NEW YORK, NY – Today, URL Media announced it has grown to 50 independent publisher partners, expanding its national multicultural network serving Black, Brown, and immigrant communities.
Founded in 2021 by Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita, URL Media has grown from eight founding publishers to 50 in just five years—combining national reach with the trust and authenticity of trusted local community-based newsrooms.
“Starting with our inaugural 8 multicultural media outlets in 2021, today we celebrate expanding to 50 media outlets that serve diverse and dynamic communities,” said Sara Lomax, president and co-founder of URL Media, and owner, president and CEO of WURD Radio in Philadelphia.
The milestone comes at a time when local journalism faces unprecedented attacks, misinformation is rising across platforms and Black and Brown communities are increasingly targeted—making trusted, community-based reporting more essential than ever.
“URL Media’s growth reflects the power of community, collaboration, and unwavering purpose in local journalism,” said S. Mitra Kalita, CEO and co-founder of URL Media, and CEO and publisher of Epicenter NYC. “I am grateful to all the believers and cannot wait for what’s to come from our collective strength.”
Today, URL Media welcomes these new partners: Khasokhas, Enlace Latino NC, Indonesian Lantern, 2Puntos Platform, Latino News Network, Ethiopique, UrbanGeekz, News Americas Now, Hispano Media, Fun Times Magazine, Al-Bustan News and Nowruz Media.
Together, these outlets reflect the depth, diversity, and multi-generational trust that define community-based journalism—credibility that outsider reporting cannot replicate.
“URL Media has built a national network rooted in trust and community relevance,” said Garry Pierre-Pierre, Director of Partnerships at URL Media and founder and former publisher of The Haitian Times. “The growth reflects both the demand for this work and the strength of a model designed to scale.”
These new partners were added through targeted outreach over the past few months, as URL Media builds a pipeline of publishers, independent journalists, and creators. With support from a $5 million Knight Foundation grant, the organization aims to grow to 100 publisher partners and 250 vetted creators by 2028.
Our newest partners span diverse communities and regions, including in the metropolitan Washington, DC area, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, California, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Michigan. A complete list of all new partners and the audiences they serve is available at the end of this release.
“We joined URL Media to be part of a powerful ecosystem that values and amplifies community-centered journalism,” said Kishor Panthi, Editor-in-Chief, KHASOKHAS. “By joining this network, we hope to gain the collaborative infrastructure and sustainable growth necessary to better serve our audiences, while contributing to a more equitable and diverse media landscape.”
“Latino News Network joined URL Media because collaboration makes our journalism stronger and our communities better served,” said Hugo Balta, Publisher, Latino News Network. “Partnering with a network of mission-aligned Black and Brown publishers expands our reach, deepens our reporting, and ensures Latino voices are amplified with the visibility and impact they deserve.”
“We believe in URL’s mission and vision and together we can support each other in creating impacts and difference. By working together, we can create a stronger media ecosystem that’s essential for our democracy,” said Indah Nuritasari, Co-founder and CEO, Indonesian Lantern Media.
As URL Media scales, it is positioning community-rooted journalism not just as essential—but as the future of the industry.
About URL Media:
URL Media is transforming the media landscape by building a scalable, sustainable ecosystem that empowers trusted publishers and creators serving Black and Brown communities, strengthens their capacity, and directs investment and opportunity to these voices central to shaping our culture and democracy. Founded in 2021 by media trailblazers Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita, URL Media delivers authentic reach and lasting impact for brands, institutions, and audiences ready to engage meaningfully with these communities. For more information, visit url-media.com.
New URL Media Partners and the communities they serve:
Established in Philadelphia, PA in 2010 (after it was originally founded in Monrovia, Liberia in 1992), FunTimes Magazine provides information for the African Diaspora, aiming to reflect the multifaceted experiences and narratives of its readership. Through its content and initiatives, FunTimes celebrates and tells the rich untold stories of Africa and the Diaspora, bridges cultural gaps, and fosters a sense of community and shared identity.
Founded in 2023, Al-Bustan News is an independent, non-profit, hyperlocal news and multimedia storytelling platform covering arts, culture, community and politics for and about Arab and SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) communities in the Philadelphia region.
Nowruz Media is a civic, community-driven, and multilingual news and information platform serving Afghan and Farsi-speaking immigrant communities in California. Established in 2024 after an extensive participatory design process and community needs assessment, the organization was built in direct response to critical information gaps faced by newly arrived and underserved immigrant populations. They produce original journalism and service-oriented content in Farsi, Pashto, and English, covering immigration policy, healthcare, education, economic opportunities, and civic engagement.
Hispano Media Inc. encompasses New York Hispano, Westchester Hispano and New Jersey Hispano, print and digital newspapers serving the Hispanic and Latino community across the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and New Jersey.
The print edition and website are published entirely in Spanish, with the option on the website to translate articles to English. They provide comprehensive coverage of local news, community activities, cultural events, immigration updates, national affairs, education, books, arts and entertainment, and sports.
News Americas Now is a daily syndicated Caribbean diaspora news platform dedicated exclusively to the narrative of the Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant experience, reaching readers across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and global digital networks. While the News Americas Now HQ is in Florida, but its top readership is in New York and Florida, followed by Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Baltimore.
Latino News Network
Latino News Network (LNN) is a Latinx-owned media organization that operates nine local and national news websites. The network is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and publishes local news across Illinois, California, Washington, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Michigan.
Ethiopique
Ethiopique is an Amharic-language news outlet serving Ethiopian and Eritrean communities in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. The outlet is based in Washington, D.C.
UrbanGeekz, headquartered in Marietta, GA, is a video-centric African American, Latinx, and multicultural digital news platform focused on technology, business, science, and startups.
Khasokhas
Khasokhas is a Nepali-language, digital news platform covering U.S. news and issues relevant to Nepali-speaking communities. The outlet is based in Corona, Queens, NY, which is its primary market, with additional readership in Texas, California, Virginia, and Ohio.
Enlace Latino NC
Enlace Latino NC is a nonprofit, Spanish-language digital newsroom based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded by immigrant journalists, the outlet reports on issues affecting Latino and Hispanic communities across the state.
Indonesian Lantern
Indonesian Lantern is a digital publication serving Indonesian and Southeast Asian communities in the United States. It is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with additional readership in New York City, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
2Puntos Platform
2Puntos Platform is a bilingual, hyperlocal multimedia outlet covering Latino communities in Philadelphia through original reporting and community collaborations. The outlet is based in Delanco, New Jersey, with Philadelphia as its primary coverage area.
Media Contact:
Kirstin Garriss, kirstin@url-media.com
