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John,
Staying on top of today’s issues in the Bay Area is a full-time job. As we face wildfire threats and evacuations during a pandemic, and during one of the largest racial justice movements in our history, it’s important to me to uncover the stories tying these experiences together.
As a journalist, I believe it’s my duty to highlight a diverse array of voices and share stories that may otherwise go untold. One theme has emerged in many news stories this year: people of color and other marginalized communities have been the hardest hit by today’s issues. Black and Latino people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 surges, police brutality, homelessness and economic instability.
Which is why KQED is so important. We provide fact-based, trusted coverage on our communities’ most critical issues, reflecting the diversity of the Bay Area. But we can’t do this work without your help. Please become a member today to support our news coverage. |
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KQED has emerged as a leader, covering critical issues locally and across California, and I’m proud to be part of two in-depth initiatives covering housing and law enforcement abuses. We created the KQED Housing Desk to tell the story of how California found itself in a housing affordability crisis. We explore the history and regional policies in the Bay Area and delve into issues of job insecurities, eviction policies and homelessness.
We’re also continuing our work on The California Reporting Project, which is uncovering long-hidden abuses within the state’s law enforcement agencies. Last year, KQED co-founded a coalition of California newsrooms dedicated to collaboratively obtaining and reporting on previously hidden internal investigations. Journalists are still fighting for records from agencies and working toward a deep analysis of law enforcement accountability throughout the state. KQED is developing a database of all the records that we anticipate making available to the public in 2021.
And we need your support to continue this work. We still have $250,000 left to raise in order to meet our goal during one of the most challenging moments in our economy. Please give today to underwrite our work on behalf of our community members who are unable to give, and who rely on our independent, local news. When we hit our goal, we’ll end the pledge drive and focus on uninterrupted news coverage for you and everyone who depends on us. |
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 | | Sincerely, |  | Vinnee Tong
Managing Editor, News, KQED |
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