A New Approach to Community News
After 15 years in journalism, I’m launching The Leveler News to do things differently in Yonkers, NY.
Hello neighbor!
How are you doing? Are you doing okay?
It's hard to imagine that any of us are 100% okay during such difficult times! If you're anything like me, you might feel the residual effects of a world in a constant emergency since 2020.
My name is Melissa Bunni Elian and I'm a lifelong resident of Yonkers, NY. For the last 15 years I've been working as a visual journalist with some of the biggest media companies in the industry.
As the political climate grows more polarizing, it's important for me to ask how you're doing because we're in this together. I don't think we hear that enough and that's why I'm launching The Leveler News.
The inspiration behind my work is to make sure marginalized people feel seen.
The name "Leveler" was inspired by the notion that Yonkers is "a city of hills where nothing’s on the level." So the saying goes and the history shows, but what does tomorrow bring? Well, that depends on today. That depends on us.
We might not agree on much, but maybe we can agree that we all desire to stand on solid ground. Elevation doesn’t have to dictate the quality of life if we promise to help elevate each other. And that’s what The Leveler News is about.
We acknowledge and center the margins. That means our coverage will focus on those in need of attention, and we'll make sure to concentrate on the people, places, and events that make our community beautiful. We'll address community issues with veracity, offer thorough, nuanced reporting, focus on solutions rather than controversy, and center government accountability over politics. The role of the press is to be a stand-in for the public. My goal is to foster community and civic engagement through storytelling.
Leveler News will offer news from a progressive, non-partisan perspective, meaning we prioritize equality and justice without party allegiance. We'll go where the evidence takes us.
With so much going on, there's little time to keep up with everything. One thing is for certain, it's becoming clearer that the decisions we make are more important than ever. And for that, we'll need quality information.
If this sounds like a project you can get behind, please sign up for our newsletter, make a tax-deductible donation, and help us rebuild the democratic infrastructure in Yonkers.
"What’s the story in Yonkers you’re not hearing? Drop us a line:
info at thelevelernews dot com.
I can't wait to hear from you, neighbor!
-Bunni