Fund Clinic Stories
and Be a Reporting Partner!
What is the link between parental consent laws and the Army
of God? Why do some anti-abortion activists believe that abortions are being
performed on people who aren’t pregnant? Which state has the most pro-life
advocacy groups and what does the Personhood movement have in common with the
failed Albuquerque fetal pain ban?
These are the questions Clinic Stories hopes to answer. Clinic Stories is a12 part series that will
look at 12 different clinics in the country, telling the history of legal
abortion through the face of each building and the people inside and outside
it.
Each Clinic Story will be an intensely researched, long form
article anywhere between 5000 and 10,000 words, detailing the history of the
clinic and its role in the movement, tracking laws that it has challenged,
protesters it has faced, anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights groups that have
worked for it or against it, and where it fits into the greater history of the
last four decades of the abortion rights movement. It will include interviews
with current and former workers, escorts and even those who have worked to shut
those clinics down.
The story itself will then be available either by email
subscription to those who have donated to make Clinic Stories happen, or via
download for 99 cents per story off of the Clinic Stories website.
After a year as a freelancer, writing about clinic access
issues, abortion access issues and anti-abortion action groups, I have learned
that good, quality reporting requires funding, research and time. With Clinic Stories, I hope to be able to
bring more of that to the public and without the barrier in length, timeliness
or other issues that can come from publishing through an online or traditional
publication.
So, why would it
require $60,000 to fund this project fully?
1)
On the ground research, a necessity for in
person interviewing and first person accounts of current clinic situations, has
costs. After working on my article on Louisville, Kentucky, I’m estimating
travel expenses (airfare, hotel, car rental/transportation, food) at $1500 per
clinic. With a total of 12 clinics, that
comes to $18,000 for the full series.
2)
Per word writing cost. Because these articles
will go directly to the public, versus be published through an outlet, there
will not be any payment when they are complete. By paying myself a per word
rate, such as magazines do, I am recouping those costs. Most major print
publications pay 25/50 cents a word, so a 5,000 – 10,000 article would run
about $2500.
3)
Maintenance, editing, etc. Clinic Stories will
need a website. Also, each piece will need an editor, since I have learned in
the last year the value of a fantastic editor. It needs to have its URLs paid
for, basic start up costs (as well as a percentage to Rally for fundraising). I have some other fancy ideas in mind as
well. These will all be rolled into the extra $1000 a month projected for this
project because it is better to ask for and plan to need too much than too
little.
What do you get as a partner?
I’m not joking when I say you are
a partner in this. Any person who donates any amount, regardless of how little,
is a member of the team. Think of it as a reproductive rights research
co-op. You will get to vote on which
story is pursued and what clinic will be next in line. You will get to weigh in
on whether a side project is worth putting some funding into as a clinic story
is put on hold for a month (For instance, would you like an inside look at
March for Life next year? I can do that.
A check in on the biggest ongoing hospital protests? I can do that,
too.). Essentially I want to by your reporter, writing what you are interested
in, and funding this project will let that happen. Plus, you will still get
each Clinic Story delivered directly to you (Side projects would be emailed to supporters as well, but would also be posted to the Clinic Stories website under “Other Stories.” This is
why there are additional costs written into the budget.).
Rewards
If being a member of the team
isn’t enough, or you want to do more, we can do that, too.
For each donation of $25 you will be listed on the site as a
sustaining member.
For a $50 donation, you will be
listed and will receive your choice of bauble from Mia’s Muses Jewelry
(Limited, first 20 donations)
For $100, you will be listed and
receive a signed copy of my book, Crow
After Roe, on how abortion and birth control are being made inaccessible one
state at a time.
For $1000, you be listed and will
receive 10 copies of the book, signed, as well as a virtual (or if you are in a
future Clinic Stories city, in person) book club discussion at the date of your
choosing.
For $3000 and above, you will be
listed and also receive one training or speaking event for your organization,
either as a seminar, panel, fundraiser or event of your choosing.
How This Works
I don’t expect to raise all the
money at once (although I would love to and that would be amazing). Since this
is meant to fund the research and pay the travel expenses, the stories will
start as soon as each can get funded.
That’s why donating and being a member is so important, since you get to
decide the order in which they are published. Once we have $5,000 raised, we
can get moving. When we run out of money, we wait until we can raise some more.
My hope is by doing this that I can have one clinic story out each month.
Research, write, report. That’s
what Clinic Stories is here for, and that’s what I hope I can do. All I need is
your help.
Come join the co-op. Fund Clinic
Stories!
