A media platform specifically focused on communities of color is coming to the Fox Valley area.
Since its founding in 2015, Madison365 has become the leading news source for communities of color in the Midwest. The nonprofit media organization recently announced that it would launch a new online news site and social media channels focused specifically on communities of color in Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, Green Bay and surrounding communities, beginning January 21, 2019 — Martin Luther King, Jr Day.
“We’re launching FoxValley365 on that day because we really want to embody Dr. King’s spirit, the spirit of inclusion, the spirit of making sure all voices are heard,” said Madison365 Publisher and CEO Henry Sanders. “We know there are vibrant, active communities of color across Northeast Wisconsin, as well as leaders of color doing great things. We’ve had community members from those cities reach out to us, telling us they need a hub to connect these communities and everything they’re doing. We’ve been working for months now behind the scenes and we’re ready to step up and fulfill that need.”
FoxValley365 will launch in January as a nonprofit news website with significant presence on Facebook and Twitter. It will carry profiles of prominent people of color and minority-owned businesses, report on good news from communities of color, cover events, and report on any institutions that interact with communities of color — including local governments and universities.
“I can’t wait to get back to Appleton with all the excitement about FoxValley365,” said Karen Nelson, the City of Appleton’s Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, after the new site was announced last month at the Wisconsin Leadership Summit.
“FoxValley365 can become a vital strategic asset for creating a culturally appropriate media outlet for Fox Valley’s communities of color,” said Dr. Sabrina Robins, Director of Operation at TAPFIN and a board member at African Heritage, Inc. “Our area has heavily invested in learning more about how to become a more inclusive community and how to connect with people of color. FoxValley365 can be a champion and means to providing an authentic voice to showcase, and shine a light the experiences of minority groups from a first person lens. Moreover, FoxValley365 could also become a career development pipeline for journalism and other media professions. I would love to see an expansion of the 365 Academy that’s already been successful in Madison, specifically designed to create young journalists and multimedia professionals.”
“We’re certainly excited for 365 to come to the Fox Valley,” said Fit Oshkosh founder Tracey Robertson. “We’re going to be continuing to do some great work in the area. We’re just excited about making some change in our community.”
“Far too often the issues that affect communities of color are not adequately or accurately represented in media,” said Green Bay community leader Rashad Cobb. “This is more than likely the case because communities of color are not at the table when most media content is created. Fox Valley 365 will provide a platform for our communities to have a voice in the creation of media content that is most relevant to our communities.”
“The Fox Cities Chamber is excited to welcome a new voice to the Fox Valley’s vibrant media scene,” said Peter Thillman, vice president for economic development at the Fox Cities Regional Partnership. “Obviously, there is demand for a media outlet with a different point of view and FoxValley365 is the right answer at the right time.”
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