KeeNotes: ‘Thank you for letting me tell your stories’

I knew I wanted to major in journalism when I was a sophomore in high school. I was researching which major would lead me to a career in the publishing business, and I came across journalism. So, naively, I thought that journalism would simply be a stepping stone to my career as a famous, taxi-hailing, book-editing New Yorker. Then I arrived in my first journalism class at Augustana University, and my perspective shifted.

I no longer saw journalism as the ‘dying’ art of print newspapers or seemingly perfect and shiny broadcast news anchors. I saw it as a vitally important form of storytelling. But, in this case, the stories are about real people and real places. 

I’ve had the opportunity to tell so many powerful stories. I’ve written about a doctor who worked in a COVID-19 unit for 18 days straight, an Augustana graduate turned Rhodes Scholar and how the pandemic affected international students. I’ve interviewed former Minnesota Viking Chad Greenway, Bishop Munib Younan of the ELCA Lutheran Church and the reporters behind the infamous Argus 911 Twitter account. 

Of course, that’s only a small glimpse into all the people, places and situations I’ve been lucky enough to write about. 

And now I’d like to continue telling those stories here in Brandon.

Already, I’ve met so many welcoming people here—from residents to city officials to Chamber members. And I’ve had the opportunity to tell your stories—from the Jewish celebration of Sukkot to a high school student interning for a political campaign to our city’s code enforcer winning a prestigious award. 

And it’s these stories that make a difference. These are the stories that matter to the community and to the people I’m writing about. I was lucky enough to have two of my story subjects tell me that they appreciated my writing. It’s hard to put into words what that means to me. Maybe that heart-warming feeling will go away after years of reporting, but I doubt it. Knowing that I’m writing pieces that people are reading and enjoying is a wonderful feeling, and I’m so grateful I get to do it for a living. 

So, thank you in advance for letting me tell your stories. Thank you for letting me drive around your town with my Minnesota license plate and the Augustana parking sticker I just can’t seem to scrape off. Thank you for welcoming me into your community. I’m so excited to continue to tell your stories, Brandon, and I promise to do so empathetically and honestly.