Hello dear readers! We don't frequently write to you as a group, but this felt like something that should come from all of us. As you may know, the editors at Feministing have long struggled with how best to organize the editorial structure of the site and create a feminist organizational model that works for us. At Feministing's inception, Jessica held the title of Executive Editor. But as time went by our work became more shared, and Feministing began to run as a collective, with six diverse editors making decisions in collaboration. Despite our new structure and the value we place on collective leadership, the world (the media, especially) loves a traditional hierarchy. And we came to realize that no matter how we organized ourselves, only one or two of us were recognized as Feministing spokespeople.
So while we will continue to function as a collective - with all six of the editors having equal input into all decisions regarding the site -- we've also decided that we also want to be strategic about our work, how it gets represented, and by whom.
To this end we've decided to keep our collective model, but to also appoint a rotating Executive Editor to chosen by the other editors every year. All decisions will continue to be made by the group, but the Executive Editor will be the media spokesperson and external relations contact for the site -- basically, they will be the face of Feministing. We're hoping that this will not only throw a wrench in the way that the site is seen, written about, and discussed - but will also serve to raise the profile of the person chosen to be Executive Editor for the year, ensuring that everyone who has worked so hard for Feministing gets the recognition they deserve.
So onto the big news! This year, we're incredibly excited to announce that Samhita Mukhopadhyay will be Feministing's new Executive Editor. Samhita has been with Feministing for five years (her first post was written in this month of 2005, in fact) -- blogging, representing us at conferences, events and in the media, planning our big shindigs, and advising in all things tech and social media-y.
Samhita has been a writer and feminist activist for the last 10 years. She is the web manager at the Center for Media Justice, an Oakland-based organization that provides media strategy and action for justice-based grassroots organizing groups. She has written for Wiretap Magazine, The Nation and The American Prospect. In 2007 she was named a Champion of Sexual Literacy by the National Sexuality Resource Center. She has been featured in magazines, including Alternet and India Currents. Samhita has a Bachelors degree in Sociology and Women's Studies from SUNY Albany and a Masters in Women's Studies from San Francisco State focused on blogging, gender, social networking technology and activism and has lectured at colleges, universities and conferences on feminism, race, new media and identity. In short, she's no fucking joke and we couldn't be happier to have her as the face of the site.
We hope that between our collective structure, our new fabulous Executive Editor, and our commitment to bringing on new and diverse feminist voices (check out the bios of our new contributors and Community Editor in the sidebar), Feministing will continue to grow into an online community and model of feminist media we can all be proud of.
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Thanks to Jess for her amazing leadership all these years.
Congrats Samhita!
Congrats, Samhita!
Congratulations Samhita! I feel so blessed to be working with you and the entire Feministing crew.
Already told you this in person, but I'm so incredibly proud and honored to be working with Feministing, in this moment and always.
Go Sami! Go Sami!
Samhi and Jess, your leadership is and continues to be an inspiration.
If I said "Congratulations", I'd feel it was meant as if you'd 'won' the position over the others (although, I know that's not what anyone else means). So...good going? And I hope it raises your profile more.
This is a milestone.
Congrats, my friend, and I look forward to the next year.
Aaaahhhh!!! OMG!!!! Oh Sammy!!!! You are Executive Editor!!!!!!! Hello world and make way for her!!! (giggling and jumping like an idiot right now)
Congratulations!
As a loyal Feministing reader, I trust any decisions you all make on how to structure the site.
And, Congratulations to Samhita, I am a big fan of your writing and your perspective captured in your writing. :)
Congratulations Samhita.
I can't help but think that a lottery would be a more equitable system than a vote. That way, no one person would ever come to dominate Feministing through multiple terms.
Congratulations Samhita! And to all Feministing's editors and columnists: I really admire your decision to function as a collective with one rotating Executive as the "public face." IMO that is ideal. The work you all do is so invaluable. I'm looking forward to Feministing's further evolution. :)
I'm so happy to see your face up there Samhita (although I would honestly be happy to see any of you up there as the executive editor, you all are some of the most bad-ass women around) But Samhita, I love your writing and your perspectives on things. I'll be interested to see what you decide to do with your term here.
Congratulations, Samhita! I always love your posts and your insight into all issues. I cannot wait to see what you'll accomplish as executive editor! WOOOT!