Thirty years ago, when we printed the first issue of Inside, I had no grand plan. I had an idea, a belief and the drive to create something that didn’t exist, a publication that celebrated the city neighborhood by neighborhood, story by story, in a way that felt authentic.
We started small and grew organically. Today we’re the largest circulation print publication in Northern California.
What I didn’t know was how this work would shape my life.
When people ask why I’m still committed to print, I think back to the time someone told me print would soon be obsolete. It was the mid-1990s. The internet was barely a toddler. Smartphones were a decade away. “Everything will be online,” they said. “Print is old news.”
The prediction felt shortsighted. Sacramento is a city of neighborhoods, relationships, families, parks, small businesses, porch conversations and traditions. To me, print was—and is—the ideal medium for capturing the city’s spirit.
Print is physical, delivered into homes, something you can hold while sipping coffee or relaxing on the couch. A slower, quieter, more personal way to communicate.
Three decades later, I know print still matters. Our journalism outlasted several recessions, the arrival of social media, waves of consolidation and a brutal advertising environment that wiped out once-mighty publications, from the Bee to the News & Review and Sacramento Magazine.
As the tide moved in one direction, we moved in another. We stayed small, local, independent and committed to telling local stories in print. We adopted “100% Local” as our motto during the pandemic.
When Inside began, I couldn’t imagine the evolution that would happen in Sacramento—new neighborhoods, revived corridors, small business growth, strengthened parks, a blossoming arts scene and residents determined to improve the city.
For the last three decades, I’ve interviewed every mayor, councilmember, supervisor and city manager. I’ve sat at kitchen tables with homeowners restoring historic bungalows and walked through gardens tended by volunteers.
I’ve listened to small business owners share stories of risk, resilience and reinvention. I’ve heard nonprofit leaders describe the struggles and successes that come from serving our most vulnerable neighbors.
These people are why we do this work.
I’ve lost count of how many times people approach me and say, “Don’t stop printing. Inside is a vital part of our community.”
Those words mean more than people realize. They are reminders that the work is worth it—even when the environment is difficult.
Print requires a different kind of attention. It slows life down. It offers reflection rather than reaction. In a world overflowing with digital noise, print’s slowness isn’t antiquated. It’s refreshing.
Three decades brought countless lessons. I learned the power of local voices and the necessity of preserving space for them. I saw how neighborhood advocates impact city policies.
We’ve seen leaders succeed and stumble. I’ve gained respect for people who work behind the scenes to make the city safer, cleaner, more beautiful, more equitable.
I’ve learned local journalism isn’t just about reporting news. It’s about connection and accountability. It’s about paying attention and not letting amnesia set in on commitments made by political leaders. It’s about giving residents a sense of pride in their neighborhoods.
Publishing has drawn me into civic issues I was never passionate about—land use, public safety, homelessness, transportation, parks, preservation, governance. These are the realities that shape daily life. Being engaged in these topics has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my career.
To our readers: Thank you. Thank you for your loyalty, your notes of encouragement. I savor them in rough patches.
Thank you for picking up the magazine month after month, sharing articles with neighbors, supporting our advertisers and believing in community-based journalism.
I’m entering my 70th year and just got remarried. I found a wonderful man to share interests, insights, humor and adventures. Falling in love again at my age has been a joy!
Inside’s handful of dedicated staffers—many with me for decades—make complicated tasks look simple.
Because of our staffs’ and contributors’ expertise, I’ve stepped into semi-retirement and just handle editorial planning, writing and cover-art selections. Working with our production and writing team is a pleasure.
Thirty years is a milestone, but not an ending. Sacramento is growing, striving, filled with people worth writing about. As long as you invite us into your homes, as long as small business advertisers support us, we’ll keep printing.
Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
