At the time of this writing, our GoFundMe campaign is at just over $500, meaning we’re a long way to the $10K goal. A long way, that is, unless we can keep the heat up!

And in New Orleans, we know all about living and thriving with heat.

Roughly one year and some change ago, I was writing from blog to blog, doing freelance writing wherever I could. Unfortunately, the available NOLA outlets back then were either already fully staffed or not interested in promoting local moviegoing culture and film criticism. The dream wasn’t dying, but it had become hard to maintain.

Then, a Facebook friend of a friend, Scott Ploof, announced the beginning of a new progressive media operation for the city. After many coffee meetings, phone calls, emails upon emails, I became not just the main film writer but a key early member, helping to build things from the ground up. It’s been quite the fulfilling journey, having learned plenty from others and just from being on the job.

Every day was an adventure and still is, quite frankly. We’ve been doing the best work of our writing and journalistic careers here, advancing the conversation of New Orleans and exploring the philosophy of progressivism, one article at a time.

Just about a year in, and we’ve grown and accomplished so much. Without our readers, our neighbors, our family, our friends, and our city, we’d be nowhere. But together, Big Easy Magazine has become more than a domain name; we’re a beating and bleeding heart for a New Orleans that demands to stay up to date on what’s happening, why, and to what effect. A New Orleans whose culture of art, food, and music remains not just defining above all else, but inspiring. A New Orleans undergoing change, and in need of knowing and understanding the pains and problems with that.

With our readers, our neighbors, our family, our friends, and our city, we can keep at our coverage and expand to other areas. Video? Podcasting? Larger staff? We push forward into our second year, looking towards blue skies while keeping our feet well-planted. Forward into an election year that’ll determine our path as a country. Forward into the lion’s den of local politics and the people and issues that alter our lives for better and worse. Forward into a future most uncertain but one we’re most enthusiastic about reporting on.

We’re Big Easy Magazine, and we’re here to serve the New Orleans area with progressive heads, hands, and hearts.

Join us.

Bill Arceneaux, Independent Film Critic & Contributing Writer