WOMEN MAKING HISTORY 2026: Meet the Publisher Yanice Y. Jackson MBA, Tentmaker. Rainmaker. Visionary.
- Yanice Y. Carter
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
Meet Yanice Yvette Carter, publisher of The Chronicle News and steward of a media legacy that has helped shape Black storytelling in Michigan for nearly four decades. Not a jack of all trades, but a woman who has mastered many, Carter has been described by some as a modern-day Josephine Baker, blending creativity, intellect, and presence into everything she builds.
In many ways, she embodies the spirit of a tentmaker. In biblical tradition, the apostle Paul supported his ministry while spreading his message, and today the term reflects something deeper, building both livelihood and legacy at the same time. For Carter, journalism has always been that calling.
By day she leads a growing multimedia platform, by night she continues building a vision rooted in storytelling, cultural preservation, and community empowerment. Being a tentmaker, in that sense, is a poetic dance between livelihood and mission, the art of blending the daily grind with a higher calling, stitching together both sustenance and purpose so that what is built shelters not only self, but the greater vision.
Under the Chronicle banner, she has built more than stories, she has built bridges. While others followed established paths, Carter carved her own, moving with persistence, intention, and vision. She is the tentmaker, pitching dreams in ink and action, creating a legacy that speaks through every page. In every line is proof, she has not just written history, she has made it.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Michigan, Carter grew up immersed in media and community. She is the daughter of pioneering radio personality Larry “Jay Price” Carter and Chronicle co-founder Carolyn Carter, and was raised in a household where communication, music, and service were part of everyday life.
That voice?
Yeah… that’s my dad. 🎙️🖤
Before me… there was him. ⬇️
Scan to hear the voice behind the legacy 🎙️
Her father’s voice on the radio sparked an early fascination with broadcasting, revealing the power of media to shape conversations and strengthen communities. But her creativity extended beyond journalism. She studied dance and music throughout her youth, beginning formal training in violin in the fifth grade through the Lansing School District, later transitioning to cello and continuing through college as a member of the Eastern Michigan University Symphony Orchestra. While at Eastern Michigan University, she also minored in music, studying piano, music theory, and performance, and sang in both academic and church choirs.
Yanice’s love for movement and rhythm continued into adulthood, where she explored ballroom, East Coast swing, salsa, bachata, merengue, and ballet. In 2014, she expanded that passion into wellness, becoming a certified step aerobics instructor, blending music, movement, and community engagement. These early foundations in performance, discipline, and rhythm would later influence her voice as a storyteller and media leader.
At her core, Yanice identifies as a modern griot. In West African tradition, a griot preserves history, carries culture forward, and ensures that the voices of the people are never forgotten. Through journalism, broadcasting, and community storytelling, she has embraced that role fully, understanding that stories are not simply articles on a page, but living records of struggle, triumph, creativity, and legacy. As publisher of The Chronicle News, she continues documenting those stories so future generations will know who came before them and how their communities were shaped.
Her path reflects a powerful blend of creativity and strategy. Carter earned her Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications and Film from Eastern Michigan University and later received her MBA in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University, where she also participated in an international business program in Barcelona, Spain.
Her professional career began in telecommunications, where she was selected for AT&T’s leadership development program and went on to build a corporate career in marketing, public relations, and university relations.
She later worked as Campus Recruiting Program Manager at CUNA Mutual Group, leading national recruitment marketing strategies and strengthening employer branding across universities. Yet even while excelling in corporate spaces, the call to legacy and community never left.
Her commitment to civic engagement led her into public service and political involvement. In 2016, she worked on a presidential campaign, gaining experience in national messaging and grassroots organizing.
Yanice served in the Ingham County Treasurer’s Office from 2018 to 2022, balancing public service with the continued growth of the Chronicle. Carter also ran for Lansing City Council At-Large in 2017 and 2019, advancing to the general election in the 2019 race.
While she did not secure a seat, the experience strengthened her commitment to civic accountability and community voice, reinforcing her belief that informed communities are empowered communities.
The Chronicle News, founded in May 1986 by her parents during the height of the War on Drugs, was created to provide accurate representation of Black life and culture. Originally known as The Capital Chronicle, the publication has always centered truth, community, and excellence. Carter grew up around the paper, contributing as a writer in her youth, and formally joined as Managing Editor in 2015. After the passing of her father in 2022, she stepped into the role of Publisher, leading the organization into a new era.
Under her leadership, The Chronicle has transformed into a multi-platform media brand, expanding beyond print into digital publishing, podcasting, social media storytelling, and community events. She is not only preserving a legacy, she is modernizing it, ensuring its relevance for future generations while maintaining its original mission.
In addition to publishing, Carter is an author and creative visionary. Her first book, Notes from the Trail: A Journey of Life, Love, and Self-Discovery, was released in 2024, reflecting on resilience, leadership, and personal growth. She is currently preparing her second book, 31 Love Letters, The Day I Fell in Love with You (You Is Me), a deeply personal collection exploring healing and self-love. Through Chronicle Publishing, she also supports other writers through manuscript coaching, author development, and independent publishing services, building pathways for stories that deserve to be told.
She is also the voice behind The Sunday Chronicle, a podcast and radio show that blends news, interviews, and cultural conversations, continuing her family’s legacy in broadcasting while expanding into digital platforms. As founder of Community Catalyst, Carter extends her impact even further, creating opportunities for media education, storytelling workshops, and community empowerment initiatives that help individuals take ownership of their narratives.
Currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, Carter is also deepening her commitment to mental health advocacy, working to normalize conversations around healing and emotional well-being in communities where those conversations are often overlooked. As a single mother, she brings lived experience into her work, leading with both strength and vulnerability.
Carter’s journey has not been without challenges, but she views each obstacle as a lesson in growth. Through every transition, she has remained anchored in purpose. Today, she stands as both a bridge and a builder, honoring the past while pushing forward into the future.
For Carter, leadership is not about recognition, it is about responsibility. It is about showing her children, Jillian and Liam, that legacy is not simply inherited, it is lived. Every edition of The Chronicle is more than a publication, it is a continuation of a promise, one rooted in visibility, unity, and power.
What Inspired this Work:
“I’ve always loved writing and storytelling. I’m a visual learner, so crafting stories through words and imagery has always been my passion.”
Impact on Women and Community:
“I hope women see that they can take control of their own narrative no matter the hand life deals them. As a single Black mother and a divorcee, I want women to see resilience and possibility.”
Advice to the Next Generation:
Stop waiting for permission to be successful.
Be bold and blaze a trail.
— Yanice Yvette Carter
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