Connecting with Vendors: Ci Call to Action By: Claire McKenna is authentic. The problem lies in how to convey them authentically when the truth is very complicated. The best way I can describe the diffi culty is the feeling you get when you tell a joke and realize that the other person really had to be there in order to extract the same meaning out of it. So, I attempted Arika’s brainstorm suggestion. I thought about writing more spotlights, writing answers that vendors responded to questions, writing about victories and struggles, writing about moments that embody our vision, writing about updates is ho w ed th ge al ha th br ab w b I have been asked to commit to writing a piece about vendors every month in our paper. This is something that Arika, our Executive Director, and I both think is important because almost everything we do every day revolves around our vendors. Producing and writing for the paper is a necessity for us to continue to impact peoples’ lives and it feels crucial that our paper refl ects what we value most here: our vendors. However, knowing how important showcasing our vendors is in our paper does not mean that I have any idea how to best achieve that goal. Arika suggested that I sit and do a “dreamy brainstorm” because over the last two years, I have done a lot of different vendor-related articles. I have done in our vendor programming, or some combination of these. But I will be honest, I still feel stuck. What I can say confi dently is that the atmosphere we have at Toledo Streets Newspaper could be described as addictive. Every person that I know who has truly taken the time to learn about us has become deeply invested and maintained their connection with us. You are part of that club if you have bought a paper before. If this is your fi rst time buying, then I would invite you to get to know us and I am convinced we will meet back here next month. We have had volunteers who have stayed committed to our cause even through their own life changes and this global pandemic. We have had interns who have completed internships and returned to do another. I think it is safe to say that I AM INCLUDING A ONE-TIME DONATION OF: � $1000 I AM INCLUDING A ONE-TIME DONATION OF: � $1000 COVERS COST OF PRINTING ONE MONTH OF TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER COVERS COST OF PRINTING ONE MONTH OF TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � $500 ELIMINATES BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT BY PROVIDING ALL NEW VENDORS WITH VESTS, SIGNS AND BADGES � $100� $100 � $50� $50 � $500 ELIMINATES BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT BY PROVIDING ALL NEW VENDORS WITH VESTS, SIGNS AND BADGES � $250 SUPPORTS TOLEDO STREETS EMPLOY VENDORS’ CREATIVITY IN STORY-TELLING, POETRY, PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES SUCH AS SOCKS, HATS, HAND-WARMERS AND PONCHOS TO TSN VENDORS PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES SUCH AS SOCKS, HATS, HAND-WARMERS AND PONCHOS TO TSN VENDORS SETS 20 NEW VENDORS UP FOR SUCCESS AFTER ORIENTATION BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 10 FREE PAPERS EACH � $______ A GIFT AT ANY LEVEL MAKES A DIFFERENCE � $______ A GIFT AT ANY LEVEL MAKES A DIFFERENCE NAME ______________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________ CITY _______________________________ STATE _______ZIP________________ TELEPHONE ____________________________ EMAIL_____________ � I AM INTERESTED IN RECEIVING EMAIL NEWSLETTERS FROM TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT HOW MY COMPANY/ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT HOW MY COMPANY/ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER CREATES INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY BY PRODUCING A NEWSPAPER AND OTHER MEDIA THAT ARE CATALYSTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE spotlights, writing about moments that moved me, calls to action, and polling of vendor perspectives. But nothing has quite satisfi ed me. It feels incredibly important that what I put out about vendors Page 12 TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER CREATES INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY BY PRODUCING A NEWSPAPER AND OTHER MEDIA THAT ARE CATALYSTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE TELEPHONE ____________________________ EMAIL_____________ � I AM INTERESTED IN RECEIVING EMAIL NEWSLETTERS FROM TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER NAME ______________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________ CITY _______________________________ STATE _______ZIP________________ SETS 20 NEW VENDORS UP FOR SUCCESS AFTER ORIENTATION BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 10 FREE PAPERS EACH � $250 SUPPORTS TOLEDO STREETS EMPLOY VENDORS’ CREATIVITY IN STORY-TELLING, POETRY, PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE the reason this happens is because our vendors are amazing. They are resilient, hilarious, vulnerable, ambitious, infuriating, kind, generous, loving, complicated, beautiful, and most importantly human. I want to do them justice, the best way I can as if you were sitting in my chair listening to their stories, rejoicing in their victories, and navigating their obstacles. So here is my ask to you: how would you like to learn about vendors? Did you read something in a past paper that made you feel especially connected to vendors? Was there an idea in my brainstorm list that stuck out to you? I would love to hear from you, our readers, and get your perspective on what way you would like to hear from and connect with our vendors in the monthly publication. Please feel free to email me at toledostreets@gmail.com. I cannot wait to hear from you! And as always, thank you for your support Toledo Streets Newspaper and our vendors. We couldn’t do it without you! Cultivating Change
13 Publizr Home