The Uptake

The UpTake is a nonprofit, community-centered news organization that uplifts the voices and experiences of BIPOC communities and other historically-underrepresented groups. We harness community journalism for racial and social justice. 

Our work takes two forms: a community news platform, as well as  community journalism and media literacy trainings.  We seek to tell stories about the systems that impact our communities and we work to ensure that our communities have the skills they need to do that journalism. 

Here's 10 things you need to know about our work:

1. Our live coverage of the Minnesota State Legislature and local school boards is community-driven, with a focus on media literacy, policy education, and fair and expansive coverage.
2. We’re partnership-driven and we don’t want to be competitive with other community media. Whether it’s with Voices for Racial Justice, SPNN, the Minnesota Women's Press, WFNU, or others, we’re all about lifting up the work of other local media and building deep partnerships. 
3. We offer 1-4 community journalism trainings each week and they are ALWAYS free, because we believe that each person should have access to the power and tools of community journalism.
4. We have a freelance staff of 30, from all walks of life, committed to helping all of us understand what’s happening in community, in the legislature, and elsewhere. Whatever their medium, they help us better understand the world around us and how decisions are made. 
5. Our door is always open to new freelance community journalists and we pay competitively: a starting rate of $25/hour and $250/article.
6. Our work is rooted in a belief that community journalism is a tool for racial and social justice, and that shows up in every aspect of our work. We strive to be accessible and present.
7. We’re donation-based, but no one will ever have to pay a cent to engage with the news we create or to attend one of our community journalism trainings.
8. Aside from http://theuptake.org, we have shared platforms with Voices for Racial Justice (www.thequiltmagazine.com) and WFNU Radio (the Radical News Radio Hour).
9. Our Board is phenomenal, having actively moved us into a bright new future, mentoring our team, supporting the work, doing the work.
10. Our legislative coverage is renowned and, in 2022, we're relaunching our legislative intern program!

Thank you for your support as we continue to build a community news organization that invests in our communities and that invests in the work for racial and social justice. 

  Visit us at www.theuptake.org, and stay connected with us!