Considering how much this platform helped me connect with folks, I'm not here much anymore. Look for my username on other platforms, and you'll probably find me.

I also can't say "Thanks!" enough times to all of you, whether you've given donations or shared our existence with others. Thanks!

Regardless of what happens, I can't be any prouder of the folks who've worked so hard to get us to this point, where a chance to explore a unique future for AIIJ and BirminghamWatch is possible.

(You can also just share either of those links with others you think may be able to help us reach our goals.)

For those not comfortable with PayPal, we've also set up a charitable Venmo account (for BirminghamWatch's parent organization, AIIJ), too.

If you're motivated to help us work through how a news organization covering a city built to change the South can change journalism, now's your chance! You can use the form on our donation page.

We're ~$6,300 away from being qualified to take full advantage of matching funds + $15,835 from being able to match that gift, providing us with a much-needed cushion as we prep for new revenue streams starting mid-year (a.k.a. the most ever at year's end solely from individuals)

That said, it made me wonder if those locals able to do so can step up and help match that gift to make it easier to start 2026?

The most interesting part for me? This person is not from Birmingham and doesn't appear to have any ties to the city or the region. That means a lot to the crew that works to do their best for this publication every day.

About two weeks ago, I checked the @bhamwatch P.O. box before a board meeting to find the largest single unsolicited donation in the organization's history ($25,000!!!). It's unrestricted and it arrived at a pivotal moment as we consider the organization's future.

Yesterday marked a decade since @BhamWatch launched here in #bham. I took a moment to talk about its past and what its future could hold. Check it out!

A quick visit to share the link to @BhamWatch's ElectionWatch 2025 voter guide for today's election in #birminghamalabama - check it out and share it with anyone you think would find it helpful.

It's not lost on me how many of my "past lives" have converged as part of today's #PressForward announcement. I'm so happy to be connected to so many @tinynewsco members, @LIONPubs, @PHLJournoCollab + @JSKstanford folks because of it!

I've shared some additional thoughts in this open letter I posted to the website a short time ago:

It's big day for @BhamWatch - we're thrilled to receive funding from #PressForward. We're one of 205 newsrooms nationwide (and 3 in Alabama) doing so.

#USLonCBS Broadcast Update 🚨 At 4 PM ET, coverage of the @oaklandrootssc-@SacRepublicFC match will begin on https://t.co/P01hwbgixw and the CBS Sports App. ➡️ https://t.co/GlYKjhJzVG

Oh yeah, the cats had their annual check-up yesterday afternoon too. All ended well, all things considered 😎

My ability to quickly shift focus between two things is being tested right now - a grant deadline AND Sammy's first tooth decides today's the day it wants to start coming in. Heh...

More importantly, how do we stop treating so many of these things as "sport" when there's so much more at stake at the end of the day? I didn't watch it last night, but the resulting "quarterbacking" has me thinking about this repeatedly. 3/x

The moment something becomes political, while many are still fighting the good fight, many others choose to be spectators, hopeful they are cheering their "team" to victory. What gets more folks off the sidelines earlier? 2/x

I've long heard football described as a religion in the South. (If we're honest, several sports can likely be included in that statement.) I'll go one more step and say, as a result, religion is politics and politics is a sport. 1/x