Earlier today, Philadelphia City Councilmembers Katherine Gilmore Richardson and Isaiah Thomas announced $25,000 in new City funding for the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists.

The new funding will be used to advance PABJ’s programming around youth media mentorship and career development opportunities for professionals and the at-large community.

“Through their hard work and dedication, the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ)... has provided a platform for diverse voices, educational enhancement, and community engagement that has helped us create a more informed and engaged society,” said Councilmember Gilmore Richardson. 

She added that she is honored to ensure the PABJ has the necessary resources to continue serving as advocates for fair and accurate coverage in communities of color. 

Founded in 1974, PABJ is the nation’s oldest professional association for Black journalists and media professionals and is one of the largest associations for Black journalists in the United States with more than 300 active members. 

“PABJ has made space for journalists of color to tell the stories that matter most to the community,” Councilmember Isaiah Thomas said. 

“Through this funding, PABJ will be able to expand their programming and help a new generation of young professionals of color break into the media industries,” he continued. 

While Philadelphia is an increasingly diverse city, most newsrooms throughout the city do not reflect this diversity. 

A 2021 Temple University report found that the Philadelphia Inquirer’s newsroom found that 74.3% of its newsroom staff were White, while a 2019 Columbia Journalism Review report found that 80% of WHYY’s newsroom staff from a year prior was white. In addition, no people of color served as on-air radio hosts. 

PABJ President Ernest Owens shared that he is greatly appreciative of the city’s support in awarding the Association this grant. He highlighted that it will go toward empowering its more than 300 members to take their careers to the next level. 

“Now more than ever, Black nonprofits like ours must be unconventional in our approach to improving the community — this grant inspires such work,” Owens concluded.