Note from the Founder: We’re in a New Era.
And as the only English language media publication dedicated to immigrants in Atlanta, we’re asking for your support.
| Dear 285 South readers, I’m reaching out to you directly and asking you to support 285 South. For a week now, we’ve been thinking about what the incoming presidential administration might mean for immigrant and refugee communities here in Metro Atlanta, and what it will mean for our work. Our on-the-ground reporting, for months, had shown that a Trump win was a real possibility. In October, 285 South’s diverse contributors, local journalists who are embedded in different immigrant communities here, canvassed a wide range of immigrant voters, many of whom expressed dismay at the choices facing them on the ballot. And in the wake of Tuesday’s vote, we heard an equally complicated array of reactions from immigrant and refugee advocates in the Atlanta area. Looking ahead, one thing is clear: our workload, and our service to immigrant and refugee communities in Metro Atlanta, will only increase. Many of you have been readers since I launched 285 South as a newsletter in 2021. Remarkably, there was no one media outlet dedicated to immigrant and refugee communities here at the time, despite the dramatic demographic changes in the region. Since then we’ve continued to grow. This year, thanks to your ongoing support and readership, we’ve been able to hire Gabriela Henriquez Stoikow, who joined as our first full time reporter just a few weeks ago. 285 South is still the only English-language publication dedicated to Metro Atlanta’s diverse immigrant communities. With your support, we’ll be able to continue to build out our capacity. With a Trump administration ahead of us—we are prepared to face the challenges of reporting into the next year, tracking everything from the local ramifications of proposed deportation plans to the potential upheaval that faces the refugee resettlement system. Those are big stories. We’re a tiny publication. But our reporting has a real track record of making an impact. Maybe not in an epic earth-shattering way, but in small, wonderful ways that have really helped people. Like when we wrote about a free driving lesson program for immigrant women – that had shut down temporarily – but was able to start up again after we published our story and they received a boost in funding. Or like last week, when we were at a polling station in Clarkston, and a poll worker told us there was a need for translators – we reported it and shortly after, several translators showed up to assist voters. That same day, a Burmese man came to us with questions about his green card application. Within minutes, we connected him over the phone with a local Burmese nonprofit that we had written about earlier this year. No matter what, we will remain steadfast in our mission to continue to highlight the beauty and joy around us – uplifting stories of people, businesses, and initiatives in the community—like this recent story by Gabriela about how women in Mexico wove a tapestry that lit up the sky in Brookhaven. We know we’re going into a new era. And while it’s daunting, we are committed to meeting the needs of the moment—it’s why we’re here. We’re asking you to rise to meet this moment with us—and contribute $10 a month to 285 South or make a one time donation of $100. With love and gratitude, Sophia Founder and Editor 285 South |
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285 South is hiring a full time reporter.
We’re searching for an enterprising reporter to cover Atlanta’s immigrant and refugee communities.
We’re hiring.
285 South is looking for a full-time reporter to join its team.