I'm so busy in Ukraine that I have little time for anything else, but I do wanna reflect on this Gawker piece about The Root, my former place of employment. I was mentioned, but choose not to comment.
I have no tea to spill, but advice to offer. THREAD
gawker.com/media/what-hap…
I have no tea to spill, but advice to offer. THREAD
gawker.com/media/what-hap…
I will not comment on the contents of the piece because its not essential for what I am gonna say. So...
The Root was the best place I ever worked because @daniellecbelton it a safe place for every type of Black person, no matter how we identified and how we viewed the world.
The Root was the best place I ever worked because @daniellecbelton it a safe place for every type of Black person, no matter how we identified and how we viewed the world.
Before I worked The Root, I was at Jalopnik writing about the military and national security. I loved the work, but needed a change and Danielle welcomed my knowledge and reporting experience. She immediately put me on the road covering national races.
It is rare that a Black-run site prioritizes political corespondents because most Black sites are entertainment dominated and don't have hard-nosed reporting. I was also allowed to do my foreign policy stuff, so I was happy.
I was more on the quiet side, but that was OK.
I was more on the quiet side, but that was OK.
Every type of Black person was welcomed at The Root.
No homophobia, transphobia, sexism or anything that shamed anyone who wasn't straight and cis was allowed. And that was reflected in our writing. The Root covered the diversity of Blackness in ways that had NEVER been done.
No homophobia, transphobia, sexism or anything that shamed anyone who wasn't straight and cis was allowed. And that was reflected in our writing. The Root covered the diversity of Blackness in ways that had NEVER been done.
The Root took pride in being called the gay site by the sexists Black men on there because we took pride and celebrating ALL Black folks. Again, no one covered race, gender and politics better than us. NOBODY!
We were a super team of Black writers.
We were a super team of Black writers.
But here is where I start to give knowledge and game to writers about working for someone: The Root was not sustainable and here is why.
For one, WE, the writers did not own The Root. It was a well-run website that was at the mercy of whoever owned it.
For one, WE, the writers did not own The Root. It was a well-run website that was at the mercy of whoever owned it.
The Root survived multiple ownerships and luckily got better. 2016-2020 were the best years of The Root as far as writing, emerging new voices and brand. We were riding high off that, but I personally never got too emotionally connected to it because I didn't have ownership.
When G/O Media bought the portfolio in which The Root was housed, we were fucked. Jim Spanfeller, in my opinion, doesn't give a shit about journalism. He doesn't care about anything but money.
But here is the thing: he doesn't have to. It's HIS property. He can do what he wants.
But here is the thing: he doesn't have to. It's HIS property. He can do what he wants.
That is the thing about being a reporter and caring about journalism: you are lucky if the owners care as much as you do and the G/O people don't. We weren't lucky. I knew it was time to go when management started dictating what editorial should do.
I planned my exit a year in advance because I got tired of this up and down media industry. I worked at The Root for 4 years, delivered great interviews and stories and never got a raise. Not The Root's fault. It was management that didn't value me or my colleagues.
I work for myself now doing things outside of media and freelance when I want because journalism is not a sustainable way to feed myself. Also, never get too attached to a job that can fire you for any reason or be bought by someone who can destroy something you helped to build.
When I look at The Root, I, like many of my colleagues, see a site that I know was built off of my sweat. You all respect The Root because of the work I contributed. That is a fact! But I do not own The Root.
G/O tore down in several months what it took us years to build.
G/O tore down in several months what it took us years to build.
I was specifically hired to bring a prestige to The Root via my political writing. Few Black sites had people traveling the nation doing what I was doing. I am proud of it. But the site I helped to build is dead and I, along with my colleagues were powerless to stop it.
But I was lucky that I didn't get caught up in the emotions of G/O Media's fuckery. When I saw their disrespect for our work, I started planning my exit and saving my money. I was very unhappy my final year. Very unhappy.
And running to another site is not the answer because corporations control journalism, not journalists. If they own it, they can destroy it. Never allow yourself to be emotionally committed to a job that you have no financial stake in. That is my lesson to you.
The Root has helped me with my work as a podcaster and other work. I am getting work and opportunities because of my time there. My Rolodex if full because of The Root. I am capitalizing off of that with my podcast and other ventures I can't discuss now.
You would be amazed at how Ukrainians here respect my work at The Root. YES! I had a very small, but dedicated audience of Ukrainians who loved my writing at The Root. My writing about racism in America helps me write about Russian colonialism against Ukraine.
Real talk!
Real talk!
Please, journalists, use these companies for everything that you can get out of them because they damn sure will use the hell out of you and send you on your way after they have had their way with you. Do not get emotionally attached to things you do not own.
Do not load your desk with photos of your entire family tree, only to have someone shut down your computer without notice and tell you you have 15 minutes to pack up and leave. If it can't fit in a small box you can carry away at moment's notice, DON'T TAKE IT TO WORK!
I quit The Root in October because I was relegated to daily write around posts and I wasn't happy. I was so miserable that it triggered depression. I have savings. Why suffer. So I left. Key words: "I have savings."
How is being an entrepreneur. I LOVE IT!
How is being an entrepreneur. I LOVE IT!
It is hard because I buy my own health and dental insurance and I have to secure every penny I make. I am editorial, sales, HR and whatever else I need to me. I am pursuing my passions of fashion and tourism. Can't bring tourists to Ukraine now, but I will in the future.
And here is the thing about it: longterm, I am making more money than I would have had I stayed at The Root or worked elsewhere. I am still taking journalism opportunities but only if the terms are in my favor. I won't go back to being helpless like we were at The Root.
My podcast is new and growing. It'll just take one episode to blow up. Not a lot of money coming in. Yet. But here is why I am happy.
IT IS MINE!
No one can take it from me.
That is freedom that money cannot buy.
IT IS MINE!
No one can take it from me.
That is freedom that money cannot buy.
In journalism, we are conditioned not to know our worth and, in turn, we are shitty business people who can't calculate our value. Anyone who wants to think of hiring me will have to pay 6 figures. I don't care if you think I'm worth it. I KNOW I AM WORTH IT!
Either you pay me a NICE six figures now or I will get it later. And I'd also need some perks to do what I wanna do on the side so I can create my own flows of income.
Never be stuck on one source of income, journalists. That's how they trap you!
Never be stuck on one source of income, journalists. That's how they trap you!
By the end of the year, I will have multiple streams of consistent income and get to 7 figures! I am speaking it to existence! Because being tethered to a newsroom that some egotistical, rich white boy can destroy because he can is not the jam, family.
Fellow journalists, please do not find yourselves in the positions in which you are emotionally connected to work that is not promised to you. Get in your own bag and be able to walk away. It took me years to get to that point but I was able to walk away in October.
Journalism is a very precarious business and it is too unstable to emotionally invest in. Get what you can get out of the experience at whatever newsroom you are in AND LEAVE!
Do not get comfortable in the success of wherever you are because the tide can change VERY QUICKLY.
Do not get comfortable in the success of wherever you are because the tide can change VERY QUICKLY.
I will add this note: I am sad that The Root isn't around because many marginalized Black voices: LGBTQ+, the poor, disabled and women won't have that safe space we created for them. That is the biggest tragedy.
And we have an arrogant white man at G/O media to thank for that.
And we have an arrogant white man at G/O media to thank for that.
That's what I have to say. Come on over to Black Diplomats and subscribe to my podcast on your fav podcast platforms. I have an episode dropping today on Germany's diplomatic role in negotiations with Russia over Ukraine. blackdiplomats.net
This is 100 Black owned.
When it gets big, I won't fuck it up. I promise.
Because *I* own and control it.
END.
When it gets big, I won't fuck it up. I promise.
Because *I* own and control it.
END.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
