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Illustration: Florencia Capella

Our priority isn't viral journalism above all else ; it's reaching our community and rising to the challenge during this pandemic. That's why we've been thinking these past few days about what kind of support and monitoring we'll provide during this unprecedented situation. Since Presentes was founded—an independent, self-managed, and feminist media outlet—we've had a nomadic, remote, and regional newsroom, just like our coverage. With an office in Buenos Aires, our journalists also live in other provinces of Argentina, as well as in San Salvador, Lima, Guatemala City, Asunción, Mexico City, and Honduras . We're in constant communication with them, monitoring how the coronavirus is affecting LGBT+ people as a population group with its own unique characteristics, while also adapting our coverage from our respective quarantines.

The lack of access to basic rights such as housing and healthcare, as well as the precarious employment so prevalent—due to discrimination—for many lesbians and trans people, makes them particularly vulnerable, both to the virus and to the economic and psychosocial consequences of quarantine. Therefore, we intend to continue covering our daily agenda—which includes human rights violations against LGBTI+ people, public health policies, and access to rights—but also to provide coverage of the region during the pandemic. And this will be our commitment:

1- We are vigilant: the coronavirus must not encourage the violation of any human rights of any group or person. We advocate for a solidarity-based, not a policing, approach, building networks to care for each other and uphold the rights of all. 

1. The coronavirus cannot be used to justify the violation of any human rights of any group or person. We must be very vigilant against all forms of violence, including media violence. 

2- To tell the stories of those who are usually left out of hegemonic journalism, from an approach that problematizes how the intersectionality of discrimination and the lack of access to rights affects women, transvestites and trans people; LGBT people in a homeless situation; people living with HIV, older adults, indigenous women and dissidents, human rights defenders. 

3- To cover from a solidarity-based, not police-based, perspective, weaving networks to take care of each other and uphold the rights of all. 

4- Present information from an editorial standpoint that does not incite panic in headlines or in the way information is presented. In times of uncertainty, we don't know what's coming, but we do know that there cannot be a social construction of fear. 

5- Following the recommendations shared by newsrooms worldwide , and common sense, prioritize information over hypotheses and interpretations.

6- Defend quality journalism. In a context of historic global crisis, avoid generating “content” for the sake of it, just to jump on the bandwagon. 

7- Always ask ourselves what we can contribute. Focus on approaches and communication materials that make a contribution to the public conversation about coronavirus.  

8- Today more than ever, let's put our platform at the service of our community. Use social media to share initiatives and requests wherever there are needs. We are available to help spread the word. You can write to us at contacto@agenciapresentes.org 

9- We will recommend through our social networks the articles, podcasts and videos from other media that contribute to global coverage from responsible coverage. 

10- We firmly believe that collective work is key at this time. We must strive to generate the most collaborative coverage possible. This moment can be an opportunity to discover new narrative and organizational dynamics. 

Do you have a story you'd like to share? You can write to us at contacto@agenciapresentes.org 

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