Dear Ambush Nation,
I hope this issue of Ambush finds you and your family both healthy and safe. These are strange times we are living in and hopefully things will get back to normal soon. Although, I don’t think normal will be what it was before this pandemic arrived. I think of everything after COVID-19 as America 2.0 and in this new normal, things will be different for everyone.
There are so many members of our community that are currently unemployed and have no idea when they will find employment again. The streets of the French Quarter are empty and void of tourists. When will they return? When will businesses be able to open to full capacity? When can bars open and at what capacity? When will live entertainment be allowed? When can I catch a drag show to watch some of my favorite entertainers? Where can we congregate as a community to share our stories and love for one another? There are so many questions and too few answers at the moment.
The one thing we all need to remember is that we are all in this together, both individuals and businesses alike. Members of the LGBTQ community have always come together to help each other in times of difficulties and now is no different.
You can see people going above and beyond to help others in need all around. You need look no further than the CrescentCity.com Meal Assistance Program spearheaded by Sarah Manowitz, General Manager of Oz New Orleans, and Reed Wendorf, Editor-in-Chief of Ambush Magazine. Both of these individuals along with a team of volunteers have been working each week to provide free meals to over 1,000 individuals in our community. Everyone working on this program should be commended for their hard work and dedication.
As LGBTQ owned businesses begin to reopen, it is important that we support them when and where we can. This includes everything from restaurants, bars, tour companies, clothing stores and everything in between. Ambush is no different, as these are trying times for us as well, which is evident by the fact that this is the first print issue we have distributed since March.
If we are going to continue to be a voice for our community and provide you with quality content, we need businesses who are able to support us by spending some of their advertising dollars with us.
We are thankful for the numerous businesses who have supported us throughout the years, but now is the time for others to step up and help if they can. I don’t want to imagine a world without Ambush. However, in America 2.0 it is simply no longer feasible to continue to operate at a loss. If you own a business and are interested in advertising, or know of someone who may be interested in advertising, please contact us at sales@ambushpublishing.com. Ambush has been a staple of the LGBTQ community for 38 years, and we hope to be around for many years to come.
Again, I hope you and your family are both healthy and safe. And please help your neighbors and members of your community who are in need. As I always say, If we aren’t here to help each other then why are we here?
