In a world dominated by digital noise and instant headlines, producing news that truly serves a local community is no small feat. This is exactly what our newspaper does, week after week, year after year, offering authentic, thoughtful and culturally rich stories for our Italian-Australian community.
Allora! is more than a newsletter or a magazine; it is a community enterprise built on dedication, passion, and a profound sense of responsibility. Every edition reflects countless hours of research, interviews, translation, and storytelling, undertaken by volunteers who balance this mountainous task alongside their personal and professional commitments. The sacrifices are real, yet the motivation is simple: to keep our community informed, connected and proud of its Italian heritage.
And yet, too often, people speak to us about “commercial ventures,” “businesses,” and “profits,” as if that is the framework by which we should operate. Allora! is not a business in the traditional sense. Its objectives are not financial gain but community service, cultural preservation and connection. When we ask for support, we might not have flashy headlines about ourselves, of how good we are or how many politicians we want to take a photo with at multicultural gala nights. We know that every story told, every profile written and every event covered is done with the intent to strengthened our community cohesion in ways that cannot be measured in dollars.
The very idea that we should be judged as a “business” undermines the heart of what we do: volunteer-driven, socially minded, and deeply committed to our people. It is frustrating that recognition for such labour often falls short. Those in positions to acknowledge the value of community media fail to see beyond the sacrifices and tireless effort that make authentic local journalism possible.
In an age where local news is non-existent and our community no longer has a voice, Allora! stands as a beacon of change. It deserves not just readership, but the support required for weekly printing and distribution.
And if government support is not forthcoming, let us at least acknowledge and support Allora! ourselves, because our community is immeasurably richer for its presence.
