Who is Ashley Allison? All about CNN commentator as she acquires The Root

Ashley Allison has recently acquired The Root, a Black news and culture outlet. She announced the news in a statement on Thursday (October 2), writing on Instagram:

"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 distractions. Owning the power to tell our own stories is a rich tradition The Root is committed to upholding."

The CNN commentator continued:

"It’s time to stand in courage, to be unapologetic 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 be 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."

Allison acquired the publication, which was founded by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and former Washington Post Company chairman Donald E. Graham in 2008, through her company, Watering Hole Media, from G/O Media. The Root was among the first major digital platforms to focus on Black voices, history, and experiences, per the outlet.

In 2015, The Root was sold to Univision by The Washington Post Company, then to G/O Media four years later.

Meanwhile, Ashley Allison, who served as National Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign, began her career as a high school special education teacher in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York.

Keep reading to learn more about Ashley Allison.

More about Ashley Allison

Ashley Allison completed her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and holds a master's degree in education. She also completed a law degree with a specialty in public interest law from Brooklyn Law School. In 2021, Ashley was appointed to serve as a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics.

From 2014 to 2017, she served as the deputy director and senior policy advisor for the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement. Subsequently, from 2017 to 2021, she served as the Executive Vice President at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Hearing the announcement of Ashley acquiring The Root, co-founder Henry Louis Gates Jr., in a statement, shared that he is "very proud" of her for "leading The Root into its next exciting chapter."

"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," he added.

Meanwhile, internet users also reacted with excitement to the news of Ashley's acquisition of the outlet.

"Now I can start following them again," one user said.

"Looking forward to seeing what comes of her ownership," another user wrote.

"Happy about the announcement of this ownership I will now follow again," another user noted.

Stay tuned for more updates.