Hi friends,
This week marks two back-to-school milestones in my house: my eldest daughter started kindergarten, and I started my Master’s in Creative Nonfiction at Hunter College—a program with a <2% acceptance rate. It’s a dream 13 years in the making.
But it’s also the first anniversary for this newsletter. I launched Port of Entry on September 4th of last year, with little expectation other than to share stories that matter. Since then, pieces from this newsletter have been republished in other outlets (here and here), our community has grown to over 550 readers, and this project has encouraged me to take a leap: turning Port of Entry Media into a full-fledged media business.
Stories about immigrants, migrants, and diaspora communities have been the backbone of my career in journalism. This newsletter is the creative, journalistic arm of Port of Entry Media. But I’m also working on launching a content + communications agency arm—to help nonprofits, small businesses, and individuals tell their own stories of heritage, identity, and mission.
I draw this from my work both as a journalist and as a communications professional who has worked with organizations like The Asia Foundation, The World Food Programme, the South Asian Council for Social Services, and the Center for Reproductive Rights.
And here’s how you can help:
✨ Become a paid subscriber.
Paid subscriptions make this newsletter sustainable and allow me to keep producing in-depth essays, reported features, and diaspora dialogues. For now, my posts are free for a week after which they go behind a paywall. A year in feels like the perfect time to say: if you’ve been meaning to upgrade to a paid subscription, now’s the moment. Your support makes all the difference in keeping Port of Entry going strong. 💌
✨ Hire me as a writing coach.
I just onboarded a new client and have space for a few more. If you’re working on a book, essays, or need help honing your writing voice, I’d love to support you.
✨ Bring me on for communications consulting.
I help nonprofits and mission-driven orgs sharpen their digital storytelling and communications strategies. If you know someone who could use support, I’d love an introduction.
📩 You can always reach me at Jennifer@portofentrymedia.com.
Thank you for being here, whether you joined last year or just signed up this week. Every open, share, and note of encouragement has made it possible for me to imagine a bigger vision for Port of Entry. Here’s to the next chapter—one that’s been 13 years (and one very big kindergarten drop-off) in the making.
With gratitude,
Jennifer
Congratulations 🎊 Keep up with the good work.
Congratulations! I enjoyed reading your article on Muslim fashion too. Many of the points you mentioned within the piece also inspired me to create my own fashion magazine called MODEST. If I had known about this article in the past, I’d have included it in my thesis for the project. :)