Fund Oakland-Centered Reporting

I'm a local journalist and researcher who founded and writes for Hyphenated Republic. For years, I've mostly worked for free, because I am committed to certain ideas around transparency, power differentials and social justice. Oakland's city politics likes the shadows, and I like shining the light there. 

In the process, I've done some critical reporting, and often, its been the only reporting on certain issues crucial to Oakland, especially Oakland's most disadvantaged residents. My reporting on the Derby parcel sale of public land by the city council helped scuttle the sale --a sale opposed by a large consortium of education and housing advocates. I was the first to report the city's plans to 'resolve' encampments at Lake Merritt  and create another Tuff Shed site on the grounds of the Kaiser Civic Auditorium--I also wrote the most comprehensive piece on the evolution and future of the city's tuff shed regime.

But I think the most important reason to support my writing and reporting is that I don't have allegiance to any group or institution. Sure, we have some important alternate media sites here in Oakland, but they all have corporate origins, with links to politicans and concerns we often can't know about. This was evident, for example, when the mayor and city hall began a concerted attack on council member Desley Brooks, an attack every major media outlet in Oakland particpated in, including those known as "alternate".

I wrote the lone analysis of this attack, and the blatant falsehoods it was based on. One of the reasons I was able to do that was because I don't work for anyone and follow my nose. And obviously, that's why I'm reaching out today and asking for some support if you have valued this kind of reporting. I've passed up some work to keep doing this and will only be able to continue with public support. Hopefullly, I can keep this calls to a minimum, but please consider supporting this reporting.