I hope you plan to surround yourself with good company and good food this coming Thursday. Despite its fraught origin story, Thanksgiving Day offers a time for us to reflect about all the ways our lives are enriched by others. I, for one, am so thankful for all of you.

As this year marks my 10th anniversary serving as the executive director of Black Public Media, I feel an extra measure of gratitude. Over the past decade, I’ve had opportunities to interact with some of the greatest media storytellers of our time. I’ve also had the benefit of working with the most talented staff in the public media space. Those of you who, like me, are not makers but support this work because you understand and are committed to our mission are also precious to me. Without your support, my co-workers and I could not do what we do to help the creatives deliver their productions. And goodness knows, these projects benefit our society significantly. 

Looking Forward

No one really knows what the next year will bring. Sure, there are plenty of reasons to feel anxious, but this Thanksgiving I choose to celebrate the good things that have happened in 2024 as well as all the amazing people I get to work with in pursuit of BPM’s mission. For these reasons, I feel more excitement than anxiety about 2025. 

Whatever challenges come our way in the future, I’m confident we’ll emerge stronger and wiser. For now, let’s just be thankful for what we’ve achieved together and recommit ourselves to continuing the journey. 

Happy Thanksgiving!