A Call to Our Readers in Seattle and Vancouver… and Everywhere

Narco News Turns Eight This Month: And You Could Host the Anniversary Celebration

By Al Giordano
Publisher

April 5, 2008

This month marks eight years since Narco News began publishing in April of 2000. A year ago, readers, journalists and supporters gathered in New York City to celebrate (and raised $3,500 in donations for The Fund for Authentic Journalism, which supports our work). Four years ago we held our newspaper’s birthday party in Los Angeles.

Now that I’m back in the Narco Newsroom after a nine-month leave of absence (where I was able to report on the US presidential campaign trail, thanks in a huge part to Dan Feder’s excellent leadership back here at the mother ship), two of the tasks in the in-box are to find an appropriate way to celebrate eight years of breaking the information blockade from Latin America and to replenish our modest bank account so our journalists throughout the hemisphere can continue doing this work for you.

A year ago, we combined both tasks as readers, correspondents and colleagues of the project met – many for the first time – to raise a few pesos and formed lasting friendships and collaborations in the Big Apple. This year, as it turns out, I’m scheduled to be in Seattle, Washington (Thursday, April 24 and Friday, April 25) and Vancouver, British Columbia (Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27), and I know from years of receiving emails that we have many readers and supporters in both cities and the surrounding regions. We also count with collaborators and graduates of the Narco News School of Authentic Journalism in those parts whose participation will enrich such events.

I propose that we hold our anniversary celebration this year in one or both of those cities (we’re also open to an event across the water in Victoria). That depends on – quickly – finding an appropriate venue (it could be a private home or a public salon, restaurant or club). As always, it’s got to have a low overhead (we’ll invest something in the expenses and invite folks to come) to which our readers, co-publishers and collaborators in the region will be invited and we’ll raise some needed funds. And I’ll also break my years-long moratorium on radio show appearances to promote the event in those regions.

That’s just three weeks away, so time is of the essence: If you live or work in Seattle or Vancouver, and have, or know of, the right place to assemble such a party, please get in touch with me, asap, via narconews@gmail.com. Tell us about the venue, how many people could comfortably attend an event there, and how many of your friends and associates you could turn out for it.

If you don’t live in one of those places, we’ll offer ways that you can participate from a distance (donating, sponsoring others to attend, and composing appeals, in your words, to our readers asking for contributions to The Fund for Authentic Journalism).

In the coming days, Narco News will unveil a new design and upgrade for our participatory Narcosphere section, and, of course, continue the work of authentic journalism throughout our hemisphere.

And if one or more of our readers or colleagues in Seattle or Vancouver steps forward to host our popular anniversary celebration this year in his or her region, we’ll shortly invite you to that event, too.

In the meantime, you don’t have to wait to send a contribution to support our work. You can do that online at:

http://www.authenticjournalism.org/

Or you can make out a check to The Fund for Authentic Journalism, and send it to:

The Fund for Authentic Journalism
PO Box 241
Natick, MA 01760 USA

From somewhere in a country called América,

Al Giordano
narconews@gmail.com

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