Happy fall! Here are some fast-breaking pitches

[martha.bayne]

Hello Weekly!

Jumping in here to get the season started write with another reminder about our new pitch doc.  To access it:

1) go here: https://resources.southsideweekly.com

2) click on "pitch doc"

3) type in the password -- "weeklypitch"

4) revel in the beauty of our new streamlined system

Again, this all *should* be fairly clear -- but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to me at martha...@southsideweekly.com. We want to hear from you!

A few new and timely pitches for your consideration, one short and sweet, one longer: 

HOW TO VOTE IN 2020

This story would be an explainer covering the various ways to vote in Chicago this year, what the challenges are, and what is the best way to make sure your vote counts. Subjects to touch on would be covid safety, mail-in voting, what poll watchers do, how to spot partisan interference, etc., with information sourced from a range of experts. The idea is to answer all the FAQ's floating around about this year's election process. Ideally this story would run in the 10/14 or 10/28 issue of the paper. 

THEY AIN'T READY FOR ME

"They Ain’t Ready for Me" is a feature-length documentary about Tamar Manasseh, the Black rabbinical student who founded MASK -- Mothers Against Senseless Killings -- and has, with her growing roster of volunteers, occupied the corner of 75th Street and South Stewart Avenue in the Englewood since 2015. Each day she sits on the corner, barbecuing, playing music and bringing games for kids to play with. With just their presence on the block Tamar and MASK are reminding the neighborhood that there are people who care whether they live or die. But Tamar Manasseh is more than just a concerned mother – she’s also a rabbinical student. [from the film website] "They Ain’t Ready For Me explores the challenges and motivations of this fearless community leader as she works to prevent more people from being killed by gun violence. It also highlights how her Judaism influences her activism. Tamar’s complex identity and magnetic personality combine to make her a force to be reckoned with, and she hasn’t even hit her stride yet." http://theyaintreadyforme.com

MASK's profile is steadily growing in the past year, with the installation of a permanent structure at 75th and Stewart. In November. Manesseh introduced Elizabeth Warren at a rally at the Broadway Armory. But MASK has also had some setbacks that may not be reflected in the film -- in 2019 two volunteers with MASK were shot and killed on the corner, the first in five years of actions. Most recently (last week) school supplies and tablets were stolen from MASK's volunteer-run Peace Academy a week before school started.

The film has not yet secured a commercial release but is being shown online in select festivals and special events. Coverage could include a straight film review or one that incorporates interviews with Manasseh and the NYC-based filmmakers (I can put you in touch).