The Future is Bright 💫

But, need your help to get there. [READER]( Dear Reader readers, Thank you for the immense support you have shown us over the past month and a half. It is an understatement to say we wouldn't be here without you. But, the truth is, we still need your support both to weather the loss of our advertising partners and to build infrastructure for the future of the Reader. _ When I decided to join the Reader I was excited to meet writers whose work I had been reading for years. It was a dream come true to bump elbows with the voices that shape our city. However, what I didn't expect was how inspiring and, frankly, intimidatingly efficient the young women behind the scenes would be. The success of the Chicago Reader is due in no small part to the administrative staff of the paper, whose drive and passion for local journalism inspires us all. At the end of the day, it is these women who represent the future of independent media. Donate any amount today, and keep the future of local journalism bright for them. [Donate]( Janaya Greene - Social Media Coordinator I was a sophomore at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep high school when I came across a box of magazines behind the security desk. Inside I found copies of True Star Magazine, a publication by and for high school students in Chicago, many on the south side. I was amazed to see young people writing about how we experienced our beloved Chicago—not a major publication writing about violence on the south side. I loved, and still love, where I’m from. True Star was the first place I saw a platform embrace the many beauties and complexities of the south side, from the people who knew it best. To this day I believe the young voices from the south and west sides are some of the most overlooked and undervalued in Chicago’s media landscape. Since my high school days, working with City Bureau and the Chicago Reader have only reinforced that local, independent media is how you get innovative and creative information for the people, by the people. Corporate-owned publications can be fickle; right now Chicago is seeing legacy papers face uncertain futures due to decisions of their corporate owners. Journalists are on the verge of losing their jobs without much explanation as to why. While independent media is also in a crisis, it’s due to COVID-19. Being independent allows us to tell the stories of all of Chicagoans and remain one of the city’s leading voices, without restrictions. With your help, we can continue on this path. Your support today means staff members like Janaya can continue to innovate and blaze a path forward for independent media. We need Janaya in local journalism, can we count on you to help? [Donate]( Warmly, Colette Willard Director of Development Chicago Reader Too many folks are facing financial hardship right now, so if you cannot afford to give today -- that's okay. Just knowing you opened this email in the first place makes us so grateful to have you on the team. Thank you. [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2020 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Ste 102Chicago, IL 60616-3228 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.