NEW YORK, NY  (Nov. 10, 2022) – On Thursday, Nov. 3, nonprofit newsroom, THE CITY, hosted its first annual event, THE CITY Fest, at the Edison Ballroom in the heart of Manhattan’s theater district. 

“The voices of New Yorkers power our reporting and we wanted to celebrate that,” said Nic Dawes, executive director of THE CITY. “CITY Fest is not only about celebrating the type of journalism that holds the powerful to account, but also the kind of reporting that puts the people who make this great city what it is, front and center.”

The night opened with performances by Fogo Azul; New York City’s all-woman, trans, nonbinary samba reggae drumline, followed by a presentation of “Why I love New York City” quotes from the Miranda Family Foundation fellows and a performance by Chanese Elifé, a songwriter and “One-woman Band” hailing from Harlem. 

THE CITY’s editor-in-chief Richard Kim and Alyssa Katz, deputy editor, also held a lightning round conversation with labor reporter for THE CITY, Claudia Irizarry Aponte and news apps developer Sam Rabiyah. 

The evening closed with the Hell of a Town panel discussion on all things New York City with the co-hosts of FAQ NYC podcast; Harry Siegel, Christina Greer and Katie Honan, and special guest Luis Miranda, Jr. 

In June, THE CITY acquired the FAQ NYC podcast as part of its growth strategy. Founded in 2018 by Siegel, Greer and their colleagues Alex Brook Lynn and Azi Paybarah, the podcast explores the happenings and inner workings of the city with a spotlight on officials and New Yorkers and the roles they play in an evolving cast of characters that keep New York City going. Since the acquisition, Katz and Honan have joined as co-hosts. 

The latest episode of FAQ NYC features former governor Andrew Cuomo, where he discusses the future of the Democratic Party in New York and reflects on his time as governor.

“This is a vibrant city, with vibrant people with important stories to tell. THE CITY’s reporting captures that by making sure we’re producing the kinds of stories that help New Yorkers make sense of NYC and holds leaders accountable when they’re not delivering,” said Richard Kim, editor-in-chief of THE CITY. “It’s work we take pride in, are committed to and deserves to be supported.”

For more on THE CITY and their work to date, click here.

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ABOUT THE CITY: THE CITY (thecity.nyc) is a nonprofit digital news platform whose mission is to produce free-to-read, local reporting that serves the people of New York City. Launched in 2019 to fill critical local reporting gaps, THE CITY covers New York’s uncovered neighborhoods, holds the powerful to account, and helps make sense of the greatest city in the world. THE CITY Scoop, its flagship newsletter, is delivered weekdays and Sunday, while additional newsletters serve New Yorkers with news they can use on housing, jobs and civic engagement.