Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    BAUCE
    JOIN THE SQUAD
    • Hustle
    • Believe
    • Earn
    • Live
    • Profiles
    • Community
      • JOIN THE BAUCE SQUAD
      • LOGIN TO THE BAUCE SQUAD
    • Events
    • About
      • Our Team
      • Advertise
      • Jobs
      • Contact
    BAUCE
    Profiles

    Sherrell Dorsey Is The Plug When It Comes To The Use of Data Journalism To Share Black Stories!

    By Shanique YatesMay 5, 20215 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    When it comes to data journalism, Sherrell Dorsey is the plug…literally!

    The founder and CEO of the Black tech news and insights platform — is on a mission to not only cover Black innovators in the future of work policy, tech, venture capital, and more but to also give readers a deep dive into the numbers and how to use them to align a lifetime of possibilities. 

    Sherrell, a Seattle-native, has managed to grow the new media startup to thousands of subscribers, and several hundred paid members all while raising over $500,000 in equity-free capital.

    As someone who has always been passionate about becoming a hybrid of both her creative side and her passion for the analytical scope of storytelling, it was a no brainer for Sherrell to use her passion to grow a platform that is truly about giving Black and brown folks what she believes had been missing from journalism.

    Whether it’s answering questions like ‘what does the revenue look like,’ or comparing how business models look and what it does for the scope of the industry at large, Sherrell is well on her way to building the next Bloomberg or Wallstreet Journal but for the Black community.

    She joins BAUCE magazine to share just why she believes our stories deserve to be told with the same rigor and reporting as our counterparts.

    At what point did you realize that you had a love for data journalism?

    Sherrell: I think that I sort of stumbled into the whole concept as I had been working in tech and also freelance writing on the side.

    I ended up stumbling upon a data journalism conference and it was so foreign to me, this idea of data journalism. I didn’t realize that the two were married together or that it was an actual practice.

    It felt like the perfect world for me.

    And why would you say that data journalism is so important, especially for people who look like us?

    Sherrell: Data journalism is kind of an oxymoron because most hard-hitting, investigative journalism does incorporate data. That’s how you’re combing through documents, information, research, and stats to really build a case for the story that you are telling and using the numbers as evidence.

    I think that in reporting, particularly around Black and brown folks, when it’s in our possession we can kind of over-extend into more of inspirational and aspirational storytelling, which I think is great, and that we need that kind of journalism, but for me, when it came to Black and brown news being reported it didn’t feel in depth it didn’t feel analytical, it didn’t feel like there was a lot of critical thinking or actual reporting taking shape to really tell the larger story outside of someone being Black or Brown.

    That makes perfect sense. Can you speak to how this led you to build your platform The Plug from the ground up?

    Sherrell: What I was trying to accomplish early-on, folks didn’t understand, they enjoyed the articles that I wrote, but ultimately I wanted to build the Black Bloomberg or the black Wall Street Journal with a certain level of rigor and reporting.

    I wanted length and depth and deep hard-hitting news and that’s really hard when you don’t have a team, you don’t have resources as you try to navigate and figure out how to publish high-quality content and grow at the same time.

    As a Black woman founder, there’s this sense in the industry that there’s not enough room for us or we’re kind of relegated to taking the bottom of the barrel even despite having all of the necessary credentials.

    It’s not for the faint of heart, but I truly believe that what we’ve built and continue to build with The Plug is worth it.

    How would you say your platform helps others gain access to capital and the resources that they need?

    Sherrell: We actually manage to do this by default from featuring specific startups in the publication each week to hosting the kind of conversations that we host, to the kind of reporting that we do.

    We really do serve a business and C-Suite class audience as well as investors who are looking for deal flow and who are reading us to stay abreast of what’s happening across the ecosystem.

    By default and impact of our reporting its had these almost unintended outcomes that have been very favorable to both Black investors and Black founders.

    Any advice for BAUCE women on a similar path but don’t know where to start?

    Sherrell: Throughout my journey from my academic career to my career now, I’ve tried and failed at a lot of things, had some interesting work experiences and ultimately as I began to find out who I am, I knew that impact and community were at the top of the list and I knew that I wanted to develop tools that would be useful in terms of not playing the same game for trying to solve major issues.

    I would say to just get started and get to work. I just had to start and see what was going to stick.

    Also, be open to learning, be open to asking for help and also be open to evolving over time and I truly think that it’s also important to continue to try different things.

    When you’re passionate about something, it’s easy to have the wherewithal to get up every day and say that although this is hard, it’s something that I want.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Previous Article5 Natural Ways To Fight Anxiety And Find Balance
    Next Article Be The Better You: Top Tips For Feeling Great Inside And Out
    mm
    Shanique Yates
    • Instagram

    Shanique Liz Yates is a millennial with a passion for storytelling. She is committed to using her gifts to not only champion for other young women walking in their purpose, but to uplift and inspire others to find their own voice through her work. When she’s not spending QT with family and friends you can catch her perfecting her Diddy-bop, sipping margaritas pool (when the weather permits), or vibing out to her favorite 80s/90s R&B jams.

    Related Posts

    A Battle With Skin Issues Inspired This Entrepreneur To Build A Thriving Skincare Brand Within A Year

    February 20, 2022

    Chloédigital’s Founder Shares How To Build An All-Star Team To Scale Your Business

    December 13, 2021

    Consistency is Key: Britni Ricard of COTA Skin shares how She Made a Million in just Two Years

    June 12, 2022
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Your Go To Resources

    How To Truly Break The Cycle of Debt

    It’s Time To Stop Sleeping On Your Credit Score, Sis – Here’s Why

    These Are 15 of the Highest Paying Careers To Pursue

    15 Good Jobs That Women Can Do From Anywhere Without Experience

    Here’s How To Trick Yourself Into Saving More Money

    Stay Connected
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    • Our Team
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Jobs
    © 2022 BAUCE MEDIA LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.