Last month Words without Borders reached a milestone in its history. We became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We have always operated as a nonprofit, but prior to this year, donations were made through our fiscal sponsor, Bard College. Why? Because up until now Words without Borders did not have the resources to operate as an independent nonprofit. Independent tax-free status comes with a lot of time-consuming reporting and other obligations, and up until recently, Words without Borders had only one full-time staff member.

All that has changed. We are now a full-time professional staff of four and our potential is immense. Those of you who have been with us for years have probably noticed some changes, from the small to the significant. I can promise you there is more to come, major changes in the way we publish and the way we interact with our readers that will help us further our mission to translate, publish, and promote the best international literature.  Being a 501(c)(3) helps because it allows us to do more fundraising, to speak to more foundations and government agencies, and, most importantly, it means that we'll be working more closely with our individual donors. 

We'll be taking full advantage of our new status on November 9, 2009, when we host our first fundraiser in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the release of our newest anthology The Wall in My Head. The event will take place at the gorgeous, recently restored Bohemian National Hall in New York City and will feature readings from the anthology by Paul Auster, Siri Hustvedt, and Peter Schneider.  Dean Wareham, musician and former frontman of the bands Galaxie 500 and Luna will DJ the post-dinner reception. 

We've already sold a lot of tickets in advance, but we want to make sure all of our supporters have a chance to attend, which is why we're making VIP and general admission tickets available right now so that those of you in New York who wish to attend can be sure to reserve a place. It promises to be a great event. 

Finally, I'd like to thank Bard College for their steadfast support over the years. We couldn't have come this far without them and we look forward to a continued partnership in the future.

Reading and Reception at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street. Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 7:00pm