The Langley Union started a few months ago as a simple idea - use powerful online publishing / newsletter technology to start a publication that focused on providign hyper-local journalism for residents in both the City of Langley, as well as the Township of Langley. (The combination of those two is the origin of the word Union in the publication's name).
As the Publisher (and really, the only person involved at this point) with The Langley Union, I am so excited that this site is running, that we already have a handful of loyal followers, and that our journey towards providing unique and insightful coverage of our community is already underway.
You may have noticed that posting has slowed down quite a bit over the past few weeks, and much of that also has to do with an increase in the largely unseen work of answering "Big Questions" about this publication. Namely, things like the following:
- What kinds of stories do we want to publish, and what kinds of stories are feasible for being published right now?
- How is this outlet going to actually serve the people of Langley?
- What are the journalistic standards for this publication?
- What kind of incorporation or formal licensing needs to be procured?
- How can we provide powerful feedback tools for readers?
While many of these questions are still in flux, I am so excited and hopeful for the possibilities that the future holds.
The golden idea and the overarching mission behind this publication is to prove that local, independent journalism can not only exist in Langley, but it can also meaningfully counteract the voices of larger, corporate outlets in a way that adds significant benefit to the community.
With that in mind, here are a few goals that I am setting for The Langley Union in 2025:
- Nurture and create a unique "voice" for the publication,
- Find other local writers who are willing to build out this publication by sharing their expertise and their labor,
- Further develop the look and feel of the site to make it more visitor friendly,
- Expand coverage to include neighborhood-by-neighborhood stories, which are tagged and can be filtered for specific viewing,
- Become a better journalistic outlet in general
And so, as we wrap up 2024 and move into the New Year, I want to thank every single person who has followed this site so far. This site exists to empower you to be a more informed member and participatory of your community.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and feedback about The Langley Union below.
P.S. Happy holidays, and a Happy New Year! See y'all in 2025!