Very excited to join the Pivot Fund as Portfolio Manager where I will be coaching hyperlocal ethnic media newsrooms, as part of The Pivot Fund’s mission to provide direct funding and culturally competent support to the independent, grassroots publishers writing a new future for local news, especially in communities historically overlooked by traditional media.
https://thepivotfund.org/f/journalist-scholar-frances-kai-hwa-wang-joins-the-pivot-fund
Journalist, Scholar Frances Kai-Hwa Wang joins The Pivot Fund
June 27, 2025
"Frances Kai-Hwa Wang will join The Pivot Fund as the Portfolio Manager
The Pivot Fund is proud to welcome journalist, author and nonprofit leader Frances Kai-Hwa Wang to its growing team as portfolio manager, where she will help grantees elevate their journalism and build their sustainability.
With decades of experience in journalism, teaching and management, Wang strengthens The Pivot Fund’s mission to provide direct funding and culturally competent support to the independent, grassroots publishers writing a new future for local news, especially in communities historically overlooked by traditional media.
As a longtime community journalist, writer and child of immigrants, Wang has built a career amplifying underrepresented voices across media platforms. She has reported for PBS Newshour, NBC Asian America, PRI Global Nation, The Emancipator, New America Media, Detroit Journalism Cooperative, Reappropriate, Angry Asian Man, and more.
Wang is also an experienced nonprofit executive. She is the co-founder of IS/LAND Asian American Contemporary Performance Collaborative and has served in leadership roles at American Citizens for Justice, the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce, and Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. Her experience running small organizations gives her unique insight into the challenges local publishers face—and how to help them succeed. She will serve as a partner, mentor and coach to The Pivot Fund’s grantees.
“Frances brings a rare combination of editorial excellence, deep cultural competency, and on-the-ground experience running mission-driven organizations,” said Susan Smith Richardson, Managing Director of The Pivot Fund. “She is an extraordinary asset to our team and to the grantees we serve.”
Wang has also taught Asian/Pacific Islander American media and civil rights law at University of Michigan, and memoir and social justice writing at University of Hawaii Hilo and Washtenaw Community College. Her creative and scholarly work includes the multimedia Smithsonian project Dreams of the Diaspora and the book You Cannot Resist Me When My Hair Is in Braids.
Wang joins The Pivot Fund at a time of exciting growth. This year, thanks to support from foundations and individual donors, The Pivot Fund invested more than $2 million in grassroots newsrooms that are redefining local journalism and strengthening their communities. These investments aren’t just about funding journalism—they’re fueling economic sustainability, civic engagement, and life-changing reporting.
Current grantees include NotiVisión Georgia, Courier Eco Latino, BeeTV, Baltimore Beat, and 285 South—outlets that are driving policy change, bridging divides, and deepening local trust. From Emmy-winning investigations to new sustainable revenue models, these publishers are proving what’s possible when journalism is rooted in community.
With Frances Kai-Hwa Wang’s leadership and mentorship, The Pivot Fund is well-positioned to continue growing this national network of community-led newsrooms—each one transforming how local news serves the people who need it most."
https://thepivotfund.org/f/journalist-scholar-frances-kai-hwa-wang-joins-the-pivot-fund
