ABOUT THE PROJECT
The LIFT project seeks to mitigate the harm of dishonest, misinformed, and incomplete narratives amplified by the news media by circumventing systems through trusted messengers in Black communities. This solutions-based project currently centers on the perspectives, experiences, and dynamics of Black communities. A public report of our findings from research in the Minneapolis/St Paul area will be released in April 2023.
This project is led by Dr. Danielle K. Brown, a researcher and professor with the Hubbard School at the University of Minnesota. We're working with researchers, students, journalists, faith leaders, and activists in Minnesota and around the United States to create a comprehensive and community-directed project. This includes partners from In Black Ink, UROC, University of Georgia, University of California Fullerton, Michigan State University, and Rutgers University. Check out our current team members and stay tuned for updates on our work. It's coming soon! This project is supported and funded by The Miami Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
IN THE NEWS
LIFT Project featured American Press Association's "Inclusion Index" series. Read more here.
LIFT Project Director Dr. Danielle Brown describes the importance of the LIFT Project at the Knight Foundation's Informed Conference in Miami, Florida, on November 30, 2022. Watch here.
Check out LIFT Project Team Member Rev. Terrance McKinley featured in this USA Today article, highlighting the work Black faith leaders are doing to empower Black communities.
UPCOMING EVENTS
LIFT Project findings will be presented at the Digital Activism in Pandemic Times symposium, co-sponsored by the Center on Digital Culture and Society (CDCS) and the Media, Inequality & Change Center (MIC). Dr. Brown will discuss how trusted activists in MSP creatively utilized social media spaces to build community and advocate for Black human rights in ways that circumvented surveillance threats and built upon previous movement phases of activism in the Twin Cities. The event is free and registration is available here.
