By Black By God Staff
In March 2026, the Black By God team traveled to San Francisco for the Solutions Journalism Accelerator — a national program bringing together small newsrooms from across the country to explore how journalism can do more than just report problems.
The idea behind solutions journalism is simple: Don’t just ask what’s wrong. Ask what’s working, too.
For BBG, the experience came at the perfect time. As a Black-led newsroom in Appalachia, BBG has spent years covering stories connected to culture, agriculture, entrepreneurship, politics, community development, and everyday life in West Virginia. But the accelerator challenged our team to think even deeper about how journalism can help communities move forward.
During the conference, BBG connected with reporters and media leaders covering topics like farming, housing, food access, education, and economic development in communities across the country.
One thing became clear very quickly: Communities are already creating solutions to major problems — but many of those stories are never told.
That idea hit home for BBG. Back in Central West Virginia, we’ve been reporting on the challenges facing Black farmers and rural communities for years. Issues like land access, lack of funding, limited resources, and generations of disinvestment continue affecting people across Appalachia today.
But alongside those challenges, there are also people building new opportunities.Farmers. Entrepreneurs. Organizers. Community leaders.People creating solutions that deserve attention.
Shortly after returning from San Francisco, BBG received difficult news that a USDA program connected to underserved farming communities and agriculture storytelling efforts had been canceled.
The announcement showed how quickly funding and policy decisions can change the future of community programs. But it also reminded us why this work matters.The need for these stories did not disappear just because funding changed.If anything, it became more urgent.
In spite of the funding set back, and as part of the accelerator, BBG is now launching a year-long Solutions Journalism series focused on one important question:
What does it take to rebuild and sustain a thriving Black agricultural community in Central West Virginia?
The series will explore topics including:
– Black agricultural history in Appalachia
– Entrepreneurship and economic opportunity
– Land access and ownership
– Policy and legislative decisions
– Community-led solutions and new discoveries
Readers will soon notice a special Solutions Journalism logo and editor’s note attached to select BBG stories. These stories will focus specifically on responses, ideas, and community-driven efforts helping people move forward.
For BBG, solutions journalism is not about ignoring problems or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about giving communities a fuller picture. Not just what’s broken, but what is being built.
The accelerator also helped strengthen BBG as an organization. Through daily calls, planning sessions, and collaboration with newsrooms across the country, our team grew closer, more focused, and more intentional about the future of our journalism.
At a time when local news organizations across the country are struggling, BBG is working to build sustainable, community-powered journalism rooted in Appalachia.
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