Help The 51st Grow—for Free!
We’ve been publishing for almost two months (!) and growing The 51st with you has been thrilling. Our progress has been heartening, and each day this dream of growing a sustainable worker-led newsroom for D.C. feels more and more possible.
The crowdfunding campaign gave us the runway we needed to launch (and pay people for their work). Now there are still some areas we need to improve to make The 51st into what the city needs it to be. One of the most crucial things is to expand our reach.
Before it was shut down, DCist had upwards of 70,000 email subscribers, hundreds of thousands of social media followers, and peaked around 1 million monthly website visitors! :’) This was grown over 10+ years of publishing and name recognition. We’re starting from scratch (and love every single one of the 6,544 of you who have subscribed to us). So we’ve got a long way to grow.
A lot of you have asked how you can help. Beyond becoming a sustaining member, these are a few ways we can think of. If you have other ideas — we’d love to hear them!
1. Spread the Word
As we’re growing, the most effective thing you can do is let people know The 51st exists. Tell your friends, coworkers, and neighbors about The 51st. Forward them this post, mention us in your group chats, or post about us in your neighborhood listserv. There are so many people who don't know this is happening yet; help us reach them.
2. Share Your Story
Post on social media about why local news matters to you and why you support The 51st. Tag us @51stnews so we can amplify your message! And if you are already a paying member of The 51st, write us a testimonial sharing your why – they are incredibly helpful to bring in more members.
3. Refer a Friend
Forward our newsletter to a friend! (You can also gift memberships for the holidays, though that’s not an official part of this suggestion since it’s not technically free).
4. Become our Reply Guys
Engage with us online! Like, share, and comment on our posts. Every interaction helps us reach more people. You can find us on: Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter - er, X, and LinkedIn.
5. Join Our Street Team
Interested in popping up at local events or helping distribute flyers in your neighborhood? It’s an easy way to connect with your community and let more people know about The 51st. We’ll have more opportunities to do this in the new year; you can let us know you’re interested by filling out this form.
We’re so grateful for your support. Together, we’re building a news outlet that D.C. can rely on — and we can't do it without you. Let’s grow The 51st, one neighbor at a time.
With tons of gratitude,
Maddie Poore & The 51st Team
