Friend,

Earlier this month, we celebrated World Press Freedom Day, a day that recognizes the journalists worldwide who expose wrongdoing, challenge power and seek the truth. It couldn’t have been more relevant as student journalists sought to report on law enforcement’s use of force against protesters on college campuses:

While we followed groundbreaking coverage from student-run radio stations and newspapers on the ground, we also witnessed alarming attacks on free speech and press freedom.

And we saw many members of the media establishment align their reporting and commentary with the views of college administrators and law enforcement.

The hard truth is that in an overly commercialized media system, the press is not as free as it claims to be — because when commercial outcomes dictate your success, catering to wealth and power matters more than keeping that same power in check.

Our fight to protect the First Amendment, challenge laws that threaten our rights to connect and communicate, and support all acts of journalism has never been more urgent. Will you rush your very first gift of $5 to Free Press Action by the end of the month? Your gift will help us ensure that people can stay informed and hold the powerful accountable.

Free speech and press freedom go hand in hand, Friend. And these last several months have been incredibly challenging for both.

That’s why after we saw so many activists and student journalists come under attack just for exercising their First Amendment rights, we hosted a virtual briefing to break down the state of surveillance, protest rights and press freedom on university campuses.

The takeaway? History teaches us that the template powerful figures are using to clamp down on activists is nothing new. But we cannot stay silent as anti-free speech bills are rapidly introduced in state capitals and in Congress, and the federal government expands its authority to attack and spy on activists.

Will you donate to Free Press Action by the end of the month to power our essential work? We rely on contributions from grassroots donors like you because we don't take a cent from business, government or political parties. Our independence is too important, so every dollar you give now makes a difference.

We may not have billions to spend like powerful interests do. We do have the power to out-organize them. But only with your support.

Thanks so much,

Candace and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net

P.S. We remain committed to defending press freedom and free speech in the months and years to come. But we rely on the support of folks like you, Friend, to make that work possible. Donate to Free Press Action by the end-of-month deadline.