Dear Tom,
Hi, Kari here. I am honored to introduce myself as the new Editor-in-Chief of Richmondside.
As a Bay Area resident for most of my life, and an East Bay reporter and editor for 13 years, I am deeply committed to providing Richmond with a free source of nonprofit, independent, community-centered news and local resources.
In my 20-year journalism career I've worn countless hats: I mentored news-writing students at my alma mater, San Francisco State University, where I survived (and then covered) the Loma Prieta earthquake, and where I participated in a landmark 1991 study examining the ethnic diversity of people interviewed for stories published by Bay Area media outlets. I was editor of the former (Hayward) Daily Review and editor of Bay Area Living, the features section of the former Oakland Tribune.
Unfortunately these publications and many others are only archived memories (including The Richmond Independent, shuttered in 1978, and the West County Times, absorbed along with many other papers into the East Bay Times), leaving a serious information void for so many East Bay residents.
Thankfully, the dawn of nonprofit news organizations such as Cityside, which is bringing Richmondside to life early this summer, is infusing optimism into the local media scene. (As a side note: I am thankful that one of my non-journalism roles, working for a Point Richmond-based clean-energy company, piqued my interest in this infinitely fascinating waterfront city, a mix of sparkling bayside beauty and complex challenges.)
I’ve been exploring the city for story ideas, talking to residents and reading Cityside’s interviews with community members, including a thoughtful 24-year-old who shared her concerns about public safety and her joy at recently being the second in her family to earn a four-year university degree.
As I settle into my new role, I hope to meet many more of you, and I'll be sharing additional details soon about the team of journalists who will serve Richmond. Thank you for your patience and input during our due-diligence process. You may contact me at kari@richmondside.org to share any ideas or advice you might have. (Food, drink and dog-friendly hiking recommendations are always appreciated!)
If you'd like to stay connected and support us, here are a few things you can do:
- Send news tips to hello@richmondside.org or leave us a message at 510-239-7413
- Follow Richmondside on social media (Facebook, Instagram links are below) or follow my new X account, @khulacrichmond (posts are my own)
- Take our community survey
- Support our work as we count down to our launch. Reader support is essential to our sustainability. Please consider donating.
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