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So You Want To Contribute To LAist? Here's How
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We're here to answer questions about Southern California that keep you up at night. If you have one, ask it here.
When LAist relaunched this week, we invited readers to ask us anything. You didn't disappoint. We've received questions on everything from immigration and escalators to street vending and the solar panels at the L.A. Veterans Affairs parking.
One question caught our eye -- maybe it's because we've seen it pop up on our website, email and social channels: "How can I contribute to LAist?"
We're glad you asked! We want people who are deeply engaged in Los Angeles and in their communities to contribute to the site. You don't need a background in journalism or writing. You just need to be passionate about sharing your stories. Here's more info:
What kind of stories is LAist looking for?
The sky's the limit. From breaking news to arts and culture stories, we want it all. Get broad. Get local. Take us off the beaten path. What do you know that we don't? We're interested in serious, reported news. We're interested in personal stories. We're interested in quirky, unique corners of the city. We're interested in ANYTHING that tells a deeper story about life in Southern California.
Do you pay?
You bet! We pay $200 per story.
Can I contribute something other than writing?
Yes -- eventually. Down the line, we may want photography, video, artists, jetpacks. You get the idea. If you have something you think belongs on LAist, you can reach out to us at tips@laist.com.
I have an idea, but I'm not sure it's any good. Should I send it to you anyway?
Yes! (Have you spotted a trend yet?) We want to hear from as many different people on as many different subjects as we can.
When will I hear from you?
We've received a lot of inquires since we relaunched, so it may take us a while to reply to you. We promise to consider every email we receive.
You can also get involved by submitting a question below. For every question that is selected, we'll reach out to the person who asked it.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

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