The Sonoma County Free Press is an online community dedicated to peace, justice, and sustainability for all. We are based in Occidental, CA.

We have a legacy of activism. In 1986, the small community of Cazadero in western Sonoma County, California, found itself under siege by law enforcement in a military-style operation. The target? A few small-scale marijuana growers. Interestingly, seven out of the nine people arrested were activists focused on social justice and environmental issues. Carol and Michael Miller, two of these activists, took the legal route to challenge the operation but were unsuccessful. However, their efforts sparked a much-needed conversation about marijuana cultivation, including its medical use.

During this period, Mary Moore's editorial column, "Granma Nudge," was a staple in the Sonoma County PEACE PRESS. When the editorial board declined to publish her column discussing the Cazadero events, citing concerns about alienating readers, it became clear that Sonoma County lacked a platform for discussing controversial topics. This gap led to the birth of the Sonoma County Free Press, funded by a generous $1,000 donation from a concerned individual.

For a decade, the Free Press served as a platform for discussing a wide range of issues, from corporate influence to social justice. The publication's impact was evident when California passed Proposition 215, the Medical Marijuana Initiative, with strong support from Sonoma County.

As we transition into the digital realm, we face ethical dilemmas. While the internet offers a cost-effective way to reach a broader audience, it also excludes those without access to technology. We've researched low-cost or free internet access points in communities where our paper version was distributed, but the list is disappointingly short. As we navigate this new digital landscape, we urge tech-savvy activists to help make the internet more accessible to marginalized communities.

Our primary objective remains the same: to provide a diverse forum for discussing social and political issues. We aim to highlight the efforts of local activists, introduce a national perspective into local struggles, and secure financial support to bring our publication back to print. Despite the challenges, our commitment to alternative journalism remains steadfast, and we hope to find supporters who share our vision.

• Too Many Police Shootings: More than a Few Bad Apples
• Chass Family Wrongful Death Suit
• Chass: The Family’s Story
• The Byne Report: The Chass Cover-up
• ACLU: Ten Principles for an Effective Citizen Review Board
• NAACP Statement to Sonoma County Leaders & Community
• Sheriffs: Local Resources for Crisis Intervention Training from National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Reports on the First National Cop Watch
• An Open Letter to Closed Meetings
• Living and Dying in Zero Tolerance Times
• WE SUPPORT THE OCTOBER 2011 MOVEMENT!
• Without Justice, There Can Be No Peace: In Conversation with Mary Moore; Interview by Debra Birkinshaw, Board Member, Peach and Justice Center of Sonoma County. Mary Moore became an activist after experiencing racial bias that resulted in losing custody of her children. She details her long history of activism in different causes in California.