Bleu Magazine: Representation Equals Dollars: Black Owned Media Demands Inclusion

For hundreds of years, white power structures in America have used Black faces to mask their often racist agendas. The music, fashion, and other media industries are prime examples of the exploitation of Black culture and figures for white dollars. In light of the rising Black Lives Matter movement, plenty of predominantly white-owned businesses have made empty promises and hoped to silence the outrage with symbolic victories. They are all pointless if no efforts are made to diversify their organizations and wealth.

Devon Christopher Johnson, founder of BleuLife Media, Rhonesha Byng, founder of Her Agenda, and Anastasia Williams of TheAList have come together to eliminate the excuse from agencies, media planners and strategists that black-owned media platforms are hard to find. Their mission? Terminate the appropriation of Black Culture in the media by pushing for equal distribution of equity to broader outlets. The list is publicly accessible through Black Owned Media Equity & Sustainability Institute.

“It’s important to create an ecosystem that supports diverse storytelling,” says Johnson. “The lack of representation and inclusion are at the heart of this country’s racial divide.”