Queens Free Press went live on October 19, 2014
The Queens Free Press is a community-based journalism project comprised of member individuals and groups in and around New York City who contribute to and curate sections of related content guided by a progressive, inclusive editorial vision. We are committed to presenting ideas, information, news, opinion, and community resources as components of community building.
In addition to a team of loosely-affiliated writers and editors, we are students, teachers, artists and photographers, librarians, business and community leaders and others who care about where we live and the fact that we need a communications network of our own, one not concerned with profitability in order to accomplish basic functions within our neighborhoods.
The Queens Free Press also serves a learning and teaching function, a mission to educate in public through participation in a hands-on reality-based, critical activity. Sometimes this is about breaking news in a community. Other times it may mean doing outreach in order to document the lives and experiences of those whose lives and experiences may not be documented otherwise.
Many of the writers featured here are students at area colleges and high schools. Some are experienced professionals, while others are concerned citizens seeking redress through one of the only ways they can.
Others in the community, maybe you, either know about the project through a participating member individual or group who has invited you to check out this website. Maybe you were a participant in a public community reporting workshop on oral history taking, freedom of information requests, or multimedia production, or something else.
The hope is participants in the Queens Free Press (and associated projects and workshops) will learn some valuable skills while contributing to and working on the paper/website.
If you would like to contribute to the Queens Free Press, either with writing, images, audio, or in some other capacity, please get in touch right away. We are also actively looking for friends and associates who can help spread the word, refer interested individuals to us, or provide feedback, advice or support.