Melanin in YA - The Final GoFundMe Fundraiser

Melanin in YA , your source for all things Black in traditional young adult publishing, began in August 2020. In January 2021, Melanin in YA registered as a business with the hope of solidifying, expanding and sustaining the brand. We've done the former and continue to do the latter.

With year one behind us and year two in its early stages, it's time to expand in ways I thought would come further down the road. However, that time is now. After a short unexpected hiatus earlier this year, I realized that I, Melody Simpson, need help. What exactly does this look like? I need a part-time intern for 3-6 months. I don't want there ever to be a time when content is not pouring out into the community each month. The job listing is drafted and waiting for me to hit publish. Hopefully, with your help, an intern will be able to start come February 2023. Having an intern will allow me to have the time to focus more on finding an investor for the future of Melanin in YA.

Shop Melanin in YA launched earlier this year, though sales are not as strong as they should be to back all of the below. With the pandemic, Patreon support has dwindled as well. If you would like to contribute to Melanin in YA while also getting something in return, I urge you to shop / support at the links above! I realize that this campaign is kicking off close to the beginning of the holiday season, so I encourage you to Shop Melanin in YA instead of donating here so that you can give the gift of Melanin in YA this year! If you are already a Patreon Patron, there is no need to donate here. Thank you so much!

The goal for 2023 is to find an investor. The pitch deck is complete. Now it's time to match with the right investor. Until then, here's the breakdown of where your donation is going, should you put funds towards Melanin in YA:

What You're Funding

Short Term Part Time Intern

Operational Costs (Book Box Swag, Shipping Supplies)

Marketing Budget (Giveaways, Ads, Podcast - Coming Soon, etc...)

Overhead and Administrative Costs

GoFundMe Fee

Since there is no urgent need to raise all of this in 30 days, this fundraiser will remain open through the end of February 2023 to accept support on a rolling basis. This will be the final GoFundMe for Melanin in YA. No matter what, Melanin in YA is here to stay! Though I hope with your support, it will continue to grow.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported Melanin in YA thus far. Thank you to everyone who is supporting our latest GoFundMe. Thank you to everyone who shares not just this fundraiser but the database, the shop, the newsletter, the instagram posts, the tweets, etc... Your support keeps Melanin in YA going. Let's keep it going and keep spreading the Melanin in YA name because we're just getting started!

Thank you!