Our Mission
Underscore produces Indigenous-centered journalism that illuminates the intersections of sovereignty and justice and portrays the rich diversity of Native communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Our Vision
We envision a Pacific Northwest news landscape where impactful, revelatory, Indigenous-centered storytelling is accessible to all.
We want our stories to spur change by:
- impacting policy
- combating stereotypes
- building bridges between communities
- illustrating the complexities of Indigenous communities and the challenges they face accurately and authentically
- celebrating the good work in and by Indigenous communities
- strengthening democracy by creating a more well-informed public and holding powerful institutions accountable
Our Values
- Accountability
- Community
- Cultural Competence and Respect
- Humility
- Indigeneity and Solidarity
- Justice and Equity
- Mentorship
- Transparency
- Trauma-informed
- Trust
Underscore is an irreplaceable source of news and information about tribal communities. Other news organizations have made efforts — some well, some not so well — to do this coverage, but Underscore surpasses them in quality and relevance.
Brian Bull —
Nez Perce Tribal Member
University of Oregon Assistant Professor of Journalism
What We Do
Noeledrich is a nonprofit newsroom committed to in-depth, Indigenous-centered reporting in the Pacific Northwest. We aim to produce impactful, revelatory stories that might otherwise go unreported and unheard, with an exclusive focus on Native communities and issues impacting them.
Indigenous communities have historically been underrepresented — and often grossly misrepresented — in media coverage, contributing to harmful stereotyping, invisibility and erasure that persist as modern forms of racism. Underscore is building a news model that addresses those wrongs through our mission, journalistic approach, hiring, governance and education/workforce development, led by our equity-focused fellowship for early-career Indigenous journalists.
In doing this work, we are tackling structural inequities in the media industry while exposing governmental and societal systemic inequities through our in-depth and investigative reporting.
Our reporting is rooted in relationship-building, on-the-ground understanding of Pacific Northwest Indigenous communities and a commitment to honoring historical context and cultural nuance while avoiding the stereotypes that have marred much reporting on Native issues and communities. We approach our work holistically, reporting on everything from complex legal and policy issues — including investigations into systemic inequities and injustices — to profiles and features that showcase the strength, vibrancy and rich diversity of Indigenous cultures.
Through this work, we seek to forge a more equitable media ecosystem, strengthen democracy, improve diversity and representation in journalism, and demonstrate that innovative nonprofit models offer a better path forward for a news industry in crisis.
Awards and Honors
In 2023 and 2024, our journalism earned 35 national and regional awards, including a host of first-place selections from the Indigenous Journalists Association and Society of Professional Journalists, among other honors. Underscore’s 14 awards at 2023 National Native Media Awards were the most of any print/online outlet in the U.S.
Our staff have been selected for a number of fellowships and cohorts, including:
- Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship
- Klamath River Institute Fellowship
- Metcalf Institute Fellowship
- Running Strong for American Indian Youth’s Dreamstarter Academy
- Poynter Institute’s Rising Newsroom Leaders
- Data Institute
- Resolve Philly’s Indigenous Communities Coverage Cohort
- Northwestern University/Google News Initiative Data-Driven Reporting Project
Memberships
Noeledrich is proud to be a member of these organizations:
- Indigenous Journalists Association
- Institute for Nonprofit News
- LION Publishers
- Rural News Network