Amber Payne
@amberpayne.bsky.social
Editorial strategist and tablemaker | fmr publisher @theemancipator.org | created @NBCBLK | formerly @teenvogue.com @NBCNightlyNews | @NiemanFoundation.bsky.social ‘21 | #TiltShiftMedia productions
Old Bay all day 🦀. Wahoowa. 🇯🇲 about that Scotch Bonnet 🌶️
Old Bay all day 🦀. Wahoowa. 🇯🇲 about that Scotch Bonnet 🌶️
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...
October 30, 2025 at 3:43 PM
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...
Reposted by Amber Payne
(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...
piece I wrote from Morehouse College in the days following the 2024 presidential election. open.substack.com/pub/nicolefc...
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.
open.substack.com
July 22, 2025 at 1:21 PM
(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...
piece I wrote from Morehouse College in the days following the 2024 presidential election. open.substack.com/pub/nicolefc...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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.
Thank you @debofficially.bsky.social + @amberpayne.bsky.social. And esp to Robert for sharing his survival.
June 30, 2025 at 6:51 PM
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.
Thank you @debofficially.bsky.social + @amberpayne.bsky.social. And esp to Robert for sharing his survival.
Reposted by Amber Payne
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…. ‘”
“‘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…. ‘”
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/2025/06/26/f...
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.
theemancipator.org
June 27, 2025 at 2:16 AM
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…. ‘”
“‘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…. ‘”
Reposted by Amber Payne
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. 💐💐💐
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/2025/06/26/f...
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.
theemancipator.org
June 26, 2025 at 10:54 PM
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. 💐💐💐
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/2025/06/26/f...
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.
theemancipator.org
June 26, 2025 at 10:50 PM
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/2025/06/26/f...
Reposted by Amber Payne
“Elon Musk purchasing [Twitter] is an act of war.” — @meredithdclark.bsky.social
Read the full interview here: theemancipator.org/2025/06/05/t...
Read the full interview here: theemancipator.org/2025/06/05/t...
June 5, 2025 at 3:06 PM
“Elon Musk purchasing [Twitter] is an act of war.” — @meredithdclark.bsky.social
Read the full interview here: theemancipator.org/2025/06/05/t...
Read the full interview here: theemancipator.org/2025/06/05/t...
What to eat in STL? Lemme know!
May 28, 2025 at 4:02 PM
What to eat in STL? Lemme know!
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...
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.
ewa.org
May 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
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...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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?
May 22, 2025 at 6:01 PM
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?
Reposted by Amber Payne
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...
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.
theemancipator.org
May 22, 2025 at 9:25 PM
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...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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.
May 21, 2025 at 9:43 PM
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.
Fact Check: Are White South African ‘refugees’ fleeing racial persecution?
(Answer: Nope)
theemancipator.org/2025/05/20/s...
(Answer: Nope)
theemancipator.org/2025/05/20/s...
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.
theemancipator.org
May 20, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Fact Check: Are White South African ‘refugees’ fleeing racial persecution?
(Answer: Nope)
theemancipator.org/2025/05/20/s...
(Answer: Nope)
theemancipator.org/2025/05/20/s...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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.
May 15, 2025 at 5:58 PM
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.
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.
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.
theemancipator.org
May 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
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.
Do better #UVA
“When I'm giving a tour and I'm critiquing something from the past, it comes from a place where I want people to understand where this university came from so that we can be better in the future.”
UVA Tried To Shut Down Its Historical Tours Discussing Slavery. These Students Resisted.
A conservative alumni group took issue with the discussion of difficult parts of UVA’s history.
www.teenvogue.com
May 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Do better #UVA
Reposted by Amber Payne
"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...
“They’re trying to kidnap someone”
On the scene of a brutal ICE arrest in Worcester, Massachusetts.
www.motherjones.com
May 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
"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...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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...
www.tiktok.com/@the_emancip...
“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
www.tiktok.com
May 7, 2025 at 9:40 PM
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...
www.tiktok.com/@the_emancip...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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.
May 6, 2025 at 2:52 AM
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.
Reposted by Amber Payne
This year’s Met Gala was an opulent and exuberant exploration of Black style, and more specifically, Black Dandyism.
May 6, 2025 at 2:52 AM
This year’s Met Gala was an opulent and exuberant exploration of Black style, and more specifically, Black Dandyism.
Reposted by Amber Payne
“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
#BlackDandyism #MetGala
May 5, 2025 at 6:06 PM
“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
#BlackDandyism #MetGala
Reposted by Amber Payne
Trump’s immigration and tariff policies complicate disaster response ahead of hurricane season
🖊️By Kendra Pierre-Louis
🖊️By Kendra Pierre-Louis
May 1, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Trump’s immigration and tariff policies complicate disaster response ahead of hurricane season
🖊️By Kendra Pierre-Louis
🖊️By Kendra Pierre-Louis
Reposted by Amber Payne
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...
This is far from the truth. ✍️ @chandelis.bsky.social
theemancipator.org/2025/04/29/s...
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.
theemancipator.org
April 30, 2025 at 2:08 AM
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...
This is far from the truth. ✍️ @chandelis.bsky.social
theemancipator.org/2025/04/29/s...
Reposted by Amber Payne
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 🧵
April 28, 2025 at 7:37 PM
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 🧵
Reposted by Amber Payne
“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/2025/04/26/t...
'Sinners' and the beautiful struggle to belong and survive
The film celebrates the unsung spirit and soul of Southern Black and Brown communities
theemancipator.org
April 28, 2025 at 3:57 PM
“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/2025/04/26/t...