given the resources they need to tell their stories.”

The chosen publishers will launch a subscription, membership, or donation campaign in 10 weeks and receive ongoing support throughout the six-month program at no cost to their organization. These newsrooms will also be able to harness technical, analytic, and messaging support and expertise.

Made possible by a generous grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Bridge Project is also being supported by Upside Analytics, Get Current Studio, News Revenue Hub, Poool and SimpleCirc.

Meet the 2023 cohort:

The Jackson Advocate is among the oldest continuously published Black-owned and operated newspapers in the

United States. Since 1938, it has served as “The Voice of Black Mississippians.” While informing its audience about local, national, and global issues affecting their lives, The Jackson Advocate records readers’ histories of challenges, sacrifices, and triumphs and advocates for social justice. DeAnna Tisdale Johnson, Publisher, will participate in the program.

Harlem World Magazine helps readers live their best life and style around the block and around the world. Harlem World Magazine shares stories that celebrate the community’s way of life in the Harlem neighborhood of NYC. The brand has global digital reach and national distribution of its print products. Danny Tisdale, Publisher, will participate in the program.

Denver Urban Spectrum is an award winning monthly publication based in Denver, Colorado that has been spreading the news about people of color since 1987. It is supported by advertising dollars, donations, and event sponsorship but adding an audience revenue strategy would be a big boost to the newsroom’s growing operations. Brittany Winkfield, Transition Coordinator, will participate in the program.

The New Tri-State Defender is the home for news, entertainment, and information specifically focused on the AfricanAmerican community in Greater Memphis and beyond. It is the oldest AfricanAmerican-owned newspaper company in the tri-state area of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Latasha Jackson, Administrative Assistant, will participate in the program.

Bloc By Block News is a media cooperative owned by readers and news producers. The outlet is helping Marylanders make informed decisions in communities through its newsletter, social media, and mobile app. Kevon Paynter, Executive Director and

Co-Founder, will participate in the program.

The Cleveland Observer is an information and resource hub that engages, educates, and empowers Cleveland’s urban communities. The news outlet reports on relevant topics through timely news updates, effective content communications, collaboration with partners, and efficient programming. Ron Calhoun, Publisher, will participate in the program..

Celebrating the life of... Celebrating the life of...

Sunrise: February 5, 1921

Sunset: December 25, 2022

Madestella C. Holcomb Madestella C. Holcomb

Mattie Estelle (Madestella) Copeland Holcomb was born Feb. 5, 1921 in Okmulgee Oklahoma. She passed away peacefully on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2022, with her son Eric Holcomb, daughters Dianne Holcomb and Melodie Brooks, and grandson Quincy Shannon by her side. She was the last of seven children born to Isaac Columbus Copeland and Mattie Estelle (Hollis) Copeland. The family lived an affluent life style in Okmulgee as a result of her father discovering oil on his property. Because of the oil money, many of her siblings had access to education matriculating through Tuskegee institute, Hampton Institute, Langston University, and Lincoln University of Missouri to name a few. After moving in 1926 to ‘Black Wall Street’ in Tulsa OK, she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1937. At the early age of 16 she began college at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, where she majored in English. She later obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Temple Buell College in Denver and later earned graduate hours in Playwriting at Denver University. While attending Lincoln University, she met and married Moses (Moe) Eldridge Spencer. They settled in St. Louis, Missouri where they raised their two children Kay Lorraine and Eldridge Justin. After separating, she and her children relocated to Denver. She worked for 23-years with the US government at the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center, in various capacities including writer-editor. She retired in 1981 as a GS-12. She met and married Richard C. Holcomb in 1954. They were the second Black family to move to their block on Albion St. where they had three children Dianne Cecille , Eric Cecil, and Melodie Estelle. During the school years of all five of her children she served as a Girl Scott leader and on all PTA Boards . She was a devout Christian and upon coming to Colorado, she worshiped at Scott United Methodist Church. After getting married she began worshipping at Park Hill United Methodist Church where she was the newsletter editor. From Park Hill she worshipped at Shorter African Methodist Episcopal Church where she also was the newsletter editor. She then transitioned to New Hope Baptist church in 1979, starting and serving as the newsletter editor. Over the years, she served on many committees and arranged different theatrical holiday events. She served as the co-chair and editor for the New Hope Baptist 75th Anniversar y Souvenir Book Committee. In the mid 90’s, she moved across the ally from her youngest daughter, Melodie Holcomb and her grandson Quincy Shannon, who would jump the fence to visit his grandmothers for food, advice, and more. This nurtured a close bond between Quincy and his G-Ma. They shared a love for poetry, writing, and attended church together. After a role in a James Baldwin play she became interested in playwriting. She authored and produced multiple plays, including Upon this Rock, Here, There, Everywhere, and Escape to Paradise. She authored and published five books

“I Am Black,” “A Chip Off the Old Black Block,” “How to Write an Obituary,” “Therefore Choose Life,” and “For Such a Time as This .” From 1968 to 1975 she was the Managing Editor for the Denver Weekly News and became a copy editor and columnist. She wrote editorials for the Denver Post and obituaries for Pipkin Mortuary. She loved social times with friends where they would meet up and play bridge. She was a member of several Book Clubs including the King Leisure Club, the Black Book Writers Network of Colorado, Colorado Dramatists, Playwrights Group, Denver Center Theater Company, and often helped with productions at the Eulipions Inc. Theater and the Shadow Theatre Company. Left to cherish her life and memory are her children Kay, Eldridge (Skipper), Dianne, Eric and Melodie, her grandchildren Justin, Sinwanda, Sharitha, Zimon, Erica, Quincy and Nadia, her great granddaughter Imani, her ex-husband Richard and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances.