NASNA Member Blog

©opyright?

2008-12-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

I've recently had more than one vendor be concerned whether or not our paper is copyrighted. What do you guys do?

Badge Materials

2008-12-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

I know many street papers use Lamination Station to get their badge materials. The badges they have are really sturdy and hold up well in the elements. They are having a 20% off sale with no minimum purchase. The flier is below.

Vendor Territory

2008-12-08T20:13:00.000-08:00

How do you guys handle vendor territory?

Until now, we've implemented a first-come-first-vend policy with a 1-block buffer between vendors.

Now, our best (and currently most difficult) vendor has taken to often and loudly complaining about other vendors being too close to him.

We have spoken to the other vendors. Usually he runs them off himself.

He's demanding that we either implement designated territories and/or a 2-block buffer rule between vendors.

We do not have many vendors. Only a handful. He is selling the majority of the papers right now.

We believe that designating territories would be restrictive, unfair and discouraging to new vendors.

He's the only one complaining and I don't want to be pushed around.

Advice?

Also, I know we're all super busy, but I wish this blog was more active.
:(

~tasha
exec. direct.

~~~~~~~~~~~
The Contributor

Sharing diverse perspectives on homelessness.
Providing genuine opportunities for advancement.

thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

www.nashvillecontributor.org

P.O. Box 332023
Nashville, Tennessee 37203

615-598-0061

Potential Legal Problem.

2008-09-22T12:16:00.001-07:00

Jerry, one of our vendors, came in today and was hot that apparently 5 police approached him at separate times today and told him he couldn't sell on the sidewalks because of the sidewalk encroachment act.

What are the exact legal rights we, as a street paper, stand on?

Here is a link to the law:

http://www.nashville.gov/mc/resolutions/term_2003_2007/rs2007_1895.html

Any help is greatly appreciated.

~tasha
exec. direct.

~~~~~~~~~~~
The Contributor

Sharing diverse perspectives on homelessness.
Providing genuine opportunities for advancement.

thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

www.nashvillecontributor.org

P.O. Box 332023
Nashville, Tennessee 37203

615-598-0061

NASNA searches for Executive Director

2008-09-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in leading street newspapers across the United States and Canada?

The North American Street Newspaper Association is seeking its first Executive Director who will lead efforts to strengthen and develop street papers. This new position will be located in Washington DC and pays $36,000 annually plus benefits.

For more information visit www.nasna.org or email streetnewspapers@gmail.com

Website

2008-09-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have updated the members section to the NASNA website. If there are any mistakes, please let me know. Also if you have any pictures of vendors or events that you would like to put up please lt me know.

Andy
andytfreeze@yahoo.com

Gung-ho burnouts.

2008-08-16T01:29:00.000-07:00

Thoughts about a comment from Brandon (Street Speech, Columbus) on his vendor problem" post recently.

He said:
"Any big seller we get they generally stop selling after a couple weeks for some reason."

We, in Nashville, have the EXACT same experience. So much so, that I'm secretly disheartened whenever a new vendor seems extremely motivated. We've usually lost most of those-types within a month. I've had vendors who could sell 50+ papers a day and then not last 2 weeks.

Experiences? Thoughts?

~tasha
The Contributor, Nashville

(p.s. Our vendor situation has greatly improved in general, lately, though. We're moving more than 1,000 papers a month and are on a regular monthly print schedule now.)

Our Upcoming events.

2008-08-16T01:25:00.000-07:00

I feel blessed that these things are happening. Hopeful that we'll get enough donations to print another issue or two!

~tasha
The Contributor, Nashville

Vendor Management Software?

2008-08-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone have suggestions for vendor management software? A simple thing (web-based, multi-user would be great) that just details each vendor visit, what they picked up and maybe some notes. We're on macs for the most part.

Any other software you guys are using for other things?
We've been using backpackit.com, but I'm not sure for much longer.

~tasha
The Contributor, Nashville

streetvibes new blog

2008-07-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Streetvibes has just created a blog. We intent to use it as a way to discuss issues in between editions as we only print monthly. We also plan on using it to follow up on stories in Streetvibes and provide readers with action alerts.

Streetvibes blog

Question with a vendor problem...

2008-07-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

We have reached our 5th issue of Street Speech here in Columbus, Ohio. I can't even believe it has gone on this long. It's really quite amazing. We have had no difficult situations arise with vendors that could not be solved on our own. But, today was sort of an interesting circumstance. Story.

The downtown business association in Columbus has a copy of our vendor guidelines and have told us they will watch the vendors for anything that does not seem appropriate. Right or wrong as that may be, Tristan and myself cannot watch every corner of the street all the time and we don't have enough vendors at this time for them to police themselves. We pretty much function on honesty and trust. Generally, it works great. No problems so far.

I got a call today from someone with the downtown area saying that she went to buy a paper from a vendor and then was handed a pencil rather than a paper. She called us and let us know what had happened. Tristan and I went down to the courthouse to check it out. Upon approaching him he turned away and started putting his stuff away. Then when he knew we were coming towards him he tried to sell us a pencil. Seriously... I told him who we were and he acted like we never met. I asked him to give me his badge because he was violating his contract with us that stated he would not do this. He asked for a warning and this may have been to harsh, but I was thinking in the moment and just wanted the badge back. Anyways, he finally consented and said lets walk down the street. I was against this, but before I could say anything Tristan said that's fine. We were assuming he didn't want to be embarrassed by having his badge removed in front of the people he had received donations from. That is very possible. So, we walk down the street. He starts walking faster and I ask him where he is planning to do this and he points to the corner. Then he crosses the street and I ask for his badge one more time and he yells back, "Leave me alone man!" "Stay away from me!"

I really don't know what to do with this. I do not want someone out there with a badge selling pencils. Street papers are a good thing and not very expensive and we have put a ton of time into this thing. I am really quite upset. Do I call the police? Do I try and find him again? Tell the downtown business association to keep a watch out for him. I have a very good relationship with the woman that is part of that group. Do I just let it go?

Please, let me know your thoughts.
Brandon

Please Keep The Regina Streets Magazine in your thoughts.

2008-07-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Regina Streets Magazine in Regina, SK, Canada is a recent startup and has already run into great success...and difficulty. I have become friends with one of their founders, Greg.

They are not a member of NASNA, but we're all in this together, imo.

This is from their Facebook recently:

"Greetings…

It is hard to believe that roughly six weeks have gone by since our triumphant launch. These weeks have been chaotic and both Stacey and I have been disgustingly busy. So, before I say anything else, I want to apologize for not being more attentive to Facebook.

Our second paper hit the streets on June 17. It contains a rousing article by Dr. Joyce Green, some rather interesting articles by other authors, and some incredibly embarrassing errors. It wasn’t our best work but, again, we’re learning as we go along.

We got some really unfortunate news today. Someone complained about us and we were essentially shut down for the immediate future. Our vendors still fall under Regina’s anti-panhandling laws despite the fact that they now sell a publication. In order to keep distributing the magazine, they have to apply for ‘tags’, which are reserved for citizens in ‘good standing’. Failure to produce a ‘tag’ can result in up to a $5000 fine and we don’t want our vendors to take that kind of risk.

Stacey and I still have some copies of our June issue left. Rather than let them go to waste, we are going to sell them to anyone interested. eMail us at ReginaStreets@gmail.com if you would like to get a copy.

As for the future of the magazine, we are both rather shocked right now and don’t have a clue what we are going to do. We will refrain from making a comment at this time, but we will keep you updated as we learn more.

Peace.Greg"

and a more recent update:

"Hey....

I want to thank all of you for all the support you have provided and give you a bit of an update on our publication. I can not tell you how humbled Stacey, Julianna and I are by the attention and by all the incredibly nice things that people are saying about us. I also hope that this eMail finds you incredibly happy and healthy.

We are working on getting our people their permits and are anxiously awaiting word from the City. If they get their permits, we will be able to legally distribute the magazine (in our way) as of July 15th, 2008. Moreover, we have asked to be listed as "Interested Parties" when the Tag Permit bylaw comes up for review. We believe that we will be approved - the City of Regina is run by some incredibly intelligent, compassionate people who will realize that we are not a threat. In the event that we aren't approved, our magazine will not die, it will merely go underground for a little while.

Our publication is about one thing and one thing only. We exist to give people an opportunity to make a living wage doing what they are good at and what they are capable of. My friends who sell the magazine are united in one thing - they don't want your spare change, they want their lives to change. Our magazine is not about the articles, it is not about the pictures, it is not about the media, and it is certainly not about us and our egos. Our magazine is about giving some really amazing people a sense of hope and a real chance of freeing themselves from poverty.

In this 'fight', it is important to remember that most people don't resort to begging in the twilight years of a really happy, fulfilling life. Childhood abuse, mental illness, and substance abuse are epidemic amongst street populations. Mental illness and substance abuse create a particularly dangerous treadmill - when people get stuck on this treadmill, their very survival ends up in doubt.

I have no desire to get into a fight with the city. I have difficulty referring to myself as an activist. And I'm not doing this to thumb my nose at 'the establishment'. I'm doing this to improve Downtown Regina (which is where I make my home and where I spend the vast majority of my time). And, I am doing this to hopefully improve one or two lives and maybe give one or two people a little bit more hope - hope in one day living a better life, hope in no longer having to be 'a bum', and hope of one day actually being respected members of our society.

Hope is the most important factor in any kind of recovery. How can we expect people to get clean when we can't give them any reason to believe that tomorrow will be better than today?

It is very important to remember that our mode of distribution is our primary message. It is even more important to remember that I will fight to the bitter end for my people and for their right to economic opportunity and to free expression. The Regina Streets Magazine is not going anywhere but up.

Be peaceful and compassionate and may this message help alleviate suffering in our community and throughout the world.

Greg Hluska
OMPH"

NASNA Membership

2008-05-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that membership packets are due Monday May 19. Please send them to

Andy Freeze
117 E. 12th St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Thank you

Streetvibes Sales up 85% compared to 2007

2008-05-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

May 1, 2008
Contact: Georgine Getty, 421-7803 or 513-295-8969

Streetvibes Sells Out for Second Month in a Row

Cincinnati – While newspapers across the country are losing circulation, Streetvibes is having to print more copies to keep up with customer demand. The April edition of Streetvibes completely sold out, according to Georgine Getty, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, which publishes Streetvibes.

The March edition of the paper also sold out, she says. Circulation has increased by 85 percent in the first four months of the year, compared to 2007.

“Our vendors have really been getting out there and selling the papers,” Getty says. “We owe a lot to the tenacity of the vendors. They are out there no matter what the weather, selling papers and spreading the word about poverty. We are also very grateful for the wonderful relationships they have built with their loyal customers.”

The Homeless Coalition had been printing 5,000 copies a month, but raised the number to 6,000 for the April edition. Because of increased demand for the paper, the next edition of Streetvibes will be 7,000 copies, Getty says.

“In this time of wide discussion in Cincinnati about poverty issues, homelessness, affordable housing and living wage jobs, we are pleased to see that people are turning to Streetvibes for a perspective on these issues that they can’t get from other publications,” she says.

Streetvibes features stories about the struggles and successes of homeless people, low-income families, urban life and social justice. Vendors learn entrepreneurship and sales skills by selling the paper for $1. Vendors keep 75 cents from each copy, and a quarter goes to printing costs.

One of the most colorful vendors is Cleo Wombles, who is a familiar sight in his clown nose and wig as he sells Streetvibes at Fifth and Walnut streets. Wombles also writes jokes for the paper.

“If you can make people laugh, they’ll buy from you,” he says.

Real Change in the NYT

2008-04-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

Annoyed that Seattle tourists had the gall to bitch to the press about the eyesore of "transients" in this city, author Jonathan Raban decided to take a homeless guy to lunch. He found Real Change vendor Fred Spruitenberg, and the result was a column in Sunday's New York Times. Fred, he found, was a real human being, with thoughts and interests and aspirations and imperfections, just like the rest of us. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's a really nice piece of writing.

Fred mentioned Goblin Market, a Christina Rossetti poem that helped Raban frame just what needs to be said about Seattle at this particular moment in time.

Like Fred, Seattle has been a longstanding client of the goblin merchants. The city is littered with expensive toys and baubles, like Paul Allen’s grand folly, the Experience Music Project, a globular, multicolored extravaganza designed by Frank Gehry and known as “the hemorrhoids” by employees of the public TV station that overlooks it, but which now appears to my eye as a cornucopia of goblin damsons, figs and pomegranates.
Likewise, the new $52 million, 1.3-mile streetcar line, a pet project of the mayor, which runs from downtown to the giant construction site of South Lake Union, and whose shiny red, orange and purple cars are cute, quaint and eerily underpatronized. This is the city that a couple of years ago came within an inch of spending $11 billion (including the cost of debt service) on a new monorail system, cool as an iPhone but of doubtful utility.
As the faint breeze from the east strengthens into the frigid wind of recession, Seattle will have to reckon with its weakness for the goblin stuff. A chastening reading of Fred’s favorite poem might be a good place to start.

Street Corner relaunches as Megaphone

2008-04-21T01:35:00.001-07:00

Hey NASNA,

In case you haven't heard the word, Vancouver's Street Corner has relaunched as Megaphone magazine. We decided to change our name so we could refresh our look and make some noise in this city.

We went with the name Megaphone because our vendors wanted a name that gave them a 'voice' and because there are two European papers with the same name (we got the 'it's all good' from both of them). We stayed with our same format (8" x 10.5 ", demi-tab), but added eight more pages (we're now 24 pages) and better quality paper. Vancouver is a bit of a delusional city (imagine if Pittsburgh thought it was Paris), so we hope a high-quality paper will silence/win over any doubters.

To celebrate our relaunch, we held an art auction and managed to raise a couple thousand dollars (we tried to keep the art cheap and ask for donations at the door). The goal of the organization is to now double the number of vendors to 30 by the end of the year and hire at least one staff member. The goal of the paper is to wake up Vancouver and raise a little hell (think Bryan Adams meets Triumph - you may have to be Canadian to get these references). MegaphoneMagazine.com should be up and running by early May.

Computer Programs

2008-04-03T11:21:00.001-07:00

We are updating our newspaper designing software. Currently we use Pagemaker but are switching to Adobe InDesign or Quark. Which do you use and do you have a preference or experiences with both or one in particular? Any insight would be helpful. Thanks

Andy

Content

2008-04-03T07:10:00.001-07:00

Can anyone give me some tips on how to develop content for the paper. It seems like for the past two months I haven't really gotten all the story ideas that I want until like the last week. So, for the first part of the month it's fairly relaxed and then the last week I am scrambling to get all the articles/photos together to my designer in time to have it published. So, anyone have suggestions on how to get stories that are relevant each issue and can come in a timely fashion?

Thanks!
Brandon

Selling Out of Papers

2008-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

For the first time in as long as I have been here, Streetvibes sold out of its March issue a week before the April issue arrives. I was curious what other papers do when they sell out of a current issue. We made a quick call to sell last month's issues for 10 cents instead of the regular 25 cents. Any other thoughts or ideas on this issue (I guess it is a good issue to have) Thanks

Street Speech in Columbus Dispatch

2008-03-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

There was an article in the Columbus Dispatch recently about Street Speech. Here is the link.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/03/24/STREETPAPER.ART_ART_03-24-08_B3_UU9NTFL.html?print=yes&sid=101

2008-03-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hi all, It's Elizabeth here from Street Sights in Providence, RI (www.streetsights.org). We just marked our one year anniversary! We've increased our circulation to 2000, just took on three interns, and are aiming to make headway with our strategic plan.

I am writing in the hopes if hearing from fellow volunteer editors out there about how you keep chugging when so much is resting on your shoulders. I know delegation is key, but it can be tricky relying on folks for shared leadership who are facing their own life struggles and challenges. If anyone can shoot me an email at ElizabethOchs@gmail.com about setting up a time to chat, that would be great!

Thanks. You all continue to inspire me!

The Contributor - Nashville

2008-03-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

Our issue #3 is out!
So now we're on the verge of beating the 3-issue-limit curse of street papers. ;)

I'm committed and my team is committed, though as you know this is an absolutely exhausting process at times - one that makes you feel, at worse, that you need to be, well, committed.

Our main problem, as I see it, is still vendor recruitment. I read your advice to Columbus and that helps. We need bigger incentives. And I like the 50-papers once a vendor recruits a permanent vendor who sells 50 papers.

We have less than 10 vendors with less than 3 of them being reliable. We've trained probably more than 50 - handed out 15 free papers and a temp badge to all.

I know this can work. Nashville is certainly large enough. It's just very discouraging to feel like I'm putting so much work in to a product that is not seen.

Besides the vendor situation, we need to fundraise and sell advertising. That will come. We just don't have enough manpower to do it all right now. I sure can't.

On the plus side...
We've survived, so far, on donations that we haven't really needed to solicit and little-to-no advertising. Our content has been free-flowing and above par. When we started, I expected a 8-page issue. The first was 16. Second was 20 and third 24. I think I want to hold it there, or even reduce back to 16 and print more frequently. We're on about a 6-week cycle right now. As you all know, it's amazingly difficult to make a living and do this on the side for free...

So...I sit here and trust that the good things will continue to go well, and the weak things will improve. And that, in the end, this is all worth it. Right?

Alright! I'm Fucking Posting Something!

2008-03-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

OK. Israel's bitching because nobody but him ever fucking posts here. Like, this wasn't supposed to be Israel's fucking blog. It's our fucking blog. And I'm going to fucking post something right now. OK?

So, wow. Like, a NASNA blog. What's that mean? What are we going to do with our blog? Have you thought about it? Of course you haven't. I know I haven't. Me. Mister Fucking-President-of-NASNA-for-Life, until Laura took on the title.

So, if I haven't thought about it, I think you're pretty much off the hook.

I know. You're busy. Who has time for dumbfuck blogs?

This is different though. This is a way that we can really talk to and support each other. A place to discuss our very special problems that no one else knows about. A very cool place, where we can even talk about what we're seeing in our cities, and how we're responding to it.

Here's what I'll do. Make a commitment to post here once a week. I'll put it in my fucking planner, and try to remember to look at it. And I'll cross-post something from my blog. So that's two entries a week.

There's lots of shit I could talk about. I could post stuff that I'm having my class on Streetpapers, Homelessness, and Poverty read and talk about.

Or why I'm thinking more and more that relational cross-class work is the future of grassroots homeless organizing. Or post stuff from the NASNA Technical Assistance work we did last year. Maybe I'll put up photos of my kids. I wouldn't put anything past me. I could be putting crap up here all the time.

But if no one else is here, I'll eventually stop.

Here's the thing. Blogs are about relationships. Good ones have a community, and are important to people. We could get to know each other here. It would be easy. If it mattered to us.

I think it does. So, I've made my commitment. What's yours.

Make money and highlight great books!

2008-03-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Weather you want to use book reviews to promote your bookshelf or just want to market the program itself through your newspaper and on-line - Powell's partner program is a great way to raise money for your organization.

Make 7.5% of each purchase made through your partner program.

Powell's partner program

It's quick and easy to get started and a great project for a volunteer or intern.

Check out Street Roots and Real Change's bookshelves!

Street Roots bookshelf

Real Change bookshelf

After you complete the easy steps than you can simply drop a code given by Powell's onto your website or blog that links straight to your bookshelf. Best part is that people don't have to only buy the books you recommend. As long as readers link through your website than you receive a percentage of the sales.

If you go to either Real Change's or Street Roots website you'll see the Powell's partnership logo located on the front page. We also use the program to encourage readers to purchase books we highlight through book reviews in the newspaper.

Oh, and, just so you know. Powell's is only one of the coolest bookstores in the world. Your readers won't be disappointed.

Three questions from Street Speech in Columbus

2008-03-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

At the NASNA blog we are starting a "Question of the week." This week we have three questions from our friends in Columbus, Ohio. Street Speech launched just last month and would love some advice.

Here's the questions.

1. Advertising. How go we get adverts into the paper?

2. We need more vendors. Street Speech is sellable, because our main vendor has sold almost 200 copies for two weeks of selling. He is just one vendor though. How do we get more vendors in more places?

3. This is the smaller of the three points, but what type of involvement do you get from the community for writers and photographers. I've gotten a pretty good mix of graphic designers, photographers, and artists but I am having a difficult time getting people to write or offer submissions. Any thoughts?