Help Us Relaunch BFM Magazine

Donate to the BFM Online ReLaunch GoFundMe Campaign https://gofund.me/28fd35ef0

BFM’s story begins in 1974, when radical publisher Menelik Shabazz met a young Chicago photojournalist (who was documenting the world through his lens), Floyd Webb, in London, UK. Their friendship grew into a collaboration that birthed Black Filmmaker Magazine and the BFM Film Festival, which—alongside Floyd’s Blacklight Film Festival in Chicago—became world-renowned spaces for authentic Black cinema. Out of this friendship grew a lasting collaboration. Though funding was often fleeting, their work built a transatlantic legacy of independent Black film culture. Relaunching BFM as an online publication today is about carrying that legacy forward—transforming it into a vibrant alternative media network for a new generation of Black storytelling.

Today, it is time to carry that legacy forward: from one festival in London, one in Chicago, and now, the evolution of both into a new alternative media network dedicated to celebrating, reporting on, and advancing the global conversation around Black cinema. BFM Magazine has long been a vital space for celebrating Black arts, culture, and voices. Together, they created something unique—a digital home for Black creativity, film, and cultural dialogue. Even today, there is no other magazine or online platform quite like BFM.

With Menelik’s passing, relaunching this online magazine is our way of honoring his legacy while continuing the vision he shared with Floyd Webb: to build a sustainable, living platform where our stories are celebrated, documented, receive constructive critique, and amplified.

Why We’re Relaunching

Website Rebuild: Our current site needs a full rebuild to better serve the community.

A True Digital Hub: We want a modern design that works beautifully on mobile, is accessible, and feels like a magazine for the present and future.

Fair Pay for Writers: A magazine is only as strong as its content. We’re committed to paying writers fairly for the work that sustains BFM’s mission.

Carrying the Legacy Forward: Relaunching BFM is a way of extending Menelik and Floyd’s pioneering vision for the next generation.

What Your Support Will Fund

1. Website Rebuild & Relaunch – $5,000
   Complete redesign with improved UX for improved usefulness and visitor enjoyment
   Content migration and improved navigation
   Mobile optimization & accessibility
   Hosting, security, and 6 months of maintenance
   
2. New Writing for 6–12 Months – $4,800
   Commissioning 2 posts per month (features, interviews, commentary)
   Fair freelance rates ($200 per post)
   Fresh, diverse voices continuing BFM’s cultural mission
   
3. Community Growth & Contingency – $1,200
   GoFundMe platform fees
   Social media promotion and outreach
   Cushion for unexpected costs

Total Goal: $11,000

Why It Matters

This relaunch is more than a technical update—it is about preserving and extending a cultural legacy born in the 1970s. Supporting BFM means:

• Honoring the pioneering friendship and collaboration of Menelik Shabazz and Floyd Webb, who built bridges between London and Chicago, Africa and the Diaspora.
• Sustaining one of the few dedicated spaces for Black film and culture that has existed across generations.
• Supporting writers with fair pay and giving them a meaningful platform.
• Creating a living archive and vibrant hub where new generations of filmmakers, critics, and audiences can connect, learn, and imagine together.

How You Can Help

• Donate: Every contribution brings us closer to relaunch.
  
• Share: Spread the word to others who value cultural spaces.
  
• Be Part of the Legacy: Your support ensures BFM grows as a vital community resource.

Together, we can give BFM Magazine the relaunch it deserves — and keep Menelik and Floyd’s vision alive for years to come.