Hi friends. Over the December break we received new readers to The Platia, those who want to attend events or that have attended an event. If you're one of them, thank you so much. I hope to see you soon at our civic trainings in Old City or South Philly. January's event is at capacity, but in February, I'm hosting a dinner at my home with a book swap - all untaken books will be donated to Books Through Bars. However - since this is at my home, please reach out directly to participate, for everyone's safety.

Now, let me take a moment to explain what The Platia is, and what I'm trying to do in 2026 with your help.

Harm reduction is defined as the practice of reducing the harm associated with drug use. It’s a practice that believes everyone deserves dignity, and you can’t make a better choice tomorrow if you don’t make it to tomorrow. But, it also aims to provide resources to people who live in communities that have been impacted by drug policy and laws. 

That means harm reduction includes learning how to use Narcan on a stranger you find overdosing, but it can also mean providing after-school resources to schools in neighborhoods where drugs are likely to impact teens. It can mean making meals for community refrigerators, or understanding how open-air drug markets put immigrant neighborhoods in danger. It can also include understanding how our own bias and misinformation harms our neighbors.

The Platia investigates how acts of care and putting resources back into the community can create thriving neighborhoods when municipal resources are dwindling. 

Why make a newsroom focused on harm reduction? Because drug use – and law enforcement – have an outsized impact on urban areas, cutting off educational and civic resources and creating decades-long harm in our neighborhoods. But it's a community effort to change this.

The Platia does this through civic trainings and open discussions where you don’t need to be afraid to ask basic questions. That might look like writing letters to incarcerated people while learning about the prison system, or crafting bracelets while learning deescalation techniques.

We also do that through offering volunteering shifts in partnership with charities and mutual aid groups, to connect readers with the right organization that they want to help. We break down the big questions you want to understand, and introduce you to the people doing the work on the streets. You can read about our first 6 months here.

Our venues are low-cost or free, and other than operating costs for website and materials, all donations go to certified trainers and partnering charities and mutual aid groups. We have a fiscal sponsorship through the Tiny News Collective, a group of micro newsrooms aiming to improve their communities.

This year I hope you'll join us at an event to understand how even small changes can impact your neighborhood. Thanks for reading this, and reach out with any questions.

Annemarie