Hello! You'll recall that the ongoing Change.org petition to name the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for Emperor Norton was the impetus for the creation of a new organization, THE EMPEROR'S BRIDGE CAMPAIGN, launched in September 2013. The Campaign remains "on task" in the call to name the Bay Bridge for the Emperor. But we also are "building out" this call into a larger mission that includes historic research and documentation; public education; cultural visioning; and advocacy related to Emperor Norton — efforts intended to foster public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the *full* life and legacy of the Emperor. :: :: :: A couple of weeks ago, the Campaign filed Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State. We received word yesterday that our Articles have been approved. > > > The Emperor's Bridge Campaign now is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.< < < From the earliest days, the Campaign has expressed its desire and intention to lay the organizational foundation that would enable the Campaign to establish itself as the leading public resource on Emperor Norton. This is a key milestone along that path. :: :: :: A sidebar... The State of California's use of the word "nonprofit" in this context can be a little confusing. Under the state's Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, our being a "nonprofit public benefit corporation" *does* obligate the Campaign to operate as though we were a 501(c). Actually *becoming* a 501(c) and achieving federal tax-exempt status is a separate process involving the I.R.S. We're preparing those papers now. :: :: :: Thanks so much to our core supporters — and, of course, to our attorney — who have worked to draft, develop and finalize the Campaign's founding documents, including our Articles of Incorporation. All of these efforts were instrumental in producing the positive result that we're delighted to report today. Are you on the Campaign's email list to receive our occasional newsletters? If not, please consider signing up at http://www.EmperorsBridge.org/signup. (For past newsletters, see http://ow.ly/E2qSR.) You also can find or follow us on: Facebook > > > https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmperorsBridge Twitter > > > https://twitter.com/EmperorsBridge Onward! JOHN LUMEA The Emperor's Bridge Campaign