Three Months of 'Hate Comes to Main Street' and a First Look at Next Steps
Recently, I hit the three-month milestone for this independent publication. Here's what I'm thinking now.
First, for my subscribers, a sneak peek at something I’m working on!
As part of my Hate Comes to Main Street project, I am now experimenting with expanding my reach to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. (Subscribe now!!!)
And I am working with a consultant to help me better tell my story and the story of this new expansion. Below, you can watch a segment of what will be a longer-form video we hope to publish in the coming weeks.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
Three months… and going strong!
Last week, I hit the three-month milestone for this independent publication, and I am really proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish.
That same week, my NewsChannel 5 photojournalist partner Bryan Staples and I had put the finishing touches on a two-part investigation—one about the role of extremists in a school shooting, the other about the warning signs for parents—when Bryan hit me with a well-timed question.
“What do you do to decompress?” he asked.
It was a question that caught me slightly off guard—because, to be honest, I have been charging ahead at full speed, leaving little time for anything else. I am as committed to my day job as ever, while also building something new here at Hate Comes to Main Street.
And to be clear, I am loving every minute of it.
After nearly three years of focusing on the rise of hate and political extremism in our society, I feel an urgency to use the knowledge that I have gained to sound the alarm for others. (See below my contribution to a CBC documentary.)
And it really is exciting to experiment with new ways of reaching the public.
Broadcasting, as you may have noticed, is now undergoing the same economic upheavals that newspapers experienced years ago. For me, it seems prudent to expand to other platforms so that I have options; while I likely would have a job at NewsChannel 5 as long as I would like, nothing is guaranteed these days.
So, THANK YOU to EVERYONE who has supported me in this exciting new endeavor! Whether you are a free subscriber or if you have chosen to put down a few dollars to be able to comment on my posts and support this work, please know how grateful I am. (And, as I’ll note shortly, I still need your help.)
Still, in response to Bryan’s question, I need to do better about taking time to decompress from this world of hate.
What’s next—and what you can do
First, I’m giving myself a little breathing room this coming week, as I prepare next steps and what I believe will be groundbreaking new material. If you support my work and sense how taxing it can be, I know you will understand.
Below, I have linked to the most popular posts from the first three months of Hate Comes to Main Street. I am sure that there may be important stories that you have missed. Please go back, then tell me what you think!
Secondly, my plan is to expand the frequency of guest essays, especially drawing on stories of people who have successfully stood up to hate in their communities. The “Hate in a Hallmark Town” post by Peggy Kingsbury was so well written and well received that I have asked others to add their voices.
Stay tuned for those personal stories in the near future.
FINALLY, please help me by continuing to subscribe and encouraging others to subscribe!!!
My literary agent tells me that my book proposal about my journey into the world of hate will go to publishers any day now—and demonstrating an ability to develop an audience is an important consideration in that process.
And, as always, if you have any thoughts on my work, please leave a comment. Your suggestions and your words of encouragement keep me going.