People in the Park Cities work hard and enjoy a good story. I shared lots of compelling stories while working for Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People from 2019 to 2023.
Temple Emanu-El cantor Vicky Glikin told me about traveling to Poland to support Ukrainian refugees during Passover, and Kunthear Mam-Douglas spoke to me about retracing her family’s escape from Cambodia while the country suffered under the Khmer Rouge regime.
I watched Park Cities families struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic with the decision of how to balance their children’s safety and ability to learn.
I interviewed candidates for office, tracked down the source of a controversial mailer during a contentious school board race, and met with an explorer who D Magazine dubbed “the most interesting man in Dallas.”
I left People Newspapers in 2023 to work as a digital producer at WFAA, where I kept telling stories, but in different ways. I worked with producers and editors to create videos and used social media to give the voices in my articles an even wider reach.
It’s the stories in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow that have drawn me back to People Newspapers. I’ve seen the impact of my work and witnessed this community’s support for its local paper.
I rejoined the team as managing editor of Park Cities People in February, and one of the first community events I covered was the Highland Park Literary Festival — a celebration of storytelling that brings together professionals and students around the craft.
Students told me how meaningful the day’s workshops were to them, and how they would use the storytelling skills they learned to amplify the impact of their own voices.
I hope that my work helps readers make more informed choices, and that the stories we share inspire them to make our community a better place.
I’m thankful for the trust and warm welcome I’ve received from community members, like newly promoted editor Sarah Hodges, and Highland Park ISD school board members. (I think I’ve annoyed some of them in the past, but they seemed happy to have me back!)
I’ll work to continue to earn our readers’ trust by asking questions about issues that they care about, and by telling people’s stories in a way that honors the spirit of how they were told to me.
I’m excited to invite you to read on to find pieces such as the LitFest article on page 10, coverage of impactful local elections, and recaps of community events.
My story continues, and my inbox is always open for ideas and content you’d like to see in these pages.
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