Ashley Allison, a political strategist and former Obama-Biden White House official, announced Tuesday that her company, Watering Hole Media, has acquired digital media outlet The Root.
Allison, who also served as the National Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign, said the acquisition marks “a transformative moment in media leadership, one rooted in cultural authority, trust, and representation.”
“This isn’t about making more content but rather about making meaning of this moment,” Allison said. “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.”
Founded in 2008 by Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard University professor, and Donald E. Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post, The Root has built a reputation as a leading platform for Black voices. Gates praised Allison’s new role.
“I am so very proud of Ashley Allison for leading The Root into its next exciting chapter, and for returning The Root to its roots,” Gates said. “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.”
Rashad Robinson, president of Color Of Change, will serve as a strategic advisor to Watering Hole Media and The Root. “This is an exciting moment in the media landscape, with so much potential to make Black voices an even stronger force in the big fights taking place in our country right now,” Robinson said.
Allison has built her career at the intersection of politics, policy, and culture. In addition to her White House and campaign roles, she is a CNN commentator and has served as a fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. Before entering public service, she worked as a special education teacher in New York and earned graduate degrees in education and law.
Watering Hole Media said The Root will continue its journalism while adding new multimedia and experimental formats to expand its storytelling.
