In order to carve a path toward the future, the International Examiner made some key changes in the past year. These changes are rooted in the idea that as a nonprofit community newspaper, we need more than ever to engage with and be a part of the community we serve.
We moved down from the hill on S. Washington Street and into the Bush Hotel in the heart of the Chinatown/International District to be closer to the pulse of the neighborhood. In keeping with the IE’s golden age, when API activists poured their hearts and souls into all aspects of the newspaper operation, we’ve been able to incorporate the talents of a host of young API activists into our daily operations—most are unpaid volunteers, interns, and understudies who believe in what the IE stands for and are eager to learn. Our online presence through our website and social media has allowed us to be more in touch with our readers on a daily basis. We have refocused our coverage on local social justice and activism, in addition to our continued dedication to API arts, culture, news, and heritage. We are also taking a renewed look at all aspects of our newspaper operations, from the way we deliver our newspapers to our archiving system. We received grants to create an interactive, searchable digital archive and to publish a “Best of the IE” book that showcases the most significant stories from the past 40 years. We’ve been able to do much more with a lot less by embracing the strengths and connections in our community, by welcoming the energy of the next generation of activists, and by taking the time to listen to and learn from the generations that laid the groundwork. The IE wouldn’t be where it is today without the help of our longstanding supporters, our dedicated readers, and a reinvigorated Board of Directors.
And we are just getting started. We are currently exploring ways to become a regular producer of video content—imagine the IE as a print, online, and video/broadcast news outlet. We are looking to expand our archiving abilities, so that we are able to collect important artifacts and documents and effectively tell the stories that come with them. And the IE is also currently partnering with the the Cathay Post #186 of the American Legion to create a documentary film, which will document the untold stories of Chinese American WWII and Korean War veterans whose service helped lay the foundation for development of the local Chinese American community in the Greater Seattle area. With your support, the IE will continue to grow and engage.
Sincerely,
Travis Quezon,
IE Editor in Chief
