| Dear reader, After the economic downturn this spring, we began asking Vox readers to support our work with contributions. And we discovered something lovely and surprising. We asked readers why they gave. Many said it was because they value Vox's explanatory journalism — and because they value that other people can access Vox, too. Since April, nearly 20,000 people who love Vox have contributed to help keep that work available to everyone. Today, I'd like to ask you to join them by contributing any amount you can. We've always believed that explaining the news matters, because being informed isn't just important for individuals. It pays off for all of us, as a society and a democracy, when our neighbors and fellow citizens can access clear, concise information that helps them understand and navigate the world. Wide access to information has never been more important than it is today, during an ongoing public health crisis, racial justice protests, a presidential election, and a recession. But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources, and advertising alone won't sustain it — especially during an economic downturn. I wanted to share three pieces that I'm proud of, which are also examples of the kind of work your contribution will support: - Our explainer on what police believe used interviews with more than a dozen former officers and policing experts from a range of political perspectives to clearly explain the ideology that guides many police departments in America.
- The Today, Explained team created a new podcast series for kids, working with early education specialists to craft truly delightful audio that explains to kids important concepts like how vaccines get made. They even made activity sheets to help parents and teachers take what they hear into the real world.
- Our video on the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, which we published in February 2019, helped millions learn about this underreported event on its 99th anniversary in June — and provided crucial context to millions at the start of the protests over George Floyd's death.
By joining your fellow Vox readers in becoming a contributor, you'll become part of a community of people who believe explanatory journalism has value. Your financial contribution won't count as a charitable donation, but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles, videos, and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires. If you're in a position to do so, I hope you'll consider becoming our 20,000th contributor today. Thanks for helping us reach this huge milestone — and thanks, as always, for all your support of our work. Thank you, Lauren Williams, EIC, Vox |