A Chronicle of Her Own: How Yanice Yvette Jackson Is Carrying a 40-Year Legacy Into a New Era of Black Media Power

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Publisher and media visionary Yanice Yvette Jackson continues the 40-year legacy of The Chronicle News, leading the publication into a new era of innovation, storytelling, and community empowerment.

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When the presses first rolled in 1986, The Chronicle was more than a newspaper. It was a promise. Larry “Jay Price” Carter and Carolyn Carter, a visionary couple rooted in faith, family, and community, built it from the ground up to show a side of Black life too often overlooked — the beauty, brilliance, and everyday resilience of their people.

Nearly four decades later, their youngest daughter, Yanice Yvette Jackson (Carter), is keeping that promise alive.

Born in Chicago in 1978 and raised in Michigan, Yanice grew up watching her parents pour their hearts into the paper that became a staple for Lansing’s Black community. Their example of teamwork, humility, and integrity shaped her early vision of what leadership looked like; not loud, not flashy, but consistent and purposeful.

When both of her parents passed, Yanice made a vow: their dreams would not die with them. In February 2022, she took the reins as Publisher of The Chronicle News, ushering the family business into a new era of digital storytelling and statewide expansion. Under her leadership, The Chronicle has evolved into a modern multimedia platform with verified circulation, a sleek redesign, and a growing presence across Eastern, Western, and Mid-Michigan.

The transformation didn’t stop at print. Yanice’s digital innovation has amplified The Chronicle’s reach through social media, a new website, and the launch of The Sunday Chronicle, a podcast and radio show that explores identity, wellness, justice, and community legacy.

Her commitment to “connecting communities” extends far beyond journalism. As the Founder and Executive Director of The Community Catalyst, she has built a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved communities through media training, civic engagement, and creative education. From broadcast journalism workshops to author development programs, Yanice is equipping the next generation to not only tell stories — but to own them.

Her journey hasn’t been easy. She has faced obstacles, setbacks, and seasons of reinvention. But she calls each challenge a lesson in gratitude. “Every experience — good or bad — taught me something about myself and the world,” she says. “Those lessons helped me build what I now pass on to others.”

A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications and Film, and Clark Atlanta University, where she received her Master of Business Administration in Marketing, Yanice blends creativity with strategy — a rare mix that’s made her a force in both media and marketing. She has been featured by FOX 47, WLNS, Voyage Michigan, and CanvasRebel, celebrated as “The Great Connector”, a title that fits her perfectly.

Today, Yanice stands as both a bridge and a builder. She honors the past while propelling The Chronicle forward into its 40th anniversary, ensuring her parents’ mission continues to evolve with the times.

“I see The Chronicle continuing to set trends,” she says. “We’ll keep being nimble, innovative, and ahead of the curve, because that’s how we’ve survived. Innovation is key to survival and success; it’s earned, not given.”

For Yanice, leadership isn’t about recognition. It’s about responsibility. It’s about showing her two children, Jillian and Liam, that legacy isn’t inherited; it’s lived. Every time the presses roll, she knows she’s not just printing pages, she’s continuing a family promise that began nearly 40 years ago. A promise of visibility, unity, and power.

That’s not vanity. That’s victory.