I’ve been sitting on this one for a while, so I am very excited to finally announce my newest enterprise: Taproot Media — a disabled- and trans-owned and operated sustainable media consultancy grounded in care and powered by human creativity.

If you follow me on Ko-Fi, you may have seen a celebratory preview last week. 👇🏼

Now, I’d like to offer a sort of “soft launch” intro to explain why I’m so excited about this latest attempt at Thriving Despite Capitalism. Truthfully, it feels surreal to be embarking on an entrepreneurial escapade while my community is under active federal occupation and assault, but freelancing ain’t cutting it and the job trail is long. So, here goes!

The name itself is meaningful to me for a few reasons. First, I’m a gigantic plant nerd. Many of my personal favies on this wondrous planet are grounded firmly by a taproot reaching deep into the ground to connect with water and the nutrients needed to flourish. Through Taproot Media, I hope to mimic that natural structure in practice by grounding firmly in a commitment to sustainability and social justice, connecting deeply with grassroots communities and change leaders, and promoting fruitful, organic growth.

Building on this metaphor, I approach communications ecosystems as a gardener who cultivates with intention and tailors solutions to unique contexts and needs. Being a research geek, I like to consider data and compatibility, provide supplemental materials strategically, and clear obstacles to achieve goals and support vital missions. I can also serve as a steward for brand assets, communications, and relationships to empower individuals, nonprofits, organizations, and small businesses to utilize media constructively and realize their full potential.

Lastly, it lends itself to a catchy nutshell pitch: Tapped into contemporary trends, grounded in sustainable care, and powered by people and purpose. At the risk of dabbling in overly-alliterative scientific and corporate lingo, I like to think about Taproot Media as providing symbiotic storytelling synergy a la carte. I want to work alongside changemakers, and I’m keen to focus on amplifying climate solutions. After decades of producing award-winning media in a variety of accessible formats, I am distilling what I’ve learned and sharing the skills I’ve developed via helpful, values-aligned services.

I developed my award-winning media production skills before generative AI hit the scene, so not using AI tools is my niche. Moreover, I believe it is important for climate justice advocates to take a stand against environmentally unsustainable, ethically dubious, and socially ruinous technology. As a professional communicator, I understand that consent is critical in establishing trust and building collective safety — yet much of the so-called “AI” technology on offer today exploits consent violations, creates information security liabilities, and is built on stolen creative labor and intellectual property. For these reasons, and with awareness of the ravenous energy consumption and other harmful ecological and economic impacts of this technology, I will never use AI in my production studio.

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If I had to summarize what I hope Taproot Media will be into one word, it would be “helpful.” In particular, I hope to help underrepresented people, initiatives, and organizations that can’t afford full-time communications staff by facilitating digital communications and telling authentic, transformative stories. My specialty is delivering custom media and developing organic growth plans that align with long-term mission and vision, and no task is too big or small.

To that end, I’m offering everything from project-based commissions to production services and contracted hourly rates. My rates are flexible, scale based on complexity, and are based on the Editorial Freelancers Association baselines and then regionally adjusted to cost of living. To get into specifics, download my 2026 rate sheet below:

Anti-Capitalist Addendum: I’m always open to equitable exchanges, trades, and non-monetary arrangements, including skill shares, as capacity allows.

When this idea seed first took root in my brain, I looked around for possible funding options and discovered my bank has a local program specifically to support minority-owned start ups. I made an inquiry, explained my idea to the branch manager, and with her enthusiastic green light, got enrolled in their entrepreneurial training program. In December, I graduated with glowing feedback and a business plan I genuinely believe can work. If you’d like to see it, I’d be happy to share a link and walk you through the details in a 1:1 video call. To set a time, leave a comment below or a message on LinkedIn!

The first week of this year, I submitted my business loan application, but here comes the curveball. While making a few minor edits for the underwriting process, the program officer mentioned that I would need to provide an “equity injection” — basically, a down payment — of 10% of the total loan amount. This was news to me (and the branch manager, too!), but I’m trying not to let it discourage me. I’ve applied for a few grants and fellowships so far, and I’m planning to apply to more.

In the meantime, I’m also putting out a call for investors who may be interested in partnership or an equity stake. I anticipate the loan application process will wrap up in mid to late February, and I’m open to exploring suggestions and facilitating large gifts during this period. If you’d rather offer an investment in the form of a job, that works too! Please reach out via whatever method is most convenient for you.

My regularly-scheduled newsletters — the Wordery, the Nerdery, and the Createry — will resume now that I’ve got my major housekeeping updates out of the way. There may be a few more here and there while I’m working on getting a website for Taproot Media set up, and I’ll be adding tags soon to improve filtering. To support this project, please subscribe and check out the curated ads or upgrade to an ad-free paid tier processed via Stripe: