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Introducing Sweet Equity Media

By Ellen McGirt —
Introducing Sweet Equity Media

Hello. Thanks for stopping by.

My name is Ellen McGirt, and I'm a writer, editor, and dreamer.

Six years ago, I launched the race and leadership beat at Fortune. First, with a ground-breaking report on what really keeps Black men out of corporate executive ranks. (Spoiler: It starts before they're born.) Then, with a daily newsletter called raceAhead.

Back then, I was skeptical that this was a conversation the business world would welcome. A newsletter on race? Addressed to corporate America? Looking back, I thought I'd spend most of my time on diversity reports that never budged and reminding people not to be racist on Halloween.

To my surprise, subscribers poured in. The newsletter and subsequent stories won awards. And, as the conversations about race became more complex, fraught, and violent, I found myself part of an extended community of people dedicated to understanding the root causes of inequity in the workplace and working to forge a path toward true inclusion.

And not that lukewarm bias mitigation training stuff, either. I'm talking about the real work.

Now, six years in, I'm no longer skeptical. Though the challenges are intense —from pandemic to climate change to civic unrest to a terrifying epidemic of misinformation — I believe a better world is within reach.

(Though I still have to write the dreaded Halloween column every year.)

I've decided to expand the platform I accidentally built with a new, reader-supported, independent newsroom focused on the people, policies, and ideas dedicated to creating a more equitable world.

It's called Sweet Equity Media. Here's why.

I plan to invest in reported journalism that addresses race, identity, gender, civil rights, income inequality, and leadership at the intersection of business and beyond.

As the community grows, what I can offer will grow.

You can expect to hear from under-represented expert voices, who will tackle the big stuff with data, reporting, and empathy. In addition to making raceAhead even more useful, I plan to partner with existing outlets, large and local, to help BIPOC journalists build their portfolios and newsrooms diversify.

And, if I do my job, you can also expect the "and beyond" part to be energizing, inspiring, and fun.

So, I'm asking for your suppport.

Please hit the organge button and subscribe, at whatever level you can afford. (On a budget? Your free subscription still gets us audience, reach and community!) Then, share this announcement with your equity-minded pals to help us build community.

And finally, if you're able to, please nudge us forward with a one-time launch gift of $500.

Your subscription will allow me to commission ground-breaking journalism that addresses national and local issues and reach underserved audiences in new ways.

Here's a peek at what I'm planning:

  • More of what raceAhead already does: More people, more data, more research, more ideas, more strategies.
  • A series exploring the origins of and solutions for the epidemic of violence against AAPI communities, published in English, Mandarin/Cantonese, and Spanish.
  • A series on the new world of public art and the trailblazing BIPOC artists who are bringing inspiration and information to communities large and small.
  • A deep dive into the one tech/platform company I'm convinced is cracking the code on inclusion.
  • How a group of Indigenous women entrepreneurs are successfully collaborating with non-Indigenous partners to transform their communities.
  • Oh, yeah, I may kickstart a Banned Bookmobile.

I believe that journalism is a public good, and that accurate information can make the world a better, more engaged, and less violent place.

And more equitable.

Thanks for going on this ride with me.

Happy 2022,

Ellen