The coronavirus has impacted everyone to some capacity. Especially in Los Angeles County, some things we used to get to do every day are things we rarely have the chance to enjoy anymore. One of those things for me was getting to be in my newsroom at El Camino College and work with my staff in person to write, produce and edit stories for the El Camino community.

It has been more than one month since classes have been moved online and the campus closed at El Camino College. The Union has also been impacted greatly as we have suspended printing for the rest of the semester. That’s a big hit, especially when our No. 1 goal as a student-run, local newspaper is to keep our community informed.

So, we’re launching a newsletter. Every two weeks, you can expect a few of our top stories delivered right to your inbox. With the impacts of the coronavirus far-reaching, The Union has also expanded its scope of coverage to include countless communities where El Camino College’s students, professors, employees and community members live. In the past, a lot of our coverage was limited to our campus but this new editorial expansion includes more coverage on coronavirus and its impacts on cities in LA County including Gardena, Hawthorne, Torrance, Inglewood, Carson, Lawndale, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.

Now, more than ever, people are reading the news. People care about the daily updates and we’re here to provide that. You can count on continued local reporting, dogged journalism and a few fun stories on the side — we’re also launching Editor’s Choice: each week our editorial board will make a playlist comprised of a few songs to describe a mood we’re feeling during this period of quarantine and pandemic. We hope to, in some way, lighten the mood during what’s been a difficult time for many.

It can seem like there are a lot of negatives right now, but we grow stronger as individuals when we become closer with our community. While that may not be a possibility in person, we hope to be the bridge to connect you to the people, the news and information you may not be getting anymore.

To read our first newsletter issue and subscribe to The Union, click here.

Also, if you have thoughts and opinions about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts, we want to hear from you. Is it affecting your daily life, mental health, employment or academics? Fill out the below form to be contacted by a reporter to share your experiences with us and possibly be featured in a story!

Warm Regards,

Omar Rashad
Editor-in-Chief, The Union
[email protected]