Mike Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of The Southwester, at Arena Stage after moderating a panel on public safety and violence prevention in June 2024. Courtesy Thelma D. Jones

By Melissa Silverman

Since 2018, Mike Goodman has had a hand in creating each and every monthly issue of The Southwester, bringing local journalism to life with consistency and clarity. This issue marks his last as Editor-in-Chief, and reporters and editors who worked with him during his tenure shared their appreciation for his calm, reassuring manner and reliable leadership. Patient and practical, Goodman pursued stories large and small with the same grace and good humor throughout his time on the all-volunteer news team. 

Goodman first engaged with The Southwester as a reader, and while living in Capitol Park II, saw an ad seeking new editors. With a knack for copy editing, he applied for a position, interviewed, and was selected. After just a year of learning on the job, then-Editor-in-Chief Katelyn Anderson moved out of the neighborhood, and Goodman took the reins as Editor-in-Chief beginning in September 2019. After six years of service, including five in the top job, Goodman steps away this month. 

Other members of the all-volunteer staff shared these tributes. 

Matt Koehler, former Copy Editor

The night before my first deadline as a new copy editor, I was on the phone with Mike. It was a hard deadline and we were 1-2 stories, and a few photos, short of a full newspaper. It was somewhere past the opening bell of the witching hour. 

“What’s your lede?” Mike said over the phone. 

I was looking over some documents about crime and policing. Surely Mike could hear the gears of my brain grinding on the other end. The silence stretched out longer – several minutes. 

“Wait a minute! I just got a notification from [redacted]. We have an article with a picture. Talk about an 11th hour miracle.”

The paper went out on schedule the following week. Crisis averted. I had made it through my first issue – thanks to Mike. 

There was another time the following summer when we were all standing outside Carrollsburg, along with dozens of other people in the neighborhood, watching the north building burn. This was during Covid, so it had been a while since we’d seen each other in person, outside, and with lots of other people. While watching the flames blacken the side of the building, we both had the same thought: We need to cover this. 

Mike fostered good energy at The Southwester, and working with him made me feel like we were a part of something bigger. We produced actual news, told real stories. It was a time in my writing career that I felt most in-tune with that thing all writers aspire to – saying something meaningful and universal about the world that other people identify with. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to pursue these meaningful, universal, and real life stories without Mike’s encouragement. 

Mike and I, at least for our part, accomplished a lot of what good local journalism is supposed to be about: informing the public and hopefully driving some positive change. We reported on many stories we felt strongly about, bike lanes, Vulcan, and The Press, to name a few. We covered DC elections, pro eSports, and protests, too. The list goes on. We were a great news team and to this day, I appreciate to the very bottom of my heart having spent that time producing community news with him – mostly during covid! 

Thelma D. Jones, columnist, writer and community leader

Mike’s tenure as our dedicated and committed editor of The Southwester has been more than stellar. Our community has grown in vigor and greater unity because of his steadfast efforts in highlighting articles from a diverse group of community residents on matters that affect us all, thereby helping to maintain a level of trust which is always at stake for our marginalized Southwest residents. 

I will miss my friend and comrade’s six years of late-night emails, gentle reminders when my masterpiece — at least that’s how I regarded it — hadn’t been submitted. I will no doubt miss feeling his keen sense of fairness as a thought leader and consideration for neighbors who may not be able to access stories online. 

Together, we brought joy and shared information on a range of subjects, including youth and scholarship activities, breast cancer and the importance of early detection which creates better outcomes, Black History celebration stories, profiles of Southwest residents and upcoming events, and welcomed new writers like Una Yarsky, Paula Young Shelton, Amber Stewart, and representatives from Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Howard University. 

No one could tell my story like Mike. There are memorable articles that I will forever cherish and have proudly distributed in my hometown of Snow Hill, NC, my college town of Durham, NC, to my former colleagues at the World Bank Group, and throughout the country and the world.

In a community of a clear delineation of the “haves and have nots,” Mike’s understanding of humanity and social justice with very little need for public recognition and his focus on ensuring equity and giving everyone a voice in the process is commendable and far exceeds the average citizen. With a manner that could be at times quiet and unassuming, Mike has not sought the limelight, but instead sought justice steadfastly even while no doubt receiving pressure from others to pursue a different course of action which is less inclusive. Kudos! 

Donna Purchase, Chair of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA)

On behalf of the SWNA board, we wish a heartfelt farewell to Michael (Mike) Goodman, a valued member of the SWNA team as the volunteer Editor-in-Chief of The Southwester. 

Even though Mike has not been in the spotlight, he has been the backbone of The Southwester. We are forever thankful for the time he has given.  His contributions have been immense and tremendous. But this is not goodbye!  Looking forward to seeing Mike and his family around the neighborhood.

New Team Steps Up to Lead Southwester

As Mike Goodman passes the torch after six years with The Southwester, the paper’s new Editor-in-Chief will be Melissa Silverman. A Southwest resident since 2018, Melissa has served as an editor of The Southwester for the last three years. She is looking forward to continuing to share the neighborhood’s stories and can be reached at editor@thesouthwester.com

As part of the new leadership team, lifelong Southwest resident and SWNA Scholarship recipient Una Yarsky will take on the role of Managing Editor. Una is a graduate of Hunter College with plans to continue her study of medicine. 

In addition, Fredo Vasquez will take on the new position of Photo Editor. A regular contributor to The Southwester, he has lived in Southwest DC since 2010. Fredo and Melissa have been married for seven years. Follow @thesouthwester on Instagram, and tag the newspaper in your posts and stories for a chance to be featured.

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