Dear readers, viewers, supporters, and friends;

Thank you for being here. It honestly gets me all mushy inside to think about how many of you have made this possible just by believing in this dream with me.

This digital media company is a dream I didn’t really know I had for a long time, but as the world of journalism has changed, so have I. Now, more than ever, I want to tell stories in a way that help you learn to love the people I see like I do. I want you to understand in your mind the things you can’t see in the videos we give you because of the way our big stories are written.

I figure if we do this right, you can feel what it’s like to love the inner cities, the towns, the rural areas of our state. If we do it without all the rhetoric, you can find a place where it makes sense that nobody — not gang members, nor police officers, nor attorneys, nor journalists, nor people of any color, or no color, or whatever differentiates or groups us on a given day — is all good, nor are they all bad.

They’re all just people. And in my experience, they all hurt and love and live and die, no matter what their race, political beliefs, or station in life. They all have dreams. They all make mistakes.

We. WE all have dreams and make mistakes.

These stories are so much more important to me than any issue-based fight-starter you might find online. From what so many of you have told me, they are to you too. We’re starting out slower than we’d like on the news side — there’s only one me, and we’ll have some freelancers, but until we get our financial feet under us, I’ll be trying to pick the stories of the day with deference to what it is possible for me to do with the time given to a reporter who is also an entrepreneur, a sales person and a boss.

But as this thing cranks up, hold on for the ride. I’m dedicated to making Darkhorse Press something that not only we in our office are proud of, but that Mississippi is proud of. I believe God is doing big things right now, and I hope that He’ll use us mightily. Pray for us, if you’re someone who prays. If not, that’s okay! Just smile when you think about us, because we certainly smile when we think about (well… most of) you.

You know our brand promise by now: We promise to tell the unfiltered truth regardless of political or personal consequences, and we will not sacrifice integrity for the approval of any audience.

We are so ready to get rolling. It’s a new day for news in Mississippi.

Thank you for trusting me.

Sincerely,

Therese Apel
Founder/CEO
Darkhorse Press