This holiday season, I'm passing the hat

Happy Holidays, friends. We're reaching the end of the year, which means everyone and their mother is doing end-of-year fundraisers for the various projects that require money to thrive. I am no exception. I'll do my best to do this quick and dirty and get outta your hair before your eyes glaze over.

This year has been a year, lol. I got laid off, got my newsletter (mostly) off the ground, moved back to my beloved adopted home of Los Angeles, and have done some decent reporting in the interim.

I'm looking ahead to the new year, and wanting to add some projects to my to-do list, but in order to give myself the breathing room I need to do those projects, I am coming to you, hat in hand, and asking for your help. These projects include:

• A new labor-focused podcast, the details of which will be announced after Thanksgiving
• More book reviews and author interviews, Q&As, and other members-only content

Here's where I'm at: I've got 66 paid subscriptions going at the moment. Over the holidays, I'd love to see if I can reach a fairly lofty goal: 250 paid subscriptions.

With…

• 250 paid subscribers, I could cover the bulk of my bills and do this newsletter with its various side projects almost full-time
• 300 paid subscribers, I could breathe a little easier and focus more time on the newsletter, rather than split my time between freelancing and this project
• 500 paid subscribers, I could travel more extensively for my reporting, outside Southern California and into the wider US to chase labor stories that matter
• 750 paid subscribers, I could pay and editor and give a producer a better-than-decent rate to help with the new podcast
• 1000 paid subscribers, I will fly anywhere in the U.S. to personally fight your boss (for legal purposes, this is still a joke)
• 5000 paid subscribers, I will fly anywhere in the U.S. to personally fight your boss…in a steel cage match (for legal purposes, this is still a joke)

To that end, here's the offer for folks:

If you subscribe to an annual subscription at the higher tiers between 11/24/25 and 12/26/25, you'll get 20% off for the year.

Here's where you can redeem these offers for each of the three subscription tiers:

Fundraising is uncomfortable and hard, it feels weird to ask for it. If you can't put up the scratch for this holiday season, that is perfectly alright. It's tough times for all of us, and I am but a single voice among the hundreds, thousands of smart people who are creating important things and putting them out on the internet. If you feel like my work has impact and want to see me do more of it, please, consider chipping in.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday--I hope it's filled with warmth and solidarity, no matter where/when you celebrate, and I thank you for your continued support and readership. It means more than you could ever know.

-Mel

Please note: For the duration of this holiday season, you’re gonna see a few more posts of this nature than you normally would. I will do my best not to flood your inbox with fundraising emails, but I also want to make the most of this subscriber drive and provide regular updates on my progress as we move through the season. It’ll be back to your regularly scheduled programming as we head into the New Year. Much love and thanks–