A Note from the Founder

Dear readers, 

Today, the first issue of Petaluma Voice is published. 

Although co-founder Jennifer Sawhney and I have only been working on it for about six months, it seems like all the roads in my life have led me to this. I feel like “The Little Engine that Could,” a classic children’s story that I’ve read to my twins.

I spent most of my career being underestimated, feeling like I’m constantly in an uphill battle with my dream job. In a class of over 20 photojournalism majors in college, I was one of only four female students. As far as I know, I am the only one from that entire class who made photojournalism my career.

In one of my earliest jobs at a daily newspaper, when male photographers dominated, I was the only female on staff. I devoted all my free time to getting better at my craft until I was equal to them — shooting on the sidelines of sports events, jockeying for positions with men twice my size. Decades ago, when I suggested to a former boss that we start producing video content, he told me that videos were a waste of time and “they won’t make us any money.” I’ve been laid off twice, most recently last year. (Okay, newspapers, I get it – you’re just not that into me).

Here we are today. Petaluma Voice was an idea that sprouted in my mind a few years ago when I became disillusioned with management. The time feels ripe for this kind of journalism. It’s MY kind of journalism: independent, grassroots, homegrown, solutions-oriented, community-driven. I’m no expert and I’m learning as we go. Some parts of our website are in beta. But PV has so much support and good guidance that I’m confident we can make this work. I hope PV becomes your go-to source for local news but most of all I hope it encourages you to engage in our town. We are all a part of this. You and I belong here. 

So, I ask you, my neighbors, to take this walk with me – it can’t succeed without you. The road will be bumpy and tiresome but scenic and fulfilling. This is new territory, so please be patient when I need to take a breath or when I trip and fall. Mistakes will be made and I might go astray. But together, we can create our own map, blaze a trail up that hill and build the community that we truly want to be in.

I think I can. I think I can. 

I think we can.

Yours truly,

Crissy