Do You Even Live Here?
Beacon Media is supporting and partnering with small town Mayors Preston Blakely (Fletcher, N.C.) and Dalton George (Boone, N.C.) on a new podcast (Do You Even Live Here?) that centers small towns, communities and belonging. Preston and Dalton don’t come from a typical political background — and this dynamic, fun, curious show reflects their Western North Carolina upbringing, experience and values. Dalton is the youngest mayor in the state and Preston isn’t far behind, so you’ll also hear a bit about Pokemon and gaming, too. Come along for the ride and subscribe below! Coming to a radio station near you soon.
Call for Applications
Freelance Content Creator(s): Exploring the cultural influences and interests of North Carolina’s working people
Application review begins on August 21, 2026. Open until filled.
Beacon Media, DYELH and the labor rights organization Unite Here are seeking a wide range of pitches and storytelling that will be applicable for social media and building a diverse audience, focused on marginalized communities and working people across North Carolina. To us, that means storytelling that is personal, compelling and narrative-driven. However, this pilot is about experimentation and are not being prescriptive and would love to see a broad of range of pitches and experimentation. That could look like:
- A series of clips/interviews for social media, with longer interviews placed on YouTube;
- A series of informative, direct-to-camera videos that showcase an under-covered story or topic;
- A short 5-7 minute documentary, with compelling sequences clipped for social media channels and interesting subjects featured for in-depth interviews on our podcast;
- An audio-only story about an under-covered story in a North Carolina town
- A cultural story featuring an artist and their messaging about what makes North Carolina special.
Latest Episodes
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...
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...
DYELH Podcast: Episode 7 – Graig and Kym Meyer: The Legislature, Democrats and Leadership in Trying Times
For this week's episode, Preston and Dalton had their first in-person studio session, and there was no better way to mark it than by having two incredible...
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