Through the Static

Hi everyone, it’s publisher/editor Hannah here. First and foremost, we are grateful for all of our contributors, donors, subscribers, readers, and social media followers. TtS would not be here without you. Seven months since launching, the demand for TtS’s antifascist news, both locally in the Pacific Northwest and nationwide, has skyrocketed.

Since day one, we have been dedicated to providing the most up-to-date antifascist news that impacts many of us, crossing state boundaries. TtS primarily covers Western Washington, Portland, and federal happenings that trickle to the state level; Chris Rojas, a contributing photographer, recently covered the violence in Minneapolis, dedicating his time to humanizing the community through his lens. We also frequently post ICE sightings, fundraisers/mutual aid and protest flyers to our social media accounts, doing our best to both support and keep the community informed.

We’ve got a dedicated team that believes in TtS, including Rojas and Alex Garland. It’s always been my goal to platform other independent journalists and photographers’work, and I’m so proud these two have allowed TtS to do that. Current events are happening at such a rapid pace that having their support in covering actions is such a service to us all. People need to see what’s happening in our communities, and now here we are with 21.5k Instagram followers, doing just that.

And along the way, one of the things I didn’t expect but am incredibly heartened by is that over a dozen people have reached out to submit articles, ask if we’re hiring, and how to become involved. TtS has always been an uncensored and community-first publication. The issue we’ve run into is that we have an abundance of support and a range of diverse voices seeking to contribute, but a major lack of funding.

Since leaving traditional media and launching TtS, I’ve worked a physically demanding day job to cover my basic expenses, navigating more challenging and sometimes life-threatening blood sugar fluctuations as a type 1 diabetic, and spending much of my free time operating TtS. Part of my vision for TtS has always been not only to highlight the work of independents, but also fairly compensate them for it. And part of this includes financially supporting myself by working my day job 50% of the time and TtS 50% of the time.

My reasoning for the 50/50 is because I am eager to pay our writers and photographers for their efforts. Independents aren’t always treated fairly: wages are low, and sometimes they’ll be sent on assignments and submit stories, only to have them cut, losing out on pay, time, and energy. I will continue working my day job if that means supporting others.

Things have gotten much stickier in recent months, and your support is urgent. Due to holiday over hiring at my day job, my hours have been cut to about 24 per week, leading me to push TtS’s business model in order to help pay for my living expenses, as well as others’. Last month we launched a GoFundMe, and everyone’s contributions assisted me with rent— I can’t thank you all enough!

Finance goals

In January, the community donated a total of $1,125 to TtS via multiple platforms, including our website, Venmo, and our GoFundMe. This is remarkable, as we are not beholden to any advertisers— something of high importance to me because I’ve seen first-hand, and have pushed back against, the suppression that comes from placing financial incentives above ethical reporting and our communities.

Here is the breakdown of what TtS is aiming for with monthly funding goals. To help cover my expenses, including rent, food, and medication, in addition to conducting the primary workload at TtS, $2,500 of donations will go towards myself. Our monthly goal is $4,000 and we will compensate our contributing reporters and photographers with the following rates:

• $75 for photos
• $150 for articles
• $200 for articles with photos

Seeking balance for Seattle’s diverse independents, I’m planning to feature about four sets of photos, five articles, and two articles with photos each month. So far, we have a strong $200 coming in because of our wonderful monthly donors! Small amounts like $5 or $10 can add up quickly and go a long way in supporting our work. In order to meet our $4,000 per month goal, TtS would need about 380 people donating $10 per month— which one can think of as a nice large latte with a solid tip for the barista.

Neither the regime’s terrors, nor the need for our news, is slowing down, and TtS is in need of coffee to continue. Please consider becoming a monthly donor if you aren’t already, and please share this message. We want you to read our work regardless of whether you’re a donor, so feel free to subscribe to our newsletter. Each time we publish an article, it will immediately reach your inbox.

Thank you all for being here with us on this journey: whether you’ve recently discovered us, or have been with us since the beginning, your energy and passion for a better world keeps us going.

And I can’t wait for the days TtS can share positive antifascist news with you all.

Much love,

Hannah