New Haven Independent: A Grassroots Media Bash

A Grassroots Media Bash

by Staff | December 14, 2005 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Connecticut Attorney General Dick Blumenthal has timing. Moments after reports of a rigged raffle at a party Tuesday night to celebrate the launch of two independent (i.e. non-corporate-owned) news web sites — this one, and La Voz Hispana— Blumenthal made an appearance. The reports proved unfounded, but the AG found time to schmooze with La Voz publisher and Online Journalism Project board member Norma Rodriguez-Reyes (above). Noam Benson-Tilsen (at left), a typo-catcher in training from Westville, hobnobbed at the bash at La Voz’s Elm Street offices. Check out some of the other folks who made it to the party to have fun, nosh on scrumptious homemade Latino and kosher dishes, compete for door prizes, and support community journalism.

Evidence that this was a true can't-miss New Haven party: Yale's Mike Morand was there (above), chatting with State Rep. Juan Candelaria.

More evidence of the same: Lindy Lee Gold stopped by, too.

Rabbi Lina Grazier-Zerbarini of the Slifka Center offered a prayer in English about the power of words, as community activist and La Voz office manager Lydia Torres listened and offered an “Amen.”

Waldemar Gracia of the Archdiocese of Hartford's Institute for the Hispanic Family picked up that theme of powerful palabras in a Spanish-language prayer that followed.

Project MORE chief Warren Kimbro took a schmoozing position by the front door. Needless to say, there was no funny business going on.

Ace Register reporter Mary O'Leary nabbed Board of Aldermen presidency candidate Carl Goldfield for a hallway interview. (Full disclosure: In his capacity as a private attorney, Alderman Goldfield did the legal work to incorporate The Online Journalism Project, which funds this web site. He now owns an Independent T-shirt.)

Media Bigs Meet: La Voz Editor-in-Chief Abelardo King (at left) greeted New Haven Advocate Managing Editor Tom Gogola.

Judi Janette (pictured), who on other occasions serves coverage of the city's neighborhoods for the Independent, served up, along with Linden Grazier-Zerbarini, baba ghanouj, vegetarian antipasto, and other eats to die for.

Advocate photog (and music scribe) Kathleen Cei was caught on the other side of the camera in a candid pose with the New Haven Independent's webmaster and site designer, Kyle Summer.

Board of Aldermen staffer and former local news reporter Mickey Mercier made the scene.

So did Mercedes Felix-Beltran of the Hill Development Corporation.

A Pol to Watch: Jacqueline Kozin of the Young Democrats, pegged as an up-and-comer in an article last week by the Independent's Kara Arsenault, pressed the flesh.

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Comments

Posted by: Lovebabz | December 14, 2005 10:53 AM

Aarghh! I missed another great party!!! Yikes my excuse this time: I was sick! A high fever. Anyway I love Paul Bass and the New Haven Independent is one of the coolest and hippest things about New Haven right now! Way to go to La Voz for jumping into cyberspace too! Happy Holidays!

Posted by: nfjanette | December 14, 2005 4:10 PM

It was a lovely party with good food and nice people discovering that we may have more in common than previously thought. We also learned that Paul Bass's well-written story that was translated and published in La Voz, "La odisea de Marta"; this is an exciting example of the power of collaborative "micro local news" reporting. Yasher Koach, e Seguir con el buen trabajo, Paul!

Posted by: truebluect | December 15, 2005 2:57 AM

I am surprised that Mike Morand would be caught dead in a picture with Juan Candelaria, (the State Rep from Fair Haven who voted against the Civil Union Legislation!) Politics makes strange bedfellows,-- but you would think some votes would be unforgivable....

New Haven Independent

A Grassroots Media Bash

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