Who Is Ashley Allison? CNN Commentator Acquires Black News Outlet The Root

Ashley Allison has announced her acquisition of The Root, a prominent Black news and culture outlet, in a statement shared on Instagram on Thursday, October 2. She emphasized that her focus is not simply on producing content, but on “making meaning of this moment.”

“This isn’t about making more content but rather about making meaning of this moment. The Root has always been about preserving culture and creating clarity in a world full of disinformation. Owning the power to tell our own stories is a rich tradition The Root is committed to upholding,” Allison wrote.

The CNN commentator added, “It’s time to stand in outrage, to be unsympathetic about who we are as Black people, the role we have played in this country, and the role we will continue to play. The Root is not going to shy away from the hard stories, the hard questions, and the hard answers. We will play a place that tells the truth, helps make sense of the moment, and guides people to resources that help them make the best decisions possible.”

A Platform With a Legacy

Founded in 2008 by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and former Washington Post Company chairman Donald B. Graham, The Root was among the first major digital platforms to focus on Black voices, history, and experiences. Over the years, ownership of the outlet has changed hands several times: it was sold to Univision in 2015 and then to G/O Media in 2019. Allison acquired the publication from G/O Media through her company, Watering Hole Media.

Co-founder Henry Louis Gates Jr. expressed pride in Allison’s new role, stating, “When Donald and I launched The Root, my vision was to create a platform to showcase the full complexity of Black life with depth, intelligence, and, most importantly, unapologetic honesty. Too often, legacy mainstream outlets treat Black stories as an afterthought, treating an entire community of people as if they are a sidebar. The Root needed to be a front page in its own right. A platform where our history, our culture, and our politics were not only centered, but elevated.”

About Ashley Allison

Ashley Allison began her career as a high school special education teacher in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. She completed her undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University and holds a master’s degree in education, along with a law degree specializing in juvenile law from Brooklyn Law School.

Allison has held several notable roles in public service. From 2014 to 2017, she served as deputy director and senior policy advisor for the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement. She then served as Executive Vice President at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights from 2017 to 2021. Additionally, in 2021, she was appointed as a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. Allison also served as National Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign.

Read More: Who is Eamonn Mullally? All About Sarah Mullally’s Husband as She Becomes First Female Archbishop of Canterbury