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My name's Mel Buer, and I am an independent multimedia journalist based in Los Angeles, California. Nearly all of my work is self-funded and published on my newsletter, Words About Work, my Youtube, and personal social media channels. The state of the industry is such that if you want to do this job, you often just gotta get out there and do it yourself.
Over the last year, I have worked to build my newsletter into a multimedia reporting platform: I film, edit, and publish video journalism, write articles and digests about the labor movement and grassroots organizing, and am working on resurrecting my podcast, The Union Bug, in April 2026.
In the past six months, I have...
- Spent a significant time out in the field reporting from protests, picket lines, and vigils, posting video, audio, and writing to Youtube, Bluesky, Instagram, and my newsletter
- Worked on local and national stories about workers' rights, immigration, and community organizing
- Shared my thoughts on the current state of the world in opinion pieces, photo essays, and other commentary
As we head into the summer, I need some help to keep things running. Donations to this GoFundMe will help me primarily fund necessary upgrades to my camera gear (a new lens, rig, and monitor), while any additional funds will give me the necessary leg room I need to pursue stories of interest by helping me cover rent, utilities, and potentially fund work travel.
This fundraiser is for those who can't afford a regular recurring subscription to my newsletter but want to kick a little something my way anyway.
As always, I appreciate your support and solidarity, in whatever form it takes.