When you are initially fired from a job, your immediate reaction is, "what the HELL am I going to do now?" You feel helpless with no income to boast of, your world turned upside down. The lack of a plan for the future is daunting at best, with every inch of your body tempted to post up outside of your ex-boss's door on your hands and knees to plea for one more day to prove your worthiness.
For eight members of GOOD magazine's editorial team, unemployment has become their reality. However, a nebulous future has not stopped them from lifting themselves up by their bootstraps and continuing on to create a new form of journalism, one that tests society's ordinary practices.
A year was too short of a time for this crew of talented writers and visionary wonders to work side-by-side and thus was born the idea of Tomorrow. A way to shift away from the repetitive vanilla, Tomorrow will take no prisoners as it conquers sex, drugs, and rock n' roll (or rather just a multitude of fresh new ideas, but sex, drugs, and rock n' roll seemed appropriate).
Their Kickstarter, which hit the web just yesterday, was established to raise $15,000 to fund production, web design, hosting, technological necessities, postage, and a launch party. Within just five hours, they had reached their goal and have now more than doubled their pledge with 19 more days to go and 1,338 backers.
Promising to use funds raised solely for the reasons outlined above rather than for their own salaries or health care packages, this project is for the people by the people. No strings attached allows for more flexibility, leaving room for the sexy, controversial, and down right strange to be vocalized through their publication. All original articles with explosive content and design, Tomorrow's disruptive culture has the potential to shake up what journalism should be defined as. As Cord Jefferson, one of the eight editorial members, always says, "What is best in life?" That's what this project is all about.
As written in their description on Kickstarter,
Today’s dilemmas deserve fresh eyes liberated from the tired status quo of superficial journalism, boring narratives, and old ideas about what works. We’ll take a look around the corner to bring you stories about the people, the movements, and the trends that are tearing the world down and building it anew.
A witty team constructed of Tim Fernholz, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Voice, Ann Friedman, Megan Greenwell, Amanda Hess, Cord Jefferson, Dylan C. Lathrop, Zak Stone, and Nona Willis Aronowitz, Tomorrow seems like it's really going to kill it once the contributions come to a close. Their 100 page publication fully equipped with illustrations will be printed and then published online for all to see. So, ready yourself for the grandest new form of innovation in writing. Tomorrow is coming at you, so forget the past and prepare for the future.
Interested in contributing to this Kickstarter? Check out their site and pledge anywhere from $1 to $500 or more. A worthy cause and a great way to support a Georgetown University graduate.
[Video via Kickstarter]
