Grassroots Thinking is an independent publication focused on the stories that matter to the Black working class. We explain the news, politics, and culture through reportage, analysis, commentary, interviews, and essays with an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist lens. Our contributors are organizers, experts, and cultural workers who see the world as it is and know the point is to change it.
Good stories for Grassroots Thinking explain social phenomena. Great stories for Grassroots Thinking have a historical and material analysis. The best stories are persuasive, well-written, and, above all, interesting.
Our Verticals
Politics explains the impact of political, economic, and social systems on poor and working-class Black folks and how we are fighting back. Topics include domestic policy, foreign policy, international affairs, labor, war, genocide, capitalism, imperialism, Pan-Africanism, electoral politics, identity politics, ecology, immigration, abolition, reproductive rights, and the economy.
Culture covers the way we produce and exchange meanings through art, science, history, and other practices. Our subjects include music, fine art, literature, TV/film, sports, video games, oral histories, food, fashion, design, technology, hard sciences, social sciences, philosophy, and trends.
Social Life tells the human stories about who we are as individuals and a community, how we connect to each other, and how we live in society. These topics include race, gender, sexuality, health and wellness, disability, relationships, parenting, travel, money, lifestyle, eugenics, and work.
Types of stories we publish
Explainers that, well, explain what’s going on in the world.
We’re looking for explainers with a news hook that answer the big questions about a person, place, or event. We’re also interested in commentary on trends and insights that explain the current historic moment.
Interviews and profiles that explain what’s going on, why we need to care, and what we can do about it. (expert, author, organizer, figure)
We’re looking for interviews and features with a big idea that comes alive through a person and their work. Tell us why this person and why the conversation is important today.
Essays that fold research and reportage into personal experience.
We’re looking for a story beyond the headlines that only you can tell. Use a first-person narrative to blend your own experience with research and reporting.
Reviews, criticism, and analysis grounded in a love for Black folks and an eye for liberation. We’re looking for reviews that discuss what a work says about society in t his moment. We want to keep in mind that craft is important, but so are the people. For cultural criticism, be specific about your observation(s) and what they mean to Black folks. Always historicize.
Humor writing, including satire, that interrupts the status quo.
What we’re not looking for:
- Hot takes, news aggregation, or “filler” content.
- Topics without stories.
- Straight-ahead book reviews, film reviews, TV reviews. Instead, consider how you would turn what you really want to say about a piece of art into a broader cultural essay with a bold statement about the .
How much we pay
Pay is based on an estimated $.10/word starting at $75 per story.
We work with writers of all experience levels—including first-time contributors. If you’ve got something to say and a story that needs telling, we want to hear from you.
If you're ready to send your pitch or if you'd like to be added to our contributors list, click the button below.