I have been the chairperson of the board of directors for the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) for the past year and worked with the organization in both Seattle and Portland since 2006. Since you, our readers, support Street Roots, and ultimately my time in the street paper movement, it's only fair we should let you know what NASNA is up to, and encourage you to get involved.
NASNA is a trade organization that represents 31 street papers with 1,500 vendors experiencing homelessness and poverty with a monthly combined circulation of 350,000 in North America. But it's more than that.
The organization works to build the street newspaper movement at a local, regional and North American level- what's good for NASNA is good for Street Roots. In the past year and half, NASNA has hired its first staff position, and established a headquarters in Washington D.C.
NASNA has created monthly meet-ups of vendors and coordinators, including individuals on the streets and staff at local street papers to discuss ways to improve vendor programs, to share experiences and to learn best practices.
The organization has also created an editorial partnership program, where managing editors meet once a month and discuss topics and build news stories from a national perspective. Street papers are then able to share trends and resources to better communicate innovative approaches and common themes in local communities around the issues of poverty. The partnership means more in-depth journalism and more in-depth journalism means new readers. New readers mean more vendors sales. More vendor sales mean improving the quality of life for people on the streets. It's all connected. It's grassroots movement building at its best.
Both NASNA and the International Network of Street Papers run the Street News Service, a news wire for street papers around the globe to share content. The news wire helps generate stories from both a local and international perspective. For example, when Seattle passes a housing levy-Street Roots knows exactly who, what, when and how that was made possible, and is able to build a case on why it's possible in Portland.
In July, NASNA will hold its 11th annual conference in Chicago, hosted by our sister paper Street Wise. At the conference, street newspaper reps, vendors, and policy wonks will be gathering to discuss best practices, messaging, fundraising approaches and how to build a movement that utilizes all of our strengths, or works to mend our weaknesses.
NASNA recently created a new Web site with the idea of sharing stories from our vendors, helping new and start-up street papers launch their programs, and building a movement that has positive and lasting change in our communities. Here are some ways you can get involved.
Street Roots encourages you to go get to know NASNA, and to visit other street papers across the continent.
Together, we are shifting the way people respond to and deal with homelessness and poverty - from both a policy and human perspective. Together, we are making real change.
Sincerely,
Israel Bayer
Street Roots & the North American Street Newspaper Association