Dear BBG Community,

This moment is simple: we need each other.

Black By God is launching a $100,000 community fundraising campaign to sustain and grow Black-led journalism in West Virginia.

We’re kicking it off live.

From May 2–3, we’re hosting a 24-hour All Hands on Deck Houseboat Podcast-a-Thon—a full day of conversation, storytelling, and community—to launch this campaign and raise our first wave of support.

But this fundraiser doesn’t end when the livestream does.

This GoFundMe continues until we reach $100,000—together.

Why This Matters

Black By God: The West Virginian has lost critical federal funding that supported our ability to tell agriculture and community stories.

At the same time, something powerful is happening:

Local and regional partners are stepping up.

Through the Appalachia Funders Network, BBG has received a two-year, $100,000 investment through the Rural News Fund to expand our reporting.

Now we’re asking our community to match that investment—dollar for dollar.

What You’re Supporting

Your donation helps us continue and expand:

• Black-led journalism in West Virginia — covering politics, culture, agriculture, and community

• The Folk Reporters Program — training citizen journalists to report on local issues

• Agriculture storytelling — connecting land, food, and people

• Community storytelling — podcasts, live events, and documentary production

• This is about making sure Black voices in Appalachia are not just included—but centered, documented, and sustained.

And as you wait for our next newsletter to arrive, here are some ways you can connect with BBG:

Follow us on social media. We can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And when you see us post, please like or share! It really does help.

Share with a friend. If you know someone else who would appreciate our work, forward them this email or send them to our website.

Please consider supporting our work — we depend on your donations. Your generosity goes a long way on a West Virginia country news road!

Black newspapers have been in WV since 1885, and we ain't going anywhere. Thanks for joining us,

The Black By God Team

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