Podcast appearances and mentions of Wendi C Thomas

We talk with Wendi C. Thomas, the editor and publisher of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Thomas founded MLK50 in 2017 as a one-year project designed to focus on the antipoverty work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King had traveled to Memphis in April of 1968 to support striking sanitation workers who were fighting for safer working conditions and a living wage. But MLK50 became much more than a one-year project. She and her staff have gone on to produce journalism that has changed the dialogue, and changed lives, in Memphis. Her work has garnered numerous awards. In 2020, she was the winner of the Selden Ring Award for her groundbreaking investigative series, "Profiting from the Poor," an investigation of a nonprofit hospital that sued poor patients over medical debt. The series, co-published with ProPublica, had major impact: the hospital erased $11.9 million in medical debt. MLK50 is one of the projects that we profile in our book, “What Works in Community News.” Ellen has a Quick Take on the situation at Houston Landing, a highly anticipated and well-funded nonprofit newsroom that launched in 2023. Dan's Quick Take is on The Baltimore Sun, the venerable 186-year-old daily newspaper that at one time was home to the infamously caustic writer H.L. Mencken. Earlier this month, Alden Global Capital sold the Sun to a right-wing television executive who hates newspapers. But not to fear — public interest journalism is alive and well in Baltimore, as Dan will explain.  

Episode Notes My guests include Carol Jackson, Executive Director of Families Matter. This organization is intentional as they dedicate themselves to the betterment of children while caring for and instructing parents in understanding their God given role within the family. She tells me about their latest initiative. The Chris Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing financial and social support services to families in their child's fight against life-threatening illnesses. Chris Hope tells us why this is his mission and about expanding their network of partnerships. Wendi C. Thomas is a long time columnist for the Commercial Appeal who is the founder, Editor and Publisher of MLK50; Justice Through Journalism since 2017 as a one-year project that grew into a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on poverty, power and public policy in Memphis. The multi award winning writer shares her motivation for the newsroom and what their focus is moving forward. That and more on air and online Monday, 6-7pm on WYXR 91.7 FM, YXR.org, Tunein, Facebook Live, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode Notes My guests include Carol Jackson, Executive Director of Families Matter. This organization is intentional as they dedicate themselves to the betterment of children while caring for and instructing parents in understanding their God given role within the family. She tells me about their latest initiative. The Chris Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing financial and social support services to families in their child's fight against life-threatening illnesses. Chris Hope tells us why this is his mission and about expanding their network of partnerships. Wendi C. Thomas is a long time columnist for the Commercial Appeal who is the founder, Editor and Publisher of MLK50; Justice Through Journalism since 2017 as a one-year project that grew into a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on poverty, power and public policy in Memphis. The multi award winning writer shares her motivation for the newsroom and what their focus is moving forward. That and more on air and online Monday, 6-7pm on WYXR 91.7 FM, YXR.org, Tunein, Facebook Live, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

BIPOC news leaders have a hard time overcoming racial bias to find funding and support.Black women are starting businesses at the fastest clip of any other racial group. Many of these startups don't reach their full potential — or fail — in part because they can't raise the capital to start or sustain their businesses.In that spirit, The Pivot Fund held an intimate conversation between Amethyst J. Davis, the founder and publisher of the Harvey World Herald, and Wendi C. Thomas, the founder and publisher of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a nonprofit based in Memphis, Tennessee. Though at different points in their journeys, Davis and Thomas discuss their difficulties and challenges as startup newsroom leaders.Panelists included:  Amethyst J. Davis, The Harvey World Herald Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism  About The Pivot FundThe Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit www.thepivotfund.org. 

Tonight on The Last Word: Tennessee Republicans expel two Black lawmakers over their participation in anti-gun violence protests. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Rev. Mark Thompson, Wendi C. Thomas and Joy Reid join Lawrence O'Donnell.

Memphis braced for an explosive reaction to footage of the deadly police beating. It never came. Wendi C. Thomas of the nonprofit newsroom MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, wasn't surprised: “I know this city.” This episode was produced by Siona Peterous and Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard with help from Hady Mawajdeh, engineered by Paul Robert Mounsey and Efim Shapiro, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained   Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A formal education may prepare us well for a lot of things, but being a manager often isn't one of them. In this News Guest episode, you'll hear from two people who have been on both sides of newsroom management about how independent news publishers can be better managers. Samantha Ragland is vice president of journalism programs at the American Press Institute and has coached newsroom leaders across the country. Wendi C. Thomas is the founder and publisher of MLK50, a LION member newsroom in Memphis that focuses on the intersection of poverty, power and policy. Related reading: How three women journalist leaders channelled legacy newsroom experiences into creating healthier nonprofit organizations by Vignesh Ramachandran To become managers, journalists must let go of independent mindset by Annie Russell When student loans and the housing crisis force journalists out of the business by Wendi C. Thomas Related resources: The Independent News Sustainability Summit in Austin this October will feature sessions on managing a team, recruiting and retaining employees, and building a support network as a leader. The News Entrepreneur Academy includes video courses courses on HR Best Practices with experienced HR consultant Deb Lewis, Management Best Practices with executive coach and marketing consultant Natalie Archibald, and Addressing and Avoiding Burnout with executive coach and former New York Times reporter Sushil Cheema. The LION-GNI Sustainability Audits and Funding program offers personalized business advice and up to $6,000 of funding to help independent publishers build more sustainable businesses. The deadline to apply for the next round of audits is Oct. 10. Sign up for the LION newsletter for more insights, tips and resources to help independent news publishers plan for revenue growth.

Dan and Ellen talk with their colleague at Northeastern University, Dr. Meredith Clark. Dr. Clark is an associate professor in the School of Journalism & the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern. Before arriving at Northeastern, she was a faculty fellow at Data & Society, an independent nonprofit research organization based in New York that examines some of the questions being raised by the massive increase in the use of data in all aspects of society. Dr. Clark's research is on the intersections of race, media, and power, and she's studied everything from newsroom hiring and reporting practices to social media communities. Her media diet is wide-ranging and eclectic. Our interview touches on many cultural icons, including poet Audre Lorde and Captain Olivia Benson, the fictional "Law & Order SVU" crime solver. In Quick Takes, Dan discusses Gannett's recent move to dismantle some of the chain's regional editorial pages and Ellen tips the hat to two of the 2022 recipients of the prestigious Freedom of the Press Award, Wendi C. Thomas, founding editor and publisher of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, and Mukhtar Ibrahim, founding publisher and CEO of Sahan Journal.    

Dan and Ellen talk with Professor Otis Sanford, who is something of a journalistic legend in Memphis. As a general assignment reporter at The Commercial Appeal in 1977, Sanford covered the death of Elvis Presley. He also covered courts, county government and politics before being promoted into management. After stints at the Pittsburgh Press and Detroit Free Press, Sanford returned to The Commercial Appeal. In 2002 he was named managing editor and in 2007 he became editorial page editor.  As opinion editor in Memphis, Sanford launched a Citizen's Editorial Board. While that was a number of years ago, Sanford was ahead of the curve in terms of community engagement. In 2011, Sanford joined the University of Memphis Department of Journalism faculty. He holds the Hardin Chair of Excellence in Economic and Managerial Journalism. He still writes a column on politics and events in Memphis. It's published in The Daily Memphian, a thriving startup founded by journalists and business people who were disappointed by the rounds of layoffs at The Commercial Appeal. The Daily Memphian is one of two digital newsrooms launched by journalists who left the Commercial Appeal. The other newsroom is the award-winning MLK50, started by Wendi C. Thomas, another Commercial Appeal veteran, to cover income inequality, race and justice issues.  Dan has a quick take on the latest from The Baltimore Banner, a digital start-up that will be competing with the Baltimore Sun, acquired last year by the notorious hedge fund Alden Global Capital. Ellen looks at the new Votebeat site, a Chalkbeat spinoff that just might help election integrity. 

Wendi C. Thomas, Georgia Dawkins and Brittany Cole discuss making transitions in their journalism careers with MABJ vice president of digital Myron Mays during our January 2021 general body meeting.Learn more about our panelists: Wendi C. Thomas: MLK50 Founder Georgia Dawkins: Producer, Author, Podcaster Brittany Cole: Speaker, Author Sign up for the Memphis Association of Black Journalists newsletter at mabjtn.org. Follow MABJ on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.Join MABJMembership dues are $30/year for media professionals and $15/year for students.PayPal: mabjourno@gmail.comCashApp: $MABJournalistsExecutive producer: Elle PerryProducer: Brandi Hunter

Our education on and discussions about police and government surveillance of journalists, activists, and organizers in this country continues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Wendi C. Thomas called “Police have been spying on Black reporters and activists for years. I know because I'm one of them.” This article reports on both the history and present day efforts of the Memphis Police Department to surveil and spy on journalists and activists and to infiltrate activist organizations, and what this means for the future of investigative journalism and the fight for social justice. Follow us on social media and visit our website! Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store

The pandemic has hurt many industries throughout the United States. For local news media, the COVID-19 public health emergency was nearly catastrophic. Already threatened with economic demise because of the rise of digital advertising and how consumers use free social media tools to consume news, the pandemic put further financial stresses on local news outlets by impacting advertising from shuttered restaurants, bars and small businesses. All of this came at a time, of course, when local news—with information on the immediate impact of the public health emergency, among other topics—was more important than ever.  However, despite the strong challenges for local news outlets, the future may not be so bleak for the industry. Why? A growing number of nonprofit news media ventures are seeking to fill the void for quality local news efforts. Across the country, citizens are increasingly getting local news from new digital ventures focused on a specific region or city. Perhaps most important, philanthropists and major foundations are investing in these new efforts, increasing the chance for sustainability and impact and creating a new future for local news, even at this challenging time. This program will introduce viewers to two nonprofit efforts—MLK50 (covering the intersection of poverty, power and policy in Memphis), and Cityside (with the Bay Area outlets Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside)—as well as to the co-founder of a new venture philanthropy nonprofit, the American Journalism Project, created to make local sites more financially sustainable.  Please join us for an important conversation on the future of local news and why the future may be in a new generation of nonprofit news outlets. Wendi C. Thomas and John Thornton will participate virtually; Lance Knobel and David Cohn will be on-stage. SPEAKERS: Lance Knobel, CEO, CItyside Wendi C. Thomas, Editor and Publisher, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism (Participating Virtually) John Thornton, Founder Texas Tribune; Co-Founder American Journalism Project (Participating Virtually) David Cohn, Senior Director, Advance Local; Cofounder of Subtext—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been hosting our live programming via YouTube live stream. We are slowly reopen our building to programs with live guests and live audiences. This hybrid-program was recorded with participants in both our auditorium and via video conference on July 15th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. NOTE: This podcast may contain explicit language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic has hurt many industries throughout the United States. For local news media, the COVID-19 public health emergency was nearly catastrophic. Already threatened with economic demise because of the rise of digital advertising and how consumers use free social media tools to consume news, the pandemic put further financial stresses on local news outlets by impacting advertising from shuttered restaurants, bars and small businesses. All of this came at a time, of course, when local news—with information on the immediate impact of the public health emergency, among other topics—was more important than ever.  However, despite the strong challenges for local news outlets, the future may not be so bleak for the industry. Why? A growing number of nonprofit news media ventures are seeking to fill the void for quality local news efforts. Across the country, citizens are increasingly getting local news from new digital ventures focused on a specific region or city. Perhaps most important, philanthropists and major foundations are investing in these new efforts, increasing the chance for sustainability and impact and creating a new future for local news, even at this challenging time. This program will introduce viewers to two nonprofit efforts—MLK50 (covering the intersection of poverty, power and policy in Memphis), and Cityside (with the Bay Area outlets Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside)—as well as to the co-founder of a new venture philanthropy nonprofit, the American Journalism Project, created to make local sites more financially sustainable.  Please join us for an important conversation on the future of local news and why the future may be in a new generation of nonprofit news outlets. Wendi C. Thomas and John Thornton will participate virtually; Lance Knobel and David Cohn will be on-stage. SPEAKERS: Lance Knobel, CEO, CItyside Wendi C. Thomas, Editor and Publisher, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism (Participating Virtually) John Thornton, Founder Texas Tribune; Co-Founder American Journalism Project (Participating Virtually) David Cohn, Senior Director, Advance Local; Cofounder of Subtext—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been hosting our live programming via YouTube live stream. We are slowly reopen our building to programs with live guests and live audiences. This hybrid-program was recorded with participants in both our auditorium and via video conference on July 15th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. NOTE: This podcast may contain explicit language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If feels like a crisis,” said the Flyer's Anna Traverse Fogle. “We can't do the kinds of community engagement we normally do,” said High Ground‘s Emily Trenholm. “It's difficult building relationships with people when you can't see them in person,” said MLK50‘s Wendi C. Thomas. “We've been looking to our Chalkbeat family for strategies on how to reach people who are at home,” said Chalkbeat Tennessee‘s Caroline Bauman. These were just some of the thoughts expressed during StoryBoard's first-ever panel discussion on Community News, an industry that was already struggling before the pandemic shutdown. Today, like so many other businesses and industries, it is in crisis. Join host Mark Fleischer as he and these four local industry leaders discuss the perils of today's community, non-profit and independent news, as well as explore solutions to engaging with and reaching those disinvested communities in need of important news and information. Part 1 of 3.

“In order to be very impactful, you have to align yourself with people who are intentional about the same impact, the same meaning. And you rob yourself of impacting more people if you align yourself with people who are not good intentioned.” - Carina GloverIn this episode, special guest co-host Michele Weldon and Reshma Gopaldas  welcome Carina Glover, Amanda Kahlow, and Wendi C. Thomas to the show to talk about the importance of speaking out on a purpose. Carina is the founder of HerHeadquarters, a collaborating app exclusive to women entrepreneurs within the fashion, beauty and entertainment industries.Amanda is the founder of 6sense, a business-to-business predictive intelligence tool for marketing and sales. Finally, Wendi is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in The New York Times, National Geographic, The Undefeated, among other publications. The panel of guests share their experiences navigating the business world as women and provide specific examples of times they have spoken out. Finally, they speak to the importance of gaining confidence and speaking out as a group as well as individually.The included interview first aired live on YouTube during Take The Lead’s Virtual Happy Hour. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk9Xw82Nbog**This podcast episode is brought to you by Take The Lead’s 9 Leadership Power Tools, a breakthrough leadership program that accelerates your career, helps you pivot to a new career, and boost your confidence in yourself in life and leadership. Find out more and let us know how we can help you with training and coaching at www.taketheleadwomen.com/leadership-toolsSign up here for the Take The Lead newsletter: https://www.taketheleadwomen.com/email-signupOther Resources and LinksDownloadable ebook Learning New Skills as an Entrepreneur Other Resources and LinksThe 2019 Small Business Trends reporthttps://www.taketheleadwomen.com/vhh-free-resources-october-2019The federal BE HEARD Act banning nondisclosure agreements to encourage more women to speak up in cases of harassment and discrimination. (introduced, not passed yet)Gloria Feldt’s Website – https://gloriafeldt.com/Gloria Feldt’s Twitter – @GloriaFeldt https://twitter.com/GloriaFeldtGloria Feldt’s Instagram – @gloriafeldt https://www.instagram.com/gloriafeldt/Take The Lead Website – https://www.taketheleadwomen.com/Take The Lead Twitter – @takeleadwomen https://twitter.com/takeleadwomen?lang=enTake The Lead Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TakeTheLeadWomen/Take The Lead LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/take-the-lead-women/Take The Lead on Mighty Bell – https://takethelead.mn.co/feedCarina Glover’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinaglover/Carina Glover’s Website – https://herheadquarters.app/Carina Glover’s Twitter – @HerHeadquarters https://twitter.com/herheadquartersCarina’s Email – info@herhq.appWendi Thomas’ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendicthomas/Wendi Thomas’ Twitter – @wendi_c_thomas https://twitter.com/wendi_c_thomasWendi Thomas’ Website – https://mlk50.com/Wendi Thomas’ Instagram – @wendi_c_thomas https://www.instagram.com/wendi_c_thomasAmanda Kahlow’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandakahlow/Amanda Kahlow’s Website – https://6sense.com/Amanda Kahlow’s Twitter – @AmandaKahlow https://twitter.com/amandakahlow?lang=enhttp://thebutterflyeffectretreat.comMichele Weldonwww.micheleweldon.comwww.taketheleadwomen@micheleweldonReshma Gopaldaswww.sheknows.com@reshingbull

Wendi C. Thomas is an award winning independent journalist based in Memphis, TN. Her work focuses on economic and racial justice. Thomas writes for The Christian Science Monitor, The Undefeated and is a senior writing fellow with the Center for Community Change. Thomas was a 2016 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Thomas has also taught at the University of Memphis and at Harvard University's Extension School, where she was invited to develop the schoool's first ournalism course about race and class.

For 11 years Wendi C. Thomas was the metro columnist for the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Since leaving that job in 2014, she has completed a fellowship at Harvard and become a frequent contributor to the Christian Science Monitor and The Undefeated, ESPN's new site on sports, race, and culture. On the issues of race and justice, Wendi's voice is as distinct and clear as they come.Before a live audience at an OAM Network fundraiser earlier this month, we discussed Wendi's latest project, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, the future of news, and how she ended up as a journalist in the first place.