On Press

I've spent much of the last few weeks preparing for upcoming trips and events. As I have mentioned before, I've got a trip up through New England that I'm working out details for, and tomorrow I'll be at the Food Coop early early to meet the farmers and truckers who deliver their goods there.

What I haven't spent much time writing about, however, is how much energy I've suddenly found myself spending keeping track of, dealing with, and coordinating press. After a mention on GOOD Magazine's website a few weeks back, a storm of blog postings hit in a matter of days. I received phone calls from national television and newspaper outlets asking for details for possible stories. I was pilloried by arm-chair critics on a website known for its venom and sarcasm. (These are all on my Info page.) It was a roller coaster. Yes, I am thrilled and validated in seeing that what I'm doing is something people care about, and others think is as important as I do. But at the same time, I don't really just want to be a human-interest story on a couple rss-feeds that no one wants to talk to in six months or a year when the project really has legs and knows where it's going.

My biggest concern lies in how publicity is going to effect the project itself -- my ability to make a personal connection with a factory laborer or farmer. I haven't even been taking out my camera on most visits because the tone suddenly changes when someone feels they are being put on the spot. I can't imagine what a CBS Evening News camera crew would do to someone's nerves, never mind my own.

Do I think having coverage in the LA Times will help me get into bigger companies like Converse and Apple? Probably. Would I like to explore writing a book and think that this exposure could help that? Yes of course. But do I want to jeopardize the integrity of the project, or do I want to appear to prove the critics right that I am in this for some spotlight? Well, not so much.

It's a series of questions I never foresaw having to deal with, and something that everyone seems to have an opinion on. For disclosure, I'm forging a relationship with GOOD Magazine, which I feel is completely in line with my efforts. And I've been cooperating with LA Times, because, well, they're the LA Times. Who knows what opportunities will come out of an article there.