FAQ

We're celebrating our three-year anniversary with a major rebrand! We’re launching a fresh website, expanding our community journalism initiatives, and introducing a series of nontraditional media mixers. Our relaunch marks a renewed focus on storytelling that centers real experiences in cities across New Jersey, with a particular emphasis on personal narratives, restorative journalism, and empathy in media.

Tennyson Donyea, an experienced journalist with a deep passion for local storytelling, founded black in Jersey. After nearly a decade of reporting on politics, race, and identity, Tennyson saw how stories from Black communities and other underrepresented groups were often misrepresented or overlooked by mainstream media. He founded Black in Jersey to change that narrative by empowering citizens to tell their own stories, fostering authentic connections within New Jersey’s communities, and pushing for a media landscape that reflects its people's real, lived experiences.

Our content speaks directly to Black Zillennials (people born between the late '90s and early 2010s, straddling the line between Millennials and Gen Z). Still, Black in Jersey is for everyone, regardless of age. This is the place for you if you care about real stories, local communities, and how the media can better reflect our lives.

We move away from the cliché narratives that often dominate coverage of our communities. Our stories come from within—by training citizen journalists, we ensure that the people telling the stories are those who live them. We prioritize truth over spectacle, focusing on the raw emotions, frustrations, and joys that define everyday life in New Jersey.

Our upcoming media mixer series will be a blend of social and informational experiences. We’re creating spaces where journalists, community members, and creatives can connect and have meaningful conversations about the media landscape and what it takes to tell stories that truly resonate. Our panel discussions will highlight empathy in journalism and community-centered reporting.

Whether you're a storyteller, aspiring journalist, or someone passionate about community, there are multiple ways to connect with us. You can attend our events, submit your own stories, or sign up for our citizen journalism training. Stay tuned for updates on membership models that will allow you to be part of BIJ on a deeper level.

At Black in Jersey, we strive to uphold the core tenets of journalism—objectivity, balance, and accuracy—but we are also deeply committed to fairness. Sometimes, fairness means taking a stand. For example, we unequivocally stand with calls for reparations and intentional redress for Black Americans, Indigenous Americans, and other historically disenfranchised groups. We believe that the media has a responsibility not just to report but to reflect and elevate the voices of those demanding justice and equity.

We focus on predominantly Black cities and towns across New Jersey. Our storytelling captures the real lives and experiences of people from these communities, highlighting their joy and resilience.

Follow us on our social media platforms, subscribe to our newsletter, and keep an eye out for the launch of our new website. We’re constantly dropping fresh content and hosting events where you can be part of the conversation.