Ashley Allison returns ‘The Root’ to its roots with historic acquisition

Ashley Allison, a nationally acknowledged political strategist, communications skilled, CNN commentator, and former Obama-Biden White Home official, is making historical past. On Thursday, Allison introduced that her firm, Watering Gap Media, has acquired The Root, making the Black information and tradition outlet Black-owned! 

The Root, based in 2008 by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and former Washington Put up Firm chairman Donald E. Graham, has lengthy been a pioneering area for information and commentary by and for Black America. At its launch, The Washington Put up reported the location would function “a Twenty first-century model of a nationwide Black newspaper.”

Now, Allison’s acquisition seems like a full-circle second for the publication that has contributed to conversations about race, tradition, and politics for over 15 years.

“This isn’t about making extra content material however quite about making that means of this second,” Allison stated in a press launch shared with theGrio. “The Root has all the time been about preserving tradition and creating readability in a world stuffed with distractions. Proudly owning the ability to inform our personal tales is a wealthy custom The Root is dedicated to upholding.”

Allison, who additionally served as Nationwide Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris 2020 marketing campaign, has constructed her profession amplifying various voices and navigating the intersections of politics, coverage, and tradition. Now, she plans to increase The Root’s influence by way of investments in video content material, partnerships with thought leaders, and in-person experiences for its readers.

“I’m so very happy with Ashley Allison for main The Root into its subsequent thrilling chapter,” enthused Professor Gates, who was not solely a co-founder, however a minority proprietor of The Root. “When Donald and I launched The Root, my imaginative and prescient was to create a platform to showcase the complete complexity of Black life with depth, intelligence, and, most significantly, unapologetic honesty. Too typically, legacy mainstream retailers deal with Black tales as an afterthought, treating a complete neighborhood of individuals as if they’re a sidebar. The Root wanted to be a entrance web page in its personal proper. A platform the place our historical past, our tradition, and our politics weren’t solely centered, however elevated.”

Rashad Robinson, president of Shade of Change and a longtime chief within the racial justice area, who will function a strategic advisor to Watering Gap Media and The Root’s crew added: “That is an thrilling second within the media panorama, with a lot potential to make Black voices an excellent stronger pressure within the large fights happening in our nation proper now. The Root gives an infrastructure for rising Black expertise and helps a drumbeat of reporting on points that will not in any other case achieve momentum. I’m excited to be a part of its subsequent chapter.”

The sale from G/O Media, a non-public equity-backed digital media firm, locations The Root’s future firmly within the fingers of Black management as soon as once more, or as Gates put it “returns The Roots to its roots.”