by Founded in 2015 in Durham, North Carolina, Scalawag is an independent web and print magazine, focusing on the American South. The unique sections of Scalawag’s website – Southern Politics, Race & Place and Arts & Soul – reflect its focus and stance. And the team’s mission statement is loud and clear:
“Through journalism and storytelling, Scalawag works in solidarity with oppressed communities in the South to disrupt and shift the narratives that keep power and wealth in the hands of the few.”
Scalawag
We decided to include Scalawag in the ComingFrom.org collection due to its clear mission statement.
A theory of change
Together with the statement, the magazine creators share their “theory of change.” They disclose that they want Scalawag’s journalism to have real outcomes.
- Scalawag states that storytelling should “lead to policy changes, support to movement work, narrative shift, increased solidarity and connection, the nourishing of radical imagination, and the creation of pathways to careers in journalism, literature, and the arts for people who have not traditionally had access.”
If done right and repeated, Scalawag’s journalism should lead to “transformational change.”
A clear call to action
The mission statement is followed by the call for readers to become members and support Scalawag’s work financially. With all this information in mind, the readers can make a more informed decision – they know where the magazine’s team is coming from, and what they want to achieve.
