I’m sharing this because I want to be upfront about the serious challenge @akrondevilstrip is facing and how we need our readers to step up right now.

But as weird as it may seem, I’m also grateful to be in this position at all. So I’m starting there. () /1

2/ It wasn’t that long ago when The Devil Strip was just a name, me and some wacky ideas about how local news could build community between people, not just inform them.

We went from zero readers to serving more than 40,000 people every month (and growing).

3/ No one has to pay a dime to read the nearly 2,000 articles we've published about Akronites who are doing their part to make this a better place to live.

We believe providing quality news and information is our public service.

Even and especially the features and profiles.

4/ Other outlets may overlook the folks we cover because they aren’t CEOs or politicians, but we love our neighborhood organizers, artists, musicians, shop owners, restaurateurs, volunteers and people who get their hands dirty when they see a problem they can help tackle.

5/ Stories like theirs aren't just fodder for feel-good segments and Sunday papers.

They represent the true nature of our community.

They prove we're more than headlines about crime, scandal, conflict and bad weather.

6/ Who'd do these stories if The Devil Strip didn’t exist?

It’s not just about who we feature or the investigative work our team does on local power structures, public health, equity and inclusion, and econ dev.

It’s about the Akronites behind each byline.

7/ Our stories are crafted by our neighbors. More than 200 community contributors have found a home with us as writers, photogs, editors, illustrators and designers, whether they have traditional journalism experience or not.

That doesn't happen at most outlets.

8/ We’re unique in how we pursue our mission because we're owned by our readers, who have the power to hold us accountable and the ability to get involved to make us better.

We just need a few more to help us better serve Akron and its people. https://devilst.rip/join 

9/ Our goal is for 1,000 Akronites out of the 40,000 we serve monthly to become active members by the end of the year.

We’re more than halfway there already, but we need you.

Again: https://devilst.rip/join 

10/ Our mission is to connect people to each other, our city and a greater sense of shared purpose, which is vital in this ongoing crisis of isolation, polarization and distrust.

Our co-op structure means our members also design and create the way we meet that mission.

11/ This work is a lot. It's exhausting and sometimes demoralizing.

Then I remember: Once, @akrondevilstrip didn’t have a single reader. We didn’t have this talented team, our board of directors or all these contributors and members.

That means this big lift is possible.

12/ When this chapter is written, it won’t be about a big-time funder saving the day. #GodBlessEm

It'll be that hundreds of neighbors chose to do something meaningful because they care about Akron and its people.

If this sounds like you, sign up at https://devilst.rip/join