Catherine Zahm
PO Box 22871
Carmel, CA 93922
Afmonterey.org
November 1, 2025
To Readers
French Connexion
PO Box 22871
Carmel, CA 93922
Dear Readers of the French Connexion Bulletin,
I am writing on behalf of the Alliance Française of the Monterey Peninsula’s Executive Committee to publicly apologize for the recent article published in the French Connexion titled « Wine Tasting » which was subsequently retracted. We take full responsibility for the content of this piece and deeply regret any adverse impact it may have had on our readers and the individuals referenced within the article.
The article contained a fictitious report of an activity that was intended by the author to be a humorous story but never actually happened. The execution fell short, resulting in misleading information that did not meet the standards of integrity that our publication strives to uphold. More importantly, we recognize that our organization is committed to fostering respect and inclusivity for all members and cultures, as well as embracing diversity in our storytelling and perspectives. The failure to adhere to these values in our reporting is particularly disappointing.
The mission of the Alliance Française of the Monterey Peninsula is to share, celebrate, and promote the French language and the cultures of the French-speaking world by fostering a community for Francophones and Francophiles to connect, learn and exchange through classes, events, and cultural activities.
We understand that the fabricated story did not represent our goals and may have caused distress to those involved. To ensure this does not happen again, we are implementing additional editorial review processes and reinforcing our commitment to diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of our organization.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding. We are dedicated to learning from this experience and improving our practices to better serve our community and uphold the values we hold dear.
Sincerely,
Catherine Zahm, President
Jocelyne Muson, 1st Vice-President
David Payne, 2nd Vice-President
Bill Clancey, Treasurer
Sheree Goldman, Secretary