Alternative weeklies are not dead!

We're still here, and still spending time and energy to bring you great journalism. [READER]( On Monday, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia [announced the finalists]( for this year's round of AAN Awards, and the Reader netted five nominations. More than the kudos we received for our work, I was particularly thrilled to see the broad range of news outlets from around the country represented in these awards. I get so consumed by trying to keep up with the media outlets I'm familiar with—the long list of local journalistic entities doing great work, along with independent music and culture publications scattered around the country—that I sometimes feel intimidated trying to find the best in-depth narrative news stories from community-oriented outlets outside of Chicago. I long ago accepted the fact that websites built to celebrate new narrative journalism (most specifically [Longreads]( and [Longform]( tend to highlight work from outlets that have a national presence. The moments I have seen Reader work get a shine from one of these sites, I usually wonder, "What took them so long?" [Last summer]( Longform posted Michaelangelo Matos's excellent Reader deep-dive on the emergence of second-wave house, ["How Chicago House Got Its Groove Back."]( I remember my editor, Philip Montoro, prepping that story to run just like it was yesterday. But, in fact, the Reader published that story in May 2012. I understand how challenging it is to read through so much great journalism that exists in the world. How many tabs of stories I couldn't wait to read have I kept open during a work day only to close those tabs at 1 AM, when I'm too delirious to remember what websites I left open in the first place? In that regard, the [AAN finalists list]( is a gift, a rundown of so much great journalism I might have had trouble finding before this moment. It's also a delight to see such a collection of stories after "Are alternative weeklies dead?" became a subgenre of doom-and-gloom trend pieces about journalism that came down the pipeline when the pandemic started. We're still here, and still spending time and energy to bring you great journalism. And I'm excited to get a better sense of the stories that have invigorated communities in Nashville, Boston, San Antonio, and Jackson, Mississippi, among others. First up for me? I think I'll dive into [Angela K. Evans's Boulder Weekly feature on Charley Crockett](. Happy reading! ["Discombobulated and Dark, Angry Blackmen Are on the Rise,"]( by Donna Das (South Side Weekly) ["About Vatican Shadow Link with the Far-right,"]( by Jean-Hugues Kabuiku (Jean-Hugues Kabuiku Newsletter) ["Chicago Park District 16-inch softball tournament to return after 10-year hiatus. The game 'is part of the DNA' of the city,"]( by Zach Harris (Chicago Tribune) Vince Staples, [Vince Staples]( Various artists, [The Lure (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)]( Central Heat Exchange and Living Hour, ["Tulips at My Bedside"]( Arushi Jain, [Under the Lilac Sky]( [Mitsu Salmon considers the orchid]( A new interdisciplinary work digs into the roots of one of the most mythologized of flowers. By [Irene Hsiao]( [@IreneCHsiao]( [Remy Bumppo and Teatro Vista name new artistic directors]( Marti Lyons takes over at RB, while Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo share the top job at TV. By [Kerry Reid]( [@kerryreid]( [Chicago rock stylists Arthhur expand their dance-punk ambitions on Occult Fractures]( By [Leor Galil]( [@imLeor]( [Constructive interference on the gig poster of the week]( By [Salem Collo-Julin]( [@hollo]( [Issue of Jul 8 - 21, 2021 Vol. 50, No. 21]( [Download Issue]( (PDF) 1971 Chicagoans have relied on the Reader for trusted alternative coverage of our city. The Chicago Reader is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization which means our survival is in your hands. In order to continue to be your trusted alternative voice of Chicago, we need your help. If you can donate just $5 today, we can show the world that community funded, independent journalism is the future. [DONATE TODAY!]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@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 © 2021 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail after having opted in to one or more of our newsletters, memberships, or e-mail lists via our website, Facebook, or at an event. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader 2930 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 102Chicago, IL 60616 [Add us to your address book](