In April 2021, I sat in Cordova City Hall during the premiere of “Winds of Change: Rebuilding From Tragedy.” The full-length documentary featured the story, not only of the 2011 tornadoes that tore through the small Walker County town, but also the ten-year rebuilding process.
What I remember most about that evening in Cordova was the emotion that filled the room as the end credits rolled across the screen. It was and is one of the proudest moments of my professional life. While “Winds of Change” was not my idea, I was honored to have produced something that meant so much to the people around me.
As a one-off project, it gave me pure joy knowing that I contributed to it in such a meaningful way. Over the last three years, I was a part of some other truly amazing things as we set the standard for what high school football coverage in Alabama looked like.
As the creative-force behind the wildly popular PrepZone brand, I was given the chance each week to work with and coach high school kids on being in front of a camera. I knew what we were, both in scope and reach, but I knew that for kids who likely would never see something like “SEC Media Days” or “College Gameday,” it was their opportunity to get a small taste of that experience before the end of their football careers.
I looked at that, not as a job, but as a responsibility to my community. It was my way of impacting people in a way that would last a lifetime. That meant something to me.
In February, I was faced with the reality that my time of making a difference was over. I don’t have a college degree. As a writer, producer, videographer, editor, graphic designer and photographer, I’m self taught. I learned really quick that desire will only get you so far on the open job market.
As I write this, days before The Community Journal launches and you all read this, it is well past midnight and I have to be at work at 11:30 am for my closing shift. I have a great job, one that I’ve heard a lot of people would love to have. Not only that, I work with some amazing people – funny, genuine and caring. Additionally, I make significantly more money than I did at my last job as the social media coordinator.
But, I look back on my decision to leave Charter Communications in 2019 when I took a significant pay cut to chase a dream. Sure, we all want more money, now more than ever with the current rate of inflation. But, what good is money if you spend your life unfulfilled.
I never took an off day in three years. Every holiday, every family vacation, every road trip and even on my honeymoon, my laptop came with me. I contributed something for 365 days a year for three years. Yet, I never “worked” a day during that time. The reason for that is that I genuinely loved what I did.
It mattered.
James Phillips and I are launching The Community Journal with no financial backing. We are both working full time jobs, dealing with family and he with physical recovery while we launch this experiment. Do I hope one day to see it become successful and allow us to do this for a living once again? Absolutely. But, it’s not about that.
After my time with my previous employer, I feel called to contribute and serve my community in whatever way I can. The Community Journal is my way of doing that in a manner that reaches the people of Walker County every day.
For me, it matters. For James, it matters. We live here. We love this place and want to present it in the best light possible while inovating and changing what it means to be a news source in small town Alabama
Have I screwed up? Absolutely. Will I screw up again? Without question. But, I make you this promise, as long as I am involved with The Community Journal, my motto to myself and to everyone who contributes will be the same.
“Make it mean something.” No matter what it is, no matter what it is about, make it mean something. Make it matter.
Because Walker County matters and because you matter.
As a founder and co-owner of The Community Journal, I want you to know my door is always open. Well, my proverbial door. We can’t exactly afford a physical office yet. But, always feel free to reach out to me through Facebook, Twitter or my email, [email protected]. Let me know what you like, didn’t like, want to see more of or anything. The Community Journal truly is your news source and you deserve to have a voice is what direction it takes.
