Independent Civic Creator: The Mission to Bring You The Brie-fing Full-Time
From Baby Bird to Band of Brie-fers: We're Six Months Old!
When The Brie-fing started, I felt like a baby bird.
It's kinda cute but almost ridiculous, thinking back; pressing Publish those first few times nearly induced panic attacks. It wasn't my first time having a platform (I had 200K on TikTok back in the day), but it felt so much more important with Substack… something about writing requiring a piece of your soul, I suspect. The transparency of that…
Three things took the panic away: One was the sheer number of random Substack strangers who were just there, immediately, ready to pass on encouragement and advice. Never in my life has an app/platform/website/community been more welcoming. I know Substack isn't perfect, and to be honest, I find the features lacking… but the PEOPLE!! The people here are just… gah, just, THANK YOU. All of you.
More of the panic dissipated as time went on and the reality became clear; Fear just won't do a damn bit of good here. We're already in it. This is already happening. I read about this stuff when I was a kid, and I remember promising myself that I'd never, ever stay silent.
I can't disappoint that kid now. This is core to me.
One more thing took the anxiety away… and to be honest, it took the imposter syndrome with it too:
I'm good at this. I can do it.
Turns out, the only one who needed convincing was me (whomever is reading this, please be kinder to yourself today). So, here we are- six months later, and I can finally tell you with confidence what this is, and why it's worth supporting.
Along with the Trump administration, The Brie-fing has just passed the six-month mark. I'm filled with gratitude and proud to report that we started strong 😊
The Brie-fing: 6 Month Stats
Followers
Number of Posts - 70+
Number of Videos - 80+
The Unique Value Proposition (UVP) has come into focus organically over the last 6 months, and it's going to direct my work going forward:
“The Brie-fing offers rigorous, unflinching political truth-telling delivered in a deeply personal, emotionally resonant voice; an independent, community-supported space where readers get the hard facts and the honest outrage (or hope) they need to make sense of a chaotic world.”
Pay to Support, Not to See
While I did charge for the Archive Journal ($8.88 at first, now $1.99), I still find myself uncomfortable with charging at all - I'm strongly considering making it free as well. I've always believed that integrity is more important than success; Speaking only for myself, I’d rather you give me money because you support the work, not because you want to see it.
I respect (begrudgingly) the rules of capitalism; I understand that success will come slower with this method (if at all), and that's okay. I am INCREDULOUS AND BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR MY THIRTEEN (13) PAID SUBSCRIBERS (who have been hereby named the Band of Brie-fers lol), who have the means and believe in me enough to support me with money.
They didn't give to beat a paywall… they like my writing!!! I'm unbelievably honored. Their contributions keep the dream of going full-time alive in my heart, feeling like a real possibility, while every single follower/subscriber keeps helping it spread and grow.
Taking My Shot
This brings us to you, reading this right now: I hope you'll consider supporting The Brie-fing however you're able; whether by following on social media, becoming a free or paid subscriber, or simply pressing buttons after you read! Your support makes this thing move, and your eyeballs are the reason I'm here.
I am on a mission to become a full-time Independent Civic Creator. My methods will change and I’ll grow as I learn, but here are the traits you can count on:
Intense Honesty & Moral Clarity
Deep Research & Factual Rigor
Emotional Intelligence & Relatability
Unwavering Independent Stance
I believe all people are created equal.
We are living through one of the most momentous periods of change in American history; I hope you'll join The Brie-fing in bearing witness and speaking truth.
Thank you ❤️
P.S. - The Brie-fing has a YouTube channel :) It’s sparse for now, but I’ll be introducing long-form video VERY soon! Follow along pretty please!
You were the first Substack writer I subscribed to way back when. I am glad I did, Brie. Keep up the great work!❤️
This piece was inspiring in a very personal way. Thank you for writing and sharing this with us. By the way, I enjoy your writing.