The number 7 often represents completion – and in that vain I’m writing to let the Better to Speak community know that after much reflection and consideration, I have decided that Better to Speak’s seventh year of operations will be its last.

As the co-creators of the Media 2070 project at Free Press, we believe it’s critical for the philanthropic world to make the kind of historic intervention that Press Forward has committed to. But we simultaneously hold curiosity about how the coalition will directly address the continuous harm the journalism profession has inflicted on Black communities and other communities of color.

When I studied victimology, they didn’t tell us how victimization changes for Black victims – namely, for Black women. They also did not tell us just how difficult it was to not only be believed as a Black woman, but also that there was a higher likelihood of victimization as a Black woman. It is almost as if there are not enough statistics, not enough research, not enough attention paid to Black women.

Claudia Owusu – a Ghanaian American filmmaker, journalist, content producer and editor – directed the film Ampe: Leap into the Sky, Black Girl. Co-directed alongside Ife Oluwamuyide, the documentary film tells the story of one of Ghana's women-only games called ampe.

Black pop culture has always had its inner secrets, invisible writings on the walls and hushed truths. But 2023 brought forth a true crack in the dam that left the Black community drowning in discourse, dissolution and, dare I say, desolation.

Many state legislatures make it intentionally difficult for college students to vote by gerrymandering their districts, creating polling places miles away from campus that can disincentivize casting a ballot.

This article is republished as a part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org.

Meet Desiree’!

In a society that both rewards and punishes conforming, those who veer outside the norm have the potential to be trendsetters ahead of their time. One such artist is hemlocke springs, a young artist from North Carolina.

Eno Quagraine launched Talkative Mom, Chana’s first parenting app and parent-specific search engine, in February 2021. The day after the app’s launch, it became the second parenting app in the United States and the United Kingdom, ranking right above Pinterest. Chatting with Better to Speak, Eno talks about building the five-year-old Talkative Mom brand itself, attaining historical feats, being a leader, providing a safe space for mothers, and navigating her journey so far.