Until I started reading his obituary and other tributes to him, I had no idea Quincy Delight Jones’ paternal grandmother had been enslaved. The producer of Michael Jackson’s hit, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” had a phenomenal career in music, which spanned seven decades and several musical genres. I suspect his granny never imagined one of her offspring would have such a profound impact on American culture. Nor would she have imagined he’d be such a HUGE philanthropist, though I’m sure she’d have been delighted.

Generations later, BPM Founder Mable Haddock may not have envisioned where the organization she started would be today, but she definitely knew she was startin’ somethin’. And now, my colleagues and I hope to attract a new generation of individual donors who will support that “somethin’” Mable started at unprecedented levels. 

Support Creativity

Creative genius can emerge from anywhere, which is one reason BPM works so hard to identify and support independent creatives who tell Black media stories.

Supporting independent media makers helps to promote diverse perspectives, creates opportunities for fair representation and addresses long-standing disparities in the media landscape. Yet, despite their outsized impact on creative industries, most of these creatives — especially creatives of color who produce independent documentaries and who work in the immersive media space — typically find financial resources stubbornly elusive. This is especially true for those in the early and middle stages of their careers. 

I recently learned that roughly $600 billion in charitable giving occurred in the U.S. in 2023. Of that, nearly 67% came from individual donors. Ever wonder how much of that ends up in the hands of independent Black media makers? I have no idea, but from what I see it’s nowhere near what is needed. And that’s not because African American donors are stingy. They actually out give their peers. But their giving alone isn’t enough to meet the needs of our storytellers. We need to appeal to donors of all types who appreciate good stories and creative innovation.  BPM’s year-end fund drive aims to increase the share of individual donors who see and want to support our media makers. 

Independent Voices Start Somethin’

Supporting independent media makers isn’t just about increasing visibility, supporting local economies, or making media more inclusive, equitable and impactful. By uplifting these voices, we enrich the collective narrative and lay the foundation for a more connected, empathetic society.

So, as we head into the season of thanksgiving and sharing, I invite you to not only contribute to BPM’s year-end fundraiser, but invite your friends, co-workers and relatives to do the same. As the Jones/Jackson classic says, “we just wanna be startin’ somethin’.”

Watch for fundraiser details in next week’s Dispatch.