Having Fun to Support Journalism – Post NewsBash Reporting Begins
The NewsBash
This past Thursday Spot.Us had its first big fundraising event to help support our ongoing collaboration with NewsDesk.org that will examine toxic hotspots in the Bay Area. Thanks to the folks at New Delhi Indian restaurant we had space and finger food. All that was needed was music and guests to have a good time.
With the feeling of momentum and a community behind us reporting has started (see below).
In the end we raised $400 or 26 percent of our goal in one night!!!! When we started fundraising for the event we had just over 30 percent of our goal which is $1,500.
And now we have more than 50 percent of our goal. A BIG thank you should go out to all who participated.
I hope that a good time was had by all…
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This event was a successful experiment and I hope we can have more in the future. If you are interested in helping Spot.Us have a house party or any other kind of in-person fundraising event – please contact us. I believe there is something to learn here for nonprofit journalism. Identify the cause and then gather a community of people together to fundraise.
REPORTING HAS STARTED
Another exciting aspect about this project is the reporting team behind it which includes Pulitzer prize winning Kim Komenich, all around rock start Kwan Booth and the editorial vision of Josh Wilson from NewsDesk.org.
This Saturday Kwan and Kim went to a community information & INPUT meeting on the ports in Oakland which is a politically charged environmental issue here in the Bay Area. The Oakland port wants to reduce seaport diesel pollution by 85 percent by 2020 – the question is how. Various groups appear to be butting heads and they have till the end of this year to come up with a comprehensive plan.
Kwan will be writing up something about the meeting soon but I also know he is actively reporting with interviews set up Monday through Wednesday.
On the Spot.Us blog we will be publishing some of the raw reporting, but it should be taken as such – raw and unedited. Meanwhile the team outlined above will be producing more polished pieces over the next two-three weeks.
To whet your appetite here are the audio interviews Kim produced at Saturday’s meeting. Again, these interviews are raw and un-edited. Below are also a few of the many phots that Kim took. They don’t necessarily give context but that is part of what we hope to provide as reporting continues. So stay tuned and support our ongoing reporting.
To follow reporting as it happens keep an eye on the pitche‘s blog (middle column).
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photos by Kim Komenich
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