A Letter From Michael Albert
I have worked on Z Magazine and ZNet, and before that on South End Press, for about forty-five years. I am excited and pleased, albeit also a bit sad, to have reached a point in my life that says, stay close but move on. It is time for new blood.
After months of collaborative effort to generate an updated and re-designed website including, in time, a fresh new scope of projects, I am excited to welcome you to the launch of ZNetwork: ZNetwork.org
ZNetwork has a new staff of seven international volunteers, who together with me conceived and implemented its updated features. It has an entirely new look. It has new components, partly evident right off, partly to emerge in weeks to come.
Heading into the future, ZNetwork’s staff will still curate materials each day, but will also generate more original materials than in Z’s past. ZNetwork will still prioritize vision and strategy, but also give increased attention to art and culture, outreach and partnerships, and especially to education and organizing.
Finally, by way of explaining my own role, I am stepping down as Staff. No more day to day involvement. No more making daily decisions or doing daily tasks. And I am stepping up as one of a group of ZFriends available to consult, solicit, and otherwise aid coming endeavors.
I am incredibly pleased with the international collective that is taking up this work. I am sure it will grow itself and grow the project in years to come.
I hope you will aid their efforts.
Michael Albert
Friend of ZNetwork
A Letter From the Z Staff
Hello & welcome to the launch of ZNetwork.org!
Dear Z Community,
The staff of ZNetwork.org would like to begin by recognizing and thanking everyone who has worked on and contributed to South End Press, Z Magazine, ZNet, & ZMI over the decades. Today’s ZNetwork.org was born from a legacy built by an incredible community of people committed to social change.
The Z Staff is an international collective, each coming to this project from different experiences and relationships to Z’s past, but with a shared vision for its future. To properly introduce ourselves to you, we might ask, what does it mean to be a member of Z’s staff?
As we worked to conceive this re-launch and build Z’s new website, we’ve had the opportunity to shadow Michael in his Z-related work, consult with past and present contributors and readers, and look out across the left media landscape with eyes that searched for what might be special about Z, and what might yet become special about Z.
We became more and more intimately familiar with Z over its many iterations and with what it has taken to produce it. To say that we are humbled by this opportunity is an understatement, perhaps only equaled by our excitement.
So, what does it mean to be a Z Staff? Through our work so far, and made even more clear through the testimonials of ZFriends, we have come to understand that to be a member of Z’s Staff is to be a steward, not only of almost half a century’s work towards winning a better world for all, but of a unique platform and community.
Z is firstly unique in elevating vision and strategy, always pushing beyond all that is wrong in the world towards all that might be. Z is for those who are running towards a better world, when it is insufficient to just run away.
Z is unique in a second way, which may be more subtle, but is no less important. Z has consistently elevated what is truly radical and worthy, while simultaneously remaining a haven for dissent and creativity. This is a place where diverse voices may be heard and engaged. Z cuts through the noise so that the spirit of resistance may always be heard.
We see our role as stewards of both of these invaluable traditions and invite you to join us in stewardship, and in our efforts to expand and deepen our community.
In solidarity & gratitude,
– The Z Staff: Alexandria, Arash, Bridget, Cooper, Fintan, Greg, & Matic
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