January 26, 2024 — Word In Black, a groundbreaking collaboration of 10 legendary Black news publishers and a program managed by Local Media Foundation, has received a $300,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to establish a religion and social justice desk.
This funding will allow Word In Black to delve into the intersection of race, religion and social justice within the Black community, as well as the Black youth perspective. These stories will humanize what audiences are experiencing and offer religious-based solutions.
Word In Black has hired an award-winning journalist and editor, the Rev. Dorothy Scott Boulware, for this new position. She has worked at the AFRO American News Co. for more than 20 years, beginning as a reporter and progressing to managing editor of the 131-year-old publication. She also served as editor of the Mustard Seed Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for young adults with Christian values.
Alongside her journalism career, she served as an urban pastor for 17 years, and as a charter professor for the Determined Biblical and Theological Institute of New Shiloh Baptist Church of Baltimore. She’s a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Coppin State University (B.S.-English/ journalism), and Leadership Baltimore County, 2021.
“We are grateful to the Luce Foundation for funding Word in Black’s religion and social justice reporter. The AFRO is especially pleased that our special projects editor and former managing editor, the Rev. Dorothy Boulware, has been tapped for this important position. Dorothy is a talented writer who is a perfect fit for this position,” said Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, CEO and publisher of The AFRO in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and chair of the Word In Black board of directors.
“Developed in response to the Luce Foundation’s recent request for proposals for projects seeking to advance public knowledge on democracy, race, and religion in America, Word in Black’s new initiative will support journalism that examines the role of religion in African American life and explores how Black faith communities put their spiritual understandings of justice and democracy into practice in a diverse range of social, cultural, and institutional contexts,” said Jonathan VanAntwerpen, program director for religion and theology, Henry Luce Foundation. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to support this effort, which will build upon an innovative media collaboration that seeks to amplify the voices of Black Americans by sharing stories about African American communities across the country.”
About Luce Foundation
For more than 80 years, the Henry Luce Foundation has invested in knowledge makers and ensured that their work informs public discussion. This commitment to public knowledge derives from its founder. Henry R. Luce created Time magazine to disseminate the most important news, ideas, analysis, and criticism to a mass audience.
About Word In Black
Word In Black is a groundbreaking collaborative representing 10 legendary Black news publishers. Word In Black promises to confront inequities, elevate solutions and amplify the Black experience by reporting, collecting, and sharing stories about real people in communities across our country. We believe that by joining forces and providing a platform to examine these experiences in one place, we can shape how the nation understands and addresses systemic issues of race, justice, and equity.
About Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation
Local Media Association brings all media together to share, network, collaborate and more. More than 3,000 newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, digital pure-plays, and research and development partners engage with LMA as members or constituents of our programs. As a 501(c)(6) trade association, LMA is focused on the business side of local media. Its programs and labs focus on revenue growth and new business models. LMA helps local media companies develop their strategies via cutting-edge programs, conferences, webinars, research and training.
Local Media Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable trust, serves as the innovation and transformation affiliate of LMA. Incorporating our four strategic pillars — business transformation, journalism funded by philanthropy, industry collaboration, and sustainability for publishers of color — LMF helps provide local media companies the strategies and resources for meaningful innovation and impactful journalism projects.