Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange launches advanced fellowship for alumni

November 14, 2024

The Lenfest Institute is today announcing the eight participants of the 2024-2025 Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange, a community-grounded accelerator program supporting media entrepreneurs of color through training, one-on-one coaching, and grantmaking. This year’s Founders Exchange class consists of program alumni whose businesses are poised for the next stage of growth.  

This year’s program builds upon the foundational skills the fellows developed during their first Founders Exchange experience, which focused key best practices for early-stage entrepreneurs, including self-assessment, goal setting, market understanding, and business modeling. The 2025 fellows will focus on strategic planning, operational efficiency, and revenue generation, with the goal being to empower participants to build profitable, impactful, and sustainable media enterprises. 

In addition to the advanced curriculum, each fellow will receive a grant of $50,000 to support their continued growth 

The Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange is a program of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Additional support is provided by Comcast NBCUniversal, the Independence Public Media Foundation, and the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation. 

“The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is proud to support the growth and sustainability of these talented media entrepreneurs who are providing critical news and information to communities in Philadelphia and surrounding counties,” said Lenfest Institute Head of Philadelphia Programs Shawn Mooring.  

The Founders Exchange Class of 2025 includes:  

• Arianne Bracho Hernández / Madre Tierra, PMFE ‘23 – Madre Tierra creates Spanish-language multimedia content to inform and educate Philadelphians about  women’s issues and inspire positive social change, contributing to the eradication of violence and the promotion of a more just and equal society for all women. 

• Jean-Pierre Brice / CMPRadio.net, PMFE ‘22 – CMPRadio.Net is a community-driven internet radio station based in Chester, Pa., focused on amplifying underrepresented voices. Founded in 2017, it offers local news, culture, and storytelling while empowering youth and fostering unity through communication and media. 

• Nathalie Cerin / Woy Magazine, PMFE ‘23 – Woy Magazine is an online platform that seeks to be a meeting place for Haitians in Haiti and abroad. Woy’s content is available in Kreyòl and English and explores history, politics, and arts through its community blog, biweekly newsletter, and Haitian history podcast. 

• Monique Curry-Mims / Generocity, PMFE ‘23 – Generocity is a social impact media outlet focused on community engagement. Its content looks at the impact of the programs, philanthropic funding, and leaders serving communities, empowering readers to create social impact through solutions-oriented journalism.  

• Indah Nuritasari / Indonesian Lantern Media, PMFE ‘22 – Indonesian Lantern Media is an online news source serving Philadelphia’s Indonesian population with both Indonesian and English multimedia coverage. It covers news, culture, the economy, and the lives of Indonesian individuals across Philadelphia. 

• Phillip J. Roundtree / Quadefy LLC, PMFE ‘23 – Quadefy LLC is a dynamic organization that empowers Black and marginalized communities through advocacy, education, and media. Its two podcasts, Rhetorically Speaking and #YouGoodMan?, address critical issues impacting the Black diaspora and men’s wellness. 

• Tamara “POC” Russell / REVIVE Radio + Media, PMFE ‘23 – Russell founded REVIVE Radio with the goal of strengthening communities by cultivating dialogue that encourages critical thinking and meaningful connections. It has expanded to include REVIVE Media, an online news and broadcasting platform, and REVIVE Local Paper, a monthly grassroots collaborative newspaper blending print and digital media. 

• Kaia Niambi Shivers / Ark Republic, PMFE ‘22 – Ark Republic is a multimedia platform centering justice and equity to cover underreported stories and narratives. It employs rich and robust storytelling, collaborative work, and solutions-based journalism. 

In addition to grant support, the fellows will participate in a 16-week training program designed and led by Jos Duncan-Asé of Love Now Media, with curriculum leadership by Deldelp Medina. Fellows can schedule one-on-one coaching sessions with Stimulus, Inc. founder Tiffanie Stanard and Crawford Leadership Strategies founder Joyel Crawford.

The fellows will also be able to receive specialized support in accounting from Common Ground Management, philanthropic fundraising from grant writing coach Nadira Branch, and corporate partnerships from entrepreneur Kevin Williams. These sessions are designed to help the fellows address their specific business needs and foster new connections from outside of the program.  

Fellows will also participate in hands-on workshop sessions, providing them a platform to share practical applications of the lessons learned in the fellowship with other fellows and industry experts. This collaborative environment will foster a deeper sense of community and shared learning, ensuring the fellows benefit from diverse perspectives and real-world examples.