BY LEXI BROWNING, CHIEF #NEWSTORYWV MOMENTUM INSTIGATOR, THE HUB
I’m Lexi, your new Chief Momentum Instigator at The Hub! Over the next three months, I’ll be sparking engagement for the #NewStoryWV campaign.
As an Appalachia native, storytelling is in my blood. I was raised in Milton, WV, and I’ve spent the last six years in central Appalachia working as a documentary photojournalist and reporter for various national and WV-based publications. As a first-generation college graduate, I earned my B.A. in Online Journalism from Marshall University. In the next few months, I will also complete my M.A. in Visual Communication at Ohio University.
Now that I’m at The Hub, it’s my goal to help recognize those making strides for the betterment of our state and ultimately showcase the WV I know and love. Like our culture, we are people shaped by resistance and resilience. But as a population, West Virginians are frequently misrepresented and underrepresented.
With my broad range of experience in communications and documentary background, I’ll be connecting and cultivating relationships between The Hub and community members throughout the Mountain State. By contributing positive, celebratory stories to our state’s story, we can collectively reflect an accurate representation of our people and culture and empower one another.
As a journalist, I’ve spent the majority of my career finding ways to champion a state and region that are often left out of the conversation. I’ve photographed, written and videoed various entrepreneurs, community leaders and inspirational initiatives born out of hardships. Having the ability to share the stories of the individuals who continue to invest in the Mountain State and ensure that it’s a welcoming environment for the future forward-thinking generations to come has always been a privilege that I’ve never taken lightly.
Now, after years of reporting from the sidelines, it’s time for me to participate in my own community advocacy, and I encourage you to join me. When you see positive initiatives in action – document them. Share them on your social media and add our #NewStoryWV campaign hashtag. It just takes a few minutes to add your voice to the narrative, and with your help, we can fill in the existing gaps to create a new, positive and accurate story of our resilient home.
I look forward to serving you, The Hub’s mission and West Virginian communities for the next few months.
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