Our January Grant: $4,896 to Support Independent Media
The momentum continues to grow at Vocal Minority.
In our second grant campaign, 93 people joined forces to donate $4,896 to Making Contact. Just two months in, and our organization is already making tangible change.
In an era of “alternative facts,” independent media is more important than ever. Making Contact produces a 29-minute weekly radio program that covers social justice movements from the ground up. As an organization, they’re committed to investigative journalism, critical analysis, civic participation and education. By covering stories of how social change happens, they encourage their audience to participate and take action.
Check out some of their recent episodes on topics such as Masculinity and Mass Shootings, the Fight for Transgender Rights, and Native Power at Standing Rock.
Making Contact’s radio program is distributed by 20 affiliates across 41 states, as well as in Canada, South Africa, and Ireland. Here’s how they describe their distribution model:
“Every week we reach rural stations like KHOI Ames Iowa and KRFP Moscow Idaho; college stations like WMSU at Mississippi State; Native American tribal-owned such as KRZA in Alamosa Colorado; Pacifica stations like KKFI Kansas City Missouri; bilingual station WCOM in Carboro North Carolina; and NPR stations including WHRV in Norfolk, Virginia.”
Why is this important? It means on-the-ground stories of social change are being heard far and wide, from big cities to small towns. This is a national conversation, and Making Contact is leading the way.
Vocal Minority’s donation translates to over 200 hours of staff time for Making Contact, including production and distribution of their episodes. Huge thanks to everyone who has donated and supported us so far.
So what happens now?
- Making Contact will receive 100% of your funds.
- We’ll receive a report on our grant’s direct impact.
In December we fought hate crimes. In January we supported independent media. February’s grant campaign is currently underway. This is just the beginning. Each month we’ll choose a new grantee — a new organization taking a stand to defend our country and the amazing people in it. We can’t wait to continue the journey.
Interested in going deeper? Subscribe to Making Contact’s podcast at http://www.radioproject.org/listen/get-the-podcast/.
This article was written primarily by a member of Vocal Minority in collaboration with the founding team. Vocal Minority is a community dedicated to fighting for equity and justice in America. For more information and to get involved, go to http://vocalminority.us
