My name is Tykayla Livingston, and I am your Community Reporter for County Beacon, a new local journalism platform serving Franklin and Granville Counties.

As a community-driven media outlet, we’re a little different from traditional news sites. We’re not just here to report news – we’re here to listen, connect, and bring your stories into focus. As we experiment with a new model of local news and information, we are committed to accuracy, transparency, curiosity and accountability. We partner with values-aligned organizations like Down Home North Carolina to ensure that our coverage is responsive to the interests and information needs of working people in Franklin and Granville County. 

As we start on this journey together, I’d like to share how I’m approaching this work. I didn't set out to become a journalist. There was no moment when I decided this was the path I would take. Instead, the work I was already doing led me here. Before I ever held a camera or introduced myself as a community reporter, I was advocating right here in Franklin County. I was focused on our youth, on creating opportunities, and on making sure people had access to the resources they needed to grow and succeed. 

Through that work, as a member of Down Home North Carolina, I found myself in spaces where decisions were being made about schools, communities, and the future of our county. But when I stepped outside of those rooms and went back into the community, I heard something different. I heard real conversations, honest ones, about what people were going through, what they were struggling with, and what they wished could change. Those voices didn’t always match what was being discussed in official spaces, and more importantly, they weren’t always being heard. 

I began to understand that advocacy alone wasn’t enough. People didn't just need someone to speak for them; they needed a platform where their voices could be heard directly. That’s what pushed me to take a different approach. Earlier this year I connected with Beacon Media, a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization working to strengthen democracy by closing information gaps and amplifying local voices. 

Our work is built around one core belief: Communities deserve journalism that is created with them, not just about them.

Stepping into my role as a community reporter with County Beacon gave me the opportunity to build something needed and different - a new model for local journalism that centers residents' voices and experiences. Now, I serve both Franklin and Granville County, working to understand what's happening on the ground by going directly to the people. This work is not just about reporting stories. It's about building trust, creating space for conversation, and making sure that the experiences of everyday residents are part of the larger narrative. 

Conventional wisdom dictates that the roles of journalist and advocate cannot coexist, but I disagree. As an advocate, I push for change. As a journalist, I help connect the dots between people’s lived experiences and the decisions that impact their lives. Whether I’m showing up as an advocate or a journalist, I still care about the same things: opportunity, access, and making sure people feel seen and heard. The difference is in how I approach that work. My commitment to you is that I will always lead with curiosity and work hard to bring you accurate, useful information and perspectives. 

This work is deeply personal to me because I am reporting on my own community. These are the same streets, the same families, and the same challenges I have seen firsthand. That connection is what drives me to keep showing up, to keep asking questions, and to keep listening. 

Through County Beacon, my goal is to help build a bridge, one that connects residents to information, to leadership, and to each other. I want people to not just hear about what's happening in their community, but to be part of the conversations shaping it.

I didn't plan to become a journalist, but I know now that this is where I'm supposed to be. And I’m committed to doing it the right way: by listening first, telling stories truthfully, and making sure that the voices of our community are never overlooked.

This is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, you'll see:

• Stories from our listening tour of Franklin and Granville Counties
• Community spotlights
• Local issue breakdowns
• Event coverage and updates
• Opportunities to engage and participate

And most importantly, we want to hear from you. We invite you to inform our coverage, contribute your own ideas and content, and help us build community media that celebrates where we live and works to make it better every day. Get started by following us on Facebook. and using this form to share your experiences, ideas, events and story ideas.

If you like what you’ve read so far, please forward this email to a friend so they can subscribe too!

And be on the lookout for us in your community - we can’t wait to talk with you!

- Tykayla