An elegant fundraiser and miles to go

Posted on November 30, 2025 by beenasarwar

Sharing a report about a lovely event to benefit Sapan News, started on a voluntary basis in August 2021. Since becoming a member of professional journalist bodies like INN since2023, Sapan News is eligible to join NewsMatch, a fund that supports 475+ nonprofit newsrooms across the USA. Generous guests that evening contributed for a total of $6K. We need $1,500 more by ‘Giving Tuesday’, Dec. 2, to reach $7,500. The year-end goal is $15K. To help out, please go to this link or click the button below.

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PRESS RELEASE

Fundraiser for a Southasian nonprofit newsroom at a Boston photography museum 

BOSTON: The third Sapan News year-end fundraiser kicked off in the Boston area with a gathering over drinks, dinner, art and music at the quaint Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester MA, the hometown of the event host Tasneem Chipty.

The Griffin Museum of Photography: A picturesque venue. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Chipty, a well-regarded antitrust economist, has hosted house parties at her own home over the past two years to raise support for Sapan News when the Southasia-focused syndicated features service first began fundraising in 2023. 

What drew her to the cause, she said in her introductory remarks, was the organization’s commitment to building bridges in a fractured world. To elevate the fundraising event, she chose the Griffin, founded by Arthur Griffin, a 1930s’ photographer for the Boston Globe and photojournalist for Life and Time magazines.

Sapan News began as a voluntary media outlet in August 2021, sending out syndicated features to other media outlets around the globe in an effort to amplify the cause of peace, dialogue and collaboration.

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ChanukahForCeasefire; a Jewel in Ivory in Berlin; #SapanforSAARC this Sunday; and the NewsMatch challenge for Sapan News

Posted on December 10, 2023 by beenasarwar

Greetings to those observing Hanukah and salute to those participating in #ChanukahForCeasefire demonstrations around the United States. Thousands of Jews have been lighting candles at #ChanukahForCeasefire gatherings, coming together “to mourn, find hope, and fight on — for ceasefire, freedom for all held captive, and an end to siege on Gaza,” says IfNotNow, a movement of American Jews “organizing for equality, justice, and a thriving future for all: our neighbors, ourselves, Palestinians, and Israelis.” To find one near you, go to: https://innmvmt.org/chanukah.

Such actions, and those of thousands including high school students marching around the world to call for #ceasefirenow, provide hope in a world that feels heavy. It is unbearable to think of the thousands killed, maimed and displaced in conflict areas, especially children.

Public opinion worldwide is clearly for #CeasefireNow, calls being ignored by those who could stop the bombing that continues to claim lives. What can we do? Hold on to ourselves and do what we can, where we can, when we can. Inform ourselves, share information – double-check before sharing so we don’t pass on #fakenews — donate to causes, participate in public actions.

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