The Contra Costa Pulse is a community news and media outlet, committed to amplifying the voices of East and West County’s under-served residents. Our reporting is led by young people with the intent of serving the entire community.
We began as the Richmond Pulse in 2011, created as an antidote to the city’s negative reputation. Too often, when people talk about Richmond—or when we hear about it in the news—it’s overwhelmingly grim: stories of violence, poverty, struggling schools, and pollution dominate the conversation. These portrayals paint a picture of a community in crisis.
But that’s only part of the story. What’s often missing are the voices of the people who live here—the ones most affected by these conditions. We launched the Pulse to amplify those voices, tell the untold stories, ask the questions the mainstream media wasn’t asking, and highlight the good in the community, without ignoring the challenges.
As the Bay Area’s high cost of living continued pushing people further out, we noticed that many of the struggles facing Richmond residents were increasingly being felt across the county. East and West Contra Costa had more in common than we thought. So in 2023, we decided to expand our reach and connect with more communities across the county.
It’s in this spirit that we chose our new name: The CC Pulse. Contra Costa. Cross-culture.
What makes The CC Pulse different?
What sets The CC Pulse apart from other news organizations is our community-based, youth-centered approach, with a focus on issues that impact the health and well-being of the entire community. Young people are trained in multimedia reporting, becoming the eyes and ears of their community. Through their work, they bring their stories to a wider audience, using both digital platforms and a monthly newspaper that reaches Contra Costa County and beyond.
The CC Pulse not only empowers young people by paying them for their work, but also helps them develop valuable, employable skills as multimedia producers. Through this community-driven media outlet, residents may begin to inform not only themselves but the policymakers and power brokers whose decisions directly impact the health of their community.
The Contra Costa Pulse was founded by New America Media and is supported by grants from The California Endowment and the East Contra Costa STRONG Collaborative Fund.
