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Amber Payne

@amberpayne.bsky.social
532 followers 195 following 30 posts

Rocky Mountain Public Media ✨ Chief Experience Officer | fmr @theemancipator.org | created @NBCBLK | fmr @teenvogue.com @NBCNightlyNews | @NiemanFoundation.bsky.social ‘21 | #TiltShiftMedia productions Old Bay all day 🦀. Wahoowa. 🇯🇲

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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Your questions, their answers. Register for “Women Decide: The Colorado Governor’s Forum” on Sunday, June 7 at 7 p.m. The free, virtual forum will feature Michael Bennet, Scott Bottoms, Barbara Kirkmeyer and Phil Weiser. Register and submit your questions here! www.rmpbs.org/news/communi...
rmpbs.org
Rocky Mountain PBS to host 'Women Decide: The Colorado Governor's Forum' | Rocky Mountain PBS
Rocky Mountain PBS, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce will produce and present Women Decide: The Colorado Governor’s Forum.
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19thnews @19thnews.org · 25/02/2026
Democratic women lawmakers are again wearing white as a symbol of protest during this year’s State of the Union address.
19thnews.org
Why are Democratic women wearing white to the State of the Union address?
They're donning the color of women’s suffrage in part to draw attention to a sweeping new elections bill.
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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
The administration claims that it’s targeting DEI. It’s really chipping away at civil rights protections. capitalbnews.org/trump-dei-at...
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
“You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.” This essay from Toni Morrison really hits as I reflect on these last months, freelancing, contracting, consulting, juggling. www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...
newyorker.com
The Work You Do, the Person You Are
The pleasure of being necessary to my parents was profound. I was not like the children in folktales: burdensome mouths to feed.
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
I founded #NBCBLK in 2015 & ran it for 3 years. It was crushing to see NBC eliminate the verticals and editors, all who served solid storytelling, hired unknown but talented writers, & provided a missing & nuanced lens to general news coverage. My take: @thewrap.com www.thewrap.com/nbc-news-div...
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Nicole Carr @nicolefcarr.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
(1/2) It's a great honor to win the 2025 American Society of Journalists and Authors Opinion/Op-Ed award for "The Black press democratized America," a @theemancipator.org piece I wrote from Morehouse College in the days following the 2024 presidential election. open.substack.com/pub/nicolefc...
open.substack.com
The judges: "Carr delivers a tour de force that traces an unbroken line from Freedom’s Journal in 1827 to today’s media crisis following the 2024 election."
Last night I received notice that I'd won the 2025 American Society for Journalists and Authors Op-ed writing award. My winning piece was a call-to-action for journalists in troubling times.
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Alison Flowers @alisonflowers.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
What a powerful experience to present w/ Robert Johnson at @medillschool.bsky.social Midwest Solutions Journalism Summer Summit. A far cry from the Hill Correctional Center interview room. Thank you @debofficially.bsky.social + @amberpayne.bsky.social. And esp to Robert for sharing his survival.
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Robert Frederick @refrederick.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
Ms. Payne, quoting “the poignant and prophetic words of Audre Lorde: “‘To refuse to participate in the shaping of our #future is to give it up. Do not be misled into passivity either by false security (they don’t mean me) or by despair (there’s nothing we can do). #Militancy no longer means…. ‘”
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Kavitha Rajagopalan @kxraja.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
All the flowers for the wonderful @amberpayne.bsky.social, who played a central role in reviving an abolitionist newspaper and expanding how we think, talk about, and report on race in profound ways. 💐💐💐
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Leading this team has been a transformative journey these last 4 years but it’s time to take what I’ve learned & do something new. My last day is 6/30. Grateful for this opportunity & my incredible colleagues for their support & dedication to this critical work. theemancipator.org/2025/06/26/f...
theemancipator.org
A publisher’s final dispatch from a modern abolitionist newsroom
Here’s what we’ve built over four transformative years and an update on The Emancipator’s next chapter.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 05/06/2025
“Elon Musk purchasing [Twitter] is an act of war.” — @meredithdclark.bsky.social ​ Read the full interview here: theemancipator.org/2025/06/05/t...
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
What to eat in STL? Lemme know!
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Heading to St. Louis for @edwriters.bsky.social Seminar! I’ll be on a panel tmrw at 1:45p “How I Did the Story: School Segregation” - sharing how we put together a series on the 50th anniversary of the Boston busing ruling. ewa.org/events/upcom...
ewa.org
2025 Education Writers Association National Seminar
EWA will hold its 2025 National Seminar in St. Louis, Missouri, May 28-31, 2025 for education reporters and education communicators.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 22/05/2025
What can 1963 in America teach us about 2025 in America? How did a nation pivot so much closer (or further away) from true democracy and racial equity in only one year?
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 22/05/2025
Some Black state attorneys general, including Letitia James of New York and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, vowed on Thursday they will ensure police are held accountable in their states. theemancipator.org/2025/05/21/s...
theemancipator.org
Justice Department rolls back police reform days before George Floyd anniversary
The move is emblematic of the Trump administration’s retreat from policies that center equity for communities of color.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 21/05/2025
Days before the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, the Justice Department announced it is dismissing lawsuits against the Minneapolis and Louisville police departments.
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Fact Check: Are White South African ‘refugees’ fleeing racial persecution? (Answer: Nope) theemancipator.org/2025/05/20/s...
theemancipator.org
Fact Check: Are White South African ‘refugees’ fleeing racial persecution?
Afrikaners, a White minority who ruled South Africa with an oppressive grip, dispossessed the Black majority during the colonial era and apartheid.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 15/05/2025
In a precursor to the highly anticipated showdown over birthright citizenship, the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh whether lower court judges have the legal right to block President Donald Trump’s executive orders from going into effect.
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
Blessed to have 2 little ones bt I recognize and respect that Mother’s Day can be a very painful or traumatic day for some women. Grateful to @chandelis.bsky.social for sharing her story of coming to terms with the difficult but life saving decision to undergo a hysterectomy in her early 30s.
theemancipator.org
Trump’s ‘baby bonus’ perpetuates racist and gendered notions about a woman’s worth
It is a particularly painful insult to women like me who cannot bear children.
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Do better #UVA
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 10/05/2025
"The crowd chants 'Don’t take the mother!' over and over again as the daughter keeps trying to get back on the hood of the car. More Worcester cops arrive, all helping the ICE agents carry out their rotten senseless work." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
“They’re trying to kidnap someone”
On the scene of a brutal ICE arrest in Worcester, Massachusetts.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 07/05/2025
Nike’s campaign for A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe has sparked praise for its authentic Black storytelling. The films — featuring a reimagined childhood clapping game and a lyrical ode to Black girlhood — celebrate Wilson’s impact while centering Black cultural nuance. www.tiktok.com/@the_emancip...
tiktok.com
“That is the most beautiful way I have seen someone honor the experiences of a young Black girl growing up.” — @whatmojoloves/TikTok Nike’s new campaign for A’ja Wilson’s sold-out signature shoe has s...
TikTok video by The Emancipator
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 06/05/2025
Black Dandyism doesn’t exist without the barbarous conditions responsible for its creation. Nor should it — especially in a predominantly White environment rife with individuals who routinely benefit from Black plight.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 06/05/2025
This year’s Met Gala was an opulent and exuberant exploration of Black style, and more specifically, Black Dandyism.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 05/05/2025
“The original Black Dandies — they weren’t dressing up for TikTok aesthetics or a Met Gala theme. They were using their style to reclaim power in spaces that told them that they had none.” — @ashley94.bsky.social #BlackDandyism #MetGala
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 01/05/2025
Trump’s immigration and tariff policies complicate disaster response ahead of hurricane season 🖊️By Kendra Pierre-Louis
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 30/04/2025
The Trump administration has painted a picture that these first 100 days have been an unprecedented start to an era of peace and prosperity that will enhance the quality of life for all Americans. This is far from the truth. ✍️ @chandelis.bsky.social theemancipator.org/2025/04/29/s...
theemancipator.org
Trump’s first 100 days in office yield chaos and consequences
From misleading falsehoods about “woke” educational ideology to maneuvers to defer civil rights, The Emancipator fact-checked some of the more egregious claims.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 28/04/2025
Colorado football breakout star Shedeur Sanders’ belated selection by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft is an example of the racialized double standard applied to Black athletes. 🖊️ @chandelis.bsky.social 🧵
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 28/04/2025
“Sinners” stands in sharp contrast against the current Trump administration’s racist attempts to whitewash the historic and cultural contributions of Black and Brown people. The movie is a homily for all of us as modern-day keepers of memory. theemancipator.org/2025/04/26/t...
theemancipator.org
'Sinners' and the beautiful struggle to belong and survive
The film celebrates the unsung spirit and soul of Southern Black and Brown communities
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Emily Ramshaw @eramshaw.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Admission to Africana studies, Asian studies, data analytics, disability studies, Middle East studies, philosophy, religious studies, Spanish and women’s and gender studies programs has been suspended starting with the 2025-26 school year “in compliance with SB1." 19thnews.org/2025/04/univ...
19thnews.org
University suspends nine gender, disability and ethnicity majors under new Ohio law
The law, set to take effect this summer, bans diversity efforts and regulates classroom discussion.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 28/04/2025
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all of the staff that had distributed $1.7B annually in Social Services Block Grant funds, which many states had depended on for their child welfare, foster care and adoption systems.
propublica.org
The Trump Administration’s War on Children
The administration is quietly putting America’s children at risk by cutting funds and manpower for investigating child abuse, enforcing child support payments, providing child care and much more.
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domesticpolichick.bsky.social @domesticpolichick.bsky.social · 27/04/2025
As I recently wrote for @theemancipator.org , as a descendant daughter of the Mississippi Delta, Ryan Coogler’s new film “Sinners” touched an ancestral chord in my spirit. (Spoiler alert) 🧵 theemancipator.org/2025/04/26/t...
theemancipator.org
'Sinners' and the beautiful struggle to belong and survive
The film celebrates the unsung spirit and soul of Southern Black and Brown communities
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
A headline from Hell. @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/live/2025/04...
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 25/04/2025
‘Sinners’ and the beautiful struggle to belong and survive 🧵 🖊️@domesticpolichick.bsky.social
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
It’s our anniversary ✨
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Nicole Carr @nicolefcarr.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Been saying we’re covering white supremacy & we don’t know how to reckon with it… Re-upping this March conversation on The Great Resegregation and a lot of other relevant topics w @victorerikray.bsky.social @amberpayne.bsky.social @ibramxk.bsky.social and me: nicolefcarr.substack.com/p/on-dangero...
nicolefcarr.substack.com
On dangerous times and "The State of the People"
Ahead of the State of the Union, I joined Amber Payne and Ibram X. Kendi of The Emancipator, alongside sociologist Victor Ray. The topic? The Great Resegregation. History would like a word with us.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 23/04/2025
Over 100 Black mayors from across the country converged in Washington, D.C., last week to strategize how to best tackle issues impacting their communities as the Trump administration rescinds funding for crucial projects and targets diverse populations through regressive social policies.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 23/04/2025
Ryan Coogler’s smash hit, “Sinners,” has piqued moviegoers’ interest in many ways during the film’s successful opening weekend. Content creators took to social media to start conversations and decipher some of the movie’s messages about belonging to a community. #Sinners
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Saw ‘Sinners’ last night. 🤯. Wow. 🔎now out here searching for the deconstructions and hot takes. Also, I loved that every employee I interacted with - ticket guy, popcorn guy - rejoiced when I told them what I was seeing. “And it’s Michael B. Jordan’s for the price of one!” Popcorn guy said.
media.tenor.com
two men in suits and hats are standing next to each other with the hashtag #sinnersmovie on the bottom
ALT: two men in suits and hats are standing next to each other with the hashtag #sinnersmovie on the bottom
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 22/04/2025
"This false security and liberation is not worth a lifetime diet of bootlicking, and certainly not worth the continuous subjugation of others that we are required to turn a blind eye to." - via @ourobororoboruo.bsky.social theemancipator.org/2025/04/22/s...
theemancipator.org
Belonging to America as an immigrant demands taking a hammer to its ‘exceptional’ greatness
Being a ‘model minority’ is a weak and indefensible position from which ICE can pluck us with little explanation.
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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
After a historic federal agreement to address the state’s sewage crisis is scrapped, Black residents in Lowndes County are left exposed to raw waste.
capitalbnews.org
Rural Alabamians Lived With Poop-Filled Water for Decades. Trump Just Killed Plans For Relief.
After a historic federal agreement to address the state's sewage crisis is scrapped, Black residents in Lowndes County are left exposed to raw waste.
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 17/04/2025
meanwhile, prominent pundits continue to deny that there the administration adheres to a segregationist ideology
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 17/04/2025
Black farmers have historically endured generations of discrimination in land ownership. 🧵 Read more here: theemancipator.org/2025/04/17/t...
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 16/04/2025
“What is at stake are legitimate concerns for their health & their rights to humane living conditions. Revoking those promises based on disfavored buzz words is arbitrary, inhumane, & ignores the substance and purposes of the Agreement.” via @insideclimatenews.org theemancipator.org/2025/04/15/s...
theemancipator.org
Trump announces ‘termination’ of ‘illegal DEI’ settlement over raw sewage in poverty-stricken, Alabama communities
The agreement, reached under the Biden administration, required the state’s Department of Public Health to improve sanitation efforts in Alabama’s Black Belt. It’s unclear what the termination will me...
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Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
www.reuters.com/world/us/naa...
reuters.com
NAACP sues US Education Department over DEI school funding cuts
The NAACP sued the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday to stop its alleged illegal effort to cut off funding to schools that use diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and prevent Black students from receiving equal education opportunities.
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 14/04/2025
Hungry for up-to-date knowledge and literature, Daniel Pirkel is frustrated by the state correction department’s sense of disregard for incarcerated people’s desire to belong to the world many of them will one day return to.
theemancipator.org
For incarcerated people, denied access to reading material is a mental prison
Overly restrictive policies prevent access to knowledge for those who seek to contemplate their humanity
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 11/04/2025
THREAD: Under a new law, thousands of prisoners in Louisiana have been cut off from ever getting a chance at parole. Why? Because an algorithm said so. 1/
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The Emancipator @theemancipator.org · 11/04/2025
We’re live! Join us now for our #BlackMaternalHealth panel with #RoomToGrow, featuring The Emancipator's @amberpayne.bsky.social along with an incredible lineup of panelists: us02web.zoom.us/j/8965136068...
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Amber Payne @amberpayne.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
I’m honored to moderate this critical conversation for #RoomToGrow to kick off #BlackMaternalHealthWeek tomorrow! Join us at 10am in person or on the livestream. www.roomtogrow.org/talks
roomtogrow.org
Room to Grow Talks — Room to Grow
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