Yesterday, the same day President Trump announced his takeover of D.C.’s police force, we reached our crowdfunding goal. With your help, we raised over $127,000. This will allow us to bring Martin Austermuhle on as our first full-time reporter, and sustain Christina Sturdivant Sani’s role as Executive Editor for a second year. Because of you, we’ve built a solid foundation for worker-led local news in D.C.
Hear from Martin in his own words about how he’s thinking about his role as a local reporter after the unprecedented last few days:
There's little doubt that we're in uncharted waters in D.C. In an unprecedented move, President Trump announced Monday that he's taking control of MPD. He's also ordering the National Guard out onto D.C. streets.
But for many national reporters and outlets, this is a one-day story. And for some, it's not much of a story at all. At the White House press briefing, most reporters quickly pivoted to other topics. I get it: There's tons of news to cover, and Trump militarizing the nation's capital might not rank.
But for the local reporters who cover D.C. on a daily basis, this is big news, with lots of immediate and long-term impacts. And there's a ton of nuance, too. I was proud to see my local counterparts pepper Mayor Muriel Bowser with detailed questions about what D.C. residents could expect in the weeks to come, what this will mean for her own approach to public safety, and what could ultimately come of the little autonomy the D.C. government has hung on to.
That's why local reporting is so critical. None of this is a one-day story. It's a story of what happened before, what's happening now, what could potentially happen in the future – and who this is all happening to. It's the local reporters who will be out in the streets, in the community meetings, and at the D.C. Council hearings.
Now, we here at The 51st are a small team, so there's only so much we can cover. But we're always aiming to add critical context and perspective, and to dig through the nooks and crannies of the news to find angles and stories that others may not be looking for. And we can do this with your help. If you see things or have questions, let us know! We're in this together. - Martin Austermuhle
Thank you again for being a part of The 51st community, for donating, and for spreading the word about our little operation. As always, we’re grateful to be building this with you. If you donated, you’ll receive an email this week with information about your reward that corresponds with your giving level. - Maddie Poore & The 51st Team
With your help, we pursue stories that hold leaders to account, demystify opaque city and civic processes, and celebrate the idiosyncrasies that make us proud to call D.C. home. Put simply, our mission is to make it easier — and more fun — to live in the District. Our members help keep local news free and independent for all:
