Dear Editor,
An editorial and a journalist report should be held to different standards for bias. The
Chronicle has been consistently deceptive on the connection between writer Anna Toon and the Springdale Farm, and your readers deserve for you to be upfront about this. Is this story [“
Urban Farmers Celebrate Renteria Win,” News, Dec. 19] meant to be an editorial or a report?
There is so much missing from this coverage that it cannot be sufficiently addressed here, but one point stands out. The longstanding community service of PODER and their commitment to East Austin are dismissed as easily as the claims of racism. Almanza and Llanes have worked across race and class lines probably more than any other group in town, with incredible results. Your reporting singled out and misleadingly labeled them as farm opponents, while silencing the 25 households that sought their help on the Springdale Farm zoning and outdoor entertainment issues. Your omission of this history and context tells a story that erases the struggle of the Eastside community, just as our story is being erased through racist city policies and the ongoing material displacement of our people.
I encourage a serious internal assessment of the privilege that this publication has, and the way it chooses to exercise this privilege. I also encourage taking the issue of racism in this city seriously and apply an honest assessment of where your perspective lies. Since you did not print my previous
letter in the paper, may I reiterate a question to you: How many people of color are on your news staff?