The Hartford Guardian Celebrates 16 Years as First Hyper-Local

HARTFORD -- The Hartford Guardian is celebrating 16 years as the first nonprofit news publication in Connecticut.

Since its inception in January 2002, The Hartford Guardian has been breaking news about predatory lending schemes with condominium associations, the foreclosure crisis in Connecticut, health disparities including access to mental illness facilities and other political and social issues.

The Hartford Guardian has won local and national awards and accolades for its works and others have touted its work as “competent and competitive” among local publications. Additionally, the online news sites has garnered awards and recognition from The Hartford Business Journal and the University of California-Berkeley’s Knight Digital Media Center and Poynter.

“We are happy to celebrate the birth and endurance of our publication and its impact on society,” said Ann-Marie Adams, President and CEO of the Connecticut Alliance for Building Communities, Inc., a 501 ( c ) 3 Hartford based nonprofit organization that aims to spur civic participation, develop youth and family media literacy skills and help build cohesive communities.

The Hartford Guardian pioneered the first of the new wave of hyper-local nonprofit news organizations in Connecticut long before funders believed in the power of expanding democracy through journalism. It began without seed money from foundations but sprouted into a four-day-per week hyperlocal go to site for business professionals, students, politicians and nonprofit leaders.

“I’ve watched the The Hartford Guardian grow as is an inspiration to other journalists and business leaders. It is very appropriate to celebrate its impact on the Hartford residents and businesses,” said David Williams, CABC, Inc. Board Chair.

For more than 16 years of publication in print and online, The Guardian has collaborated with the University of Hartford, the University of Connecticut, Capital Community College, AT & T, McGraw Hill Companies, International Center for Journalists and other local small businesses and residents to present our Summer Journalism Workshop for high school students and residents. We have also collaborated with local organizations to for our Community Conversations on issues that impact the city of Hartford and its neighboring suburbs. The Internet has obviously played a key role in shaping the evolution of the news industry.

CABC Inc. fulfills its three-fold mission by using 1) The Hartford Guardian, our award-winning hyper-local online news magazine that provides cutting edge reporting and writing; 2) the Summer Journalism Institute, a training program that fosters critical thinking skills and media literacy for high school juniors, seniors and city residents. 3) the Community Conversations, periodic forums to foster understanding and build consensus about issues that impact city residents.

Moreover, CABC Inc. embodies civic journalism by expanding the discourse in our democracy and by building communities one neighborhood at a time. Visit www.thehartfordguardian.com.