Where are you from?

It's kind of a long story, but I moved to the North Side from Chicago in 2016. I lived in Chicago for most of my adult life, but spent my teenage years in Guatemala and Mexico, and my childhood in western Colorado. 

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What are the primary responsibilities of your role? 

Managing the production of The Homepage

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Why is this job important to you and how does your educational, professional or personal background help you to do your job well? 

As I've watched national politics grow increasingly chaotic, I've become convinced that the most important things happen at the local and neighborhood level. Sometimes that can look like someone who "adopts" all the kids on her block and feeds them sandwiches and juice boxes all summer. It might be a group of parents who decide to petition the city to improve a playground or boost funding for their neighborhood school. Or maybe it's church members who pair up for walks after sunset to keep their streets safer. Neighborhood efforts can make a tremendous difference in people's quality of life. As managing editor of The Homepage, I am excited to tell the stories and amplify the efforts of neighbors who are making good things happen here. I want the paper to be an effective way for every reader to find out what they need to know to get involved, help others, get help and really connect.  

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What do you love about this neighborhood? 

I first started spending time in Hazelwood when my young-adult son became a student at Three Rivers Village School in 2019. He is disabled and had a lot of bad experiences in school over the years; finding TRVS was a true turning point in his life. Gradually I became familiar with the neighborhood parks and businesses, and got to know some of the people who live in the neighborhood. I like how even though Hazelwood is part of a city, it feels like a small town with a friendly and walkable business district where people can meet for coffee, use the library for job hunting or to research a school project, or catch up with a friend or neighbor at the beauty salon. I am eager to learn more about Hazelwood and everything going on here.