We invite you to be a part of an extraordinary venture.

By Marty Cheek

Marty Cheek

Since we published our first issue of Morgan Hill Life June 26, 2013, we at Life Media Group have strived to bring you the highest quality of news and opinions in our community-based journalism. A decade later, we’re proud we’ve been shining a light on the stories that matter most to the people of South Valley.

Morgan Hill Life and its sister publication, Gilroy Life, have always endeavored to be more than just small town newspapers. They’ve served as a catalyst for change, a platform for civic engagement, and a voice for the unheard. Now, in celebrating our 10th birthday, I’m filled with hope and excitement as we embark on a new chapter in our journalistic journey.

We invite you to be a part of an extraordinary venture. We seek to elevate local journalism across the nation to save the free press — and thus save American democracy. You’ll be taking part in an historic initiative, one benefiting not only the people of South Valley but also our fellow citizens living in every corner of America.

From its start, Life Media Group aimed to evolve into a human-benefit company. We saw the opportunity of using transformative media innovations to protect and enhance the quality of life for everyone in every community across the nation. Our vision is not just to report the news, but to empower and inspire positive change. To achieve this goal, we need your support.

We are launching a campaign July 1 called “Let’s Unite, America!”  coinciding with the Independence Day weekend, thus symbolizing the spirit of patriotism that binds us as a nation. We are asking for contributions of any amount you can comfortably afford, whether it’s $10, $17.76, $100, $1,000, or more.

Every contribution will play a crucial role in our mission to minimize the polarization now damaging democracy. The funds will be used in a project to bring all Americans together to save freedom for future generations. To achieve this, we intend to build a community media platform, an online experience that goes beyond social media and transcends our dysfunctional political environment. We believe it will foster progress in several key areas:

  • Junior Journalism: We will develop an online system that equips children and teens with effective reading and writing skills. Through this program, young individuals will learn to write for publication to share their voice. Many of their stories and columns will find a place on the LMG community media platform.’
  • Military Transition Program: We are committed to supporting veterans as they transition into civilian life. By creating an online instructional system and partnering with community colleges, we will provide training in reporting and writing. This will enable veterans to secure positions in community newspapers across America as well as on the LMG platform.
  • Climate Change and Clean Energy: The platform will foster across the nation dynamic discussions on solving our climate change challenges. A major part of this will be advocating for the transformation of the U.S. into a clean energy nation. This initiative will not only combat environmental threats but also create more than a million new jobs through the development of new industries.
  • Partnership for Fundraising: Schools and nonprofits often struggle to publicize their needs effectively. With the platform, we will connect these organizations with small and nationwide businesses, empowering them to raise funds collaboratively through brand-building marketing campaigns using media innovations.
  • Promoting Civility and Sanity: By harnessing the power of the arts and entertainment, the platform will unite Americans in an endeavor to achieve collaboration in society and politics. Through thoughtful dialogue and creative expression, we can rebuild bridges and find common ground.

The first step in our journey is to raise $10 million through the “Let’s Unite, America!” fundraising campaign. The money will enable us to build a diverse team dedicated to creating our platform. When it is completed and launched July 4, 2024, it will serve as a beacon of positive and lasting change by uniting Americans from small towns to big cities.

This campaign is not just about financial contributions. It’s about mobilizing communities, leveraging the power of mass media, and encouraging friends and family with varying ideologies to join together to start healing our great country. It’s also about telling those in power in politics and media that Americans have a hunger to build a better world.

We encourage all members of the media (newspapers, broadcast news, and online news) to join us in this cause. It is vital to preserve the news industry protected under the First Amendment. If we lose our free press, we will lose our freedoms.

As we at Life Media Group celebrate our first decade, I ask you to reflect on the impact that quality journalism has had on our community. Let’s safeguard the pillars of democracy and enhance the quality of life for every American. Remember that your patriotism is needed now more than ever. The collapse of democracy threatens our way of life.

Your support, whether through financial contributions or sharing our mission, will enable us to build a platform that revolutionizes the way news is delivered, consumed, and acted upon. Together, we can empower the next generation of journalists, help our military veterans, tackle climate change head-on, uplift schools and nonprofits, and promote unity and civility in our society.

Support us with our “Let’s unite, Americans!” campaign. Let us make this Independence Day weekend a celebration of patriotism and a commitment to securing the future of our democracy. Together, we can protect the integrity of our free press, fortify the foundations of our nation, and ensure a better tomorrow for ourselves and generations to come.

Thank you, Morgan Hill Life readers, for your unwavering support during the past 10 years. We are grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us. Together, as one united human family, let’s transcend boundaries, ignite change, and take journalism to a higher level — one that protects and enhances the quality of life for every community across America.

Marty Cheek is the publisher of Life Media Group’s South Valley newspapers, Morgan Hill Life and Gilroy Life.