Our Stories
At Beacon Media, we focus on telling the stories that truly matter to our communities. Beacon Media is built around the people who are preserving and strengthening democracy in North Carolina communities. From healthcare and education to housing and justice, our stories are crafted to inform, inspire, and spark meaningful change. It is these community leaders and trusted messengers who will shift our collective narrative and show us what is possible — and then they are the ones who will make it a reality. We share their words and voices far and wide. That’s why all of our commentary is free to republish. We encourage you to use and share our work to help amplify the voices and issues that need attention across our state.
Read The Latest Stories
Gwen Frisbie-Fulton: This July 4th, a look back — and forward — at North Carolina’s collective power
North Carolina’s history is replete with examples of how community organizing made life better for so many of our communities. Does N.C.’s past hold the blueprint for a better collective future? Photo by Camylla Battani on Unsplash By Gwen...
Episode 12 – Finding the Joy in Politics with Hendersonville’s Gina Baxter
This week, the guys are back with a new guest! Dalton and Preston sit down with current Hendersonville City Councilmember, and friend of the show, Gina Baxter to growing up in WNC as a transplant, Appalachian identity, and her ongoing campaign for re-election this...
Iliana Santillán: In Georgia’s federal detention center, I saw the real immigration ‘crisis’
Traveling to the federal detention center in Stewart County, Georgia, Iliana Santillán attended the hearing of a friend and emerged with a greater understanding of those detained by ICE. By Iliana SantillánBeacon Media LUMPKIN, GEORGIA — The first thing I packed for...
Helene Recovery, Labor Talks, and National Forests
This week, the guys sit down for another news episode to discuss the first new school in Watauga County in over 30 years, springboarding into a larger discussion on ongoing efforts to recover from Hurricane Helene. They also discuss ongoing labor disputes within the...
Episode 10 – Budget Season Special!
On this week's episode, Dalton and Preston dive deep on local government in their Budget Season Special! Join them as they discuss the process for deciding the budgets in Boone and Fletcher, the realities of running local governments, and how a proposed amendment on...
Episode 9 – DeBorah Ogiste and the Healthy Opportunites Pilot
In this week’s episode, Preston and Dalton learn about the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a revolutionary public health program pioneered in North Carolina that was recently defunded by state legislators. They sit down with DeBorah Ogiste, a former beneficiary of the...
Opinion: A Letter to the N.C. 10-Year Old who Was Dismissed by His Member of Congress
A Greensboro 4th grader wrote to his member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx. She responded by saying he must have been “indoctrinated.” Jacob Brooks, who lives in the district, has a few words for the boy — and for Rep. Foxx. By Jacob Brooks, Beacon Media Hey,...
Iliana Santillán: No one will make the Latino community invisible
As the Trump administration targets people under the guise of immigration enforcement, many Latinos in N.C. are celebrating our communities and culture — despite the fear. By Iliana Santillán Beacon Media Photo of La Grande Latin American Festival in...
DYELH Podcast: Episode 8 – Parkway Controversy, Recent Travels, and the Voting Rights Act
For this week's episode, Preston and Dalton talk about a recent post they made in response to an ongoing project on the Blue Ridge Parkway and their own concerns, discuss their recent travels to Arizona and D.C., and wrap up by sharing Preston's column on the Supreme...