[Placement] Media 2070 Talks Reparative Journalism and Riot to Repair on Only One Mic

By: MMM Editorial Team

Media 2070’s Diamond Hardiman and Free Press’s Courtney Morrison were recently featured on the latest episode of Only One Mic (listen here) for a powerful conversation ahead of the Riot to Repair Soundscape Exhibition in Los Angeles on May 2.

This full-hour episode offers something rare: a grounded, expansive conversation that dives deep into the stakes and soul of reparative journalism. It’s not just a press hit—it’s a chance to shape the conversation.

“Since Harlem, we’ve been to Chicago and now to LA and this rendition still centers the future where media reparations exist, Black people can control their stories from ideation to creation and even distribution. That’s the idea behind Black Future Newsstand,” said Diamond Hardiman during the interview. “And this rendition is special because we have the Riot to Repair Community Audio Archive. We worked with Dr. Richardson and students at the USC Charlotta Bass Justice and Journalism Lab to create an archive of over 70 interviews with folks from LA about their experiences in 2020 and what it was like present during the uprising and after the death of George Floyd.”

This type of media hit is exactly why we work closely with aligned platforms like Only One Mic. Podcasts can often reach fewer people numerically than a local TV package—but when the audience is aligned, when the platform offers safety and real time to think out loud, the impact is bigger. It's quality over quantity, and if leveraged well, it can turn into long-term movement building.

Since collaborating with Media 2070, Only One Mic has attended multiple briefings and events, embedding themselves more deeply in the movement and lending their voice to a cause they now know well. This kind of follow-through demonstrates the deeper value of relational press work—when we invite journalists into our world, they don’t just amplify our stories, they become part of our storytelling ecosystem.

Not every connection we make is with a "marquee" outlet or a blue-check reporter—and that’s intentional. We build laterally and we reach back as well, with care and strategy, understanding that small or local outlets can grow or evolve just as we do. Some will outgrow their platforms; others will simply become trusted collaborators, especially when handling sensitive or nuanced issues that mainstream media often misrepresents. These long-term relationships form the spine of narrative power—rooted in trust, grown over time.

Riot to Repair's Intention to Center Black Outlets

This also reflects our clients' values and approach to creation. Riot to Repair not only features Black outlets and zines in the stand, but we also worked intentionally to share exclusive content and previews with Black reporters and give them more access. A healthy, diverse news ecosystem is critical to a better first draft of history.

We're building the first 3D realization of that. Join us in LA and register here.

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