Hannah Beckler, senior editor of investigations for Business Insider, was accustomed to getting questions from colleagues about how to get information about government agencies. Her go-to response was “FOIA and find out.” She said it so much that in 2022 her husband gave her a custom-made sweatshirt with the phrase for Christmas.
“I wore it in the newsroom and a colleague took a picture and to Twitter, and it unexpectedly resonated,” Beckler said.
Merchandise company Raygun saw the tweet and offered to print it on T-shirts. The company now gives proceeds of its sales of “FOIA and Find Out” shirts to the National Freedom of Information Coalition.
We’re looking for merchandise to boost next year’s Sunshine Week celebration. Do you have a clever FOIA saying, or logo? If so, you can win $500.
MuckRock and the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project are teaming up to find the best logos and slogans for national Sunshine Week, coming up March 16-22. The logos will be used for Sunshine Week merch, and Brechner is offering prizes: first place gets $500, second $300 and third $200.
We’re looking for creative submissions like MuckRock’s “Got docs?” shirts, or the FOIA laws shirt listing various public record law names.
MuckRock will also be accepting submissions for logo ideas for Data Liberation Project merchandise, with the prize winner receiving $300.
So break out your creativity and go to town. We are accepting submissions for the contest until Jan. 15. To apply, fill out this Google form.