I started New Wave one day on a whim.
As a media consultant, I wrote organizational newsletters for feminist and social justice organizations like Mobilisation Lab and FRIDA The Young Feminist Fund entirely in their tones and voices, but I had never thought about writing my own.
At the same time, I was frustrated with the media landscape as a freelance journalist - which has only worsened since COVID-19 - and I knew that I needed a more dedicated space to cover young feminist activism around the world, as well as to write more freely.
I’ve combined my love for newsletters with my experience in reporting and connections with young feminist activists from different contexts. But I’m also incredibly aware that this will never be a solo endeavour - I am, in fact, dependent on my readers and I hope to cultivate many new collaborations, some which are already in the works.
Now it’s time for direction, which is more important than speed. And it’s important that the direction be informed by my readers and target audience.
There have now been six editions of New Wave, interviews with young feminists like Ngozi Cole, founder of Poda-Poda stories, and Yanisa Vararaksapong, a young feminist active in the Thai pro-democracy movement, essays about female leadership and neoliberal feminism and “women’s media” and feminist journalism. There are also a million ideas for future editions and the strategy for 2021.
So I’d love to invite all of you, dear subscribers, to complete this 10 question survey that will take 5-10 minutes about what essays, profiles, and reported content you’d like to read, what editions you’ve enjoyed so far, your favorite places for independent feminist media, and more. If you’d like to write a more detailed message to me, pitch a feature, ask to be profiled, email newwaveletter@gmail.com and I will personally follow up with you. Every single response will inform future editions and the larger future direction of New Wave.
Thank you for being subscribers who care about learning from, uplifting, and visibilizing young feminists and the movements that they lead. I’m excited to read what you all write.
~ Ani Hao