On the evening of September 19, several dozen community members gathered downtown at the Law Office of Kevin G. Little to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the Community Alliance newspaper.
The crowd reflected the multicultural diversity of Fresno and was intergenerational. Folks in attendance ranged from having been around since the paper’s inception to members of Gen Alpha, a group of adolescents inspired by their parents’ lifelong dedication to social justice work.
Speakers included community members and activists working in education, immigration, pesticide reform, police accountability, housing issues and more. Throughout the evening and into the night, critical conversations were had, laughs echoed into the slight breeze and tears were shed.
Co-founder and longtime editor Mike Rhodes was unable to attend the event due to ongoing health issues related to cancer, a diagnosis he received nine years ago and that he has been publicly open about. The hosts ended the evening by playing a pre-recorded message from Rhodes for the crowd.
After final counts, the fundraiser brought in $2,944 with several people doubling their donation with the encouragement of former Community Alliance Spanish editor Lourdes Oliva.
Kevin Little, local civil rights attorney with 35 years of practice centering principles of “integrity, advocacy and fearless representation,” and father of the newspaper’s Editor Enrique Little, offered to host the fundraiser after the announcement in the August Special Edition declared the paper is experiencing a financial crisis and needs community support.
“It is the community that has gotten us through the hard times over the past three decades,” shared co-founder and board president Pam Whalen.
If you’d like to support the newspaper, please visit fresnoalliance.com/support to sign up to become a monthly sustainer or to make a one time donation. To donate via mail, please send cash or check to:
Community Alliance Newspaper
P.O. Box 5077
Fresno, CA 93755
For tax deductible donations, please email newspaper@fresnoalliance.com.
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