Uncategorized
by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons and Creatives Rebuild New York

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons and Creatives Rebuild New York

2023 was one of more embittering, infuriating and maddening years in recent memory for me. And it probably doesn’t help that with this line of work. it’s all too easy to battle and endure feelings of loneliness, despair and failure; to feel and believe that you’re an imposter. I’ve personally found it to be a brutal, unforgiving and wildly interesting life and career path that can’t — and will never — compare to most other jobs I’ve ever had. And I’ve had quite a few of them in my life!

The Joy of Violent Movement turns 14 in June. 14 years of doing anything is a very long time. It’s a close to a quarter of my life. For the blogosphere that’s roughly between 10-139 lifetimes. It hasn’t always been easy. There have been moments, where it felt impossible to manage this thing, to keep it going. To be frank, as the kids say “the math ain’t mathing.” But what I can say is this: I’ve felt and believed that I needed to go out on my own because I didn’t believe — or feel — as though I’d get a fair shot to do this work anyplace else. 

I’ve long felt a strong desire — and need — to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic, global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young Black boy in Corona, Queens. Sadly, when I read my favorite music magazines and sites, I didn’t always see that covered or represented. From experience as a music journalist and working in book publishing, I’ve learned that you can demand fairness, diversity and inclusion, but the powers in control can ignore you. So, sometimes you have to grit your teeth and just do it your own damn self, you know?

Now, when I started JOVM back in 2010, I didn’t — and just couldn’t have — imagined the majority of the things I’ve experienced and covered throughout the site’s history to have happened. 

What will year 14 hold for JOVM? Hell, I don’t really know. Plus, I turn 45 in March. So, it’s also a milestone year. My hope is always for bigger and better for the site and for y’all as readers. 

Of course, with your support I can keep this unique space going. Now, I’ve said this ad infinitum through site and on my social media feeds: All work — including creative work — is impossible without money. The old adage is true: Time is money. Effort is money. And it costs money for the thing(s) that you need to actually do the work. 

If you’ve been frequenting this site over the past handful of years, there are a handful of folks I want to thank once again for their support:  

  • Sash
  • Alice Northover
  • Bella Fox
  • Jenny MacRostie
  • Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism, photojournalism, and criticism alive and ongoing. 

So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. Whatever you can give is appreciated and will help. Independent journalists and artists are small businesses. And supporting small businesses survive and become sustainable is desperately needed — especially if they’re Black businesses. 

Additionally, I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

Frankly, I haven’t been able to thank them enough. But I’ll be grateful for the program for the rest of my life. 

There are several other ways that you can support this site and my work. You can also support by checking the JOVM shop. I sell prints in various sizes. I also have bumper stickers. Check it out: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

You can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.

I’m an Eargasm Earplugs Earinflunecer. Buy a pair, protect your hearing and save 10% by clicking on this code: https://lnkd.in/ewX8ezKZ. I do get a percentage of each sale from that discount code.

Discover more from The Joy of Violent Movement

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Tagged with: