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- By Native News Online Staff
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Native News Online has been chosen to participate in an international program that helps publishers build sustainable news businesses, the Facebook Journalism Project announced Tuesday.
Native News Online will be one of 30 North American media outlets participating in the 2021 Accelerator program, Facebook’s premier business training program for news publishers. The Accelerator is a 9-month program that combines workshops, coaching and grant funding to execute projects using lessons learned during the program.
Accelerator participants from media outlets across North America also form a “community of shared practice,” working together and supporting each other’s progress.
“We are humbled and excited to join with other publishers from around the country in this program to build strong, sustainable media outlets,” said Levi Rickert, editor and publisher of Native News Online.
The 30 publications were selected from nearly 300 applications by Facebook staff, Accelerator coaches and the Local Media Association, which partners on the program. Media outlets were chosen based on their demonstrated impact on their community, commitment to the program’s requirements and readiness to pursue their biggest business opportunities, according to the announcement.
Geographically, the publications represent 16 states, one US territory and three Canadian provinces.
Native News Online is one of two Michigan-based publishers — joining Saginaw-based The Michigan Banner — and the only Indigenous-led publication in this year’s Accelerator program. Indian Country Today was a member of the 2020 Accelerator cohort.
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Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
