Hello friends,
What a time to be alive! Summer is smelling closer. The days are warmer, mornings are brighter and I'm feeling like a spring chicken and a freak all at the same time! A recent trip away was another lovely reminder that things can be sticky and wonderful all at the same time, that the online world is not real (cue Instagram vs. reality), and the book I finished, Sorrow and Bliss, has never rung so true (side note: read it, it’s fab).
My recent theme of non-binary thinking continues to resonate. Things don’t need to be right or wrong, good or bad, but instead, we can live and operate in the middle.
Over lockdown, I developed a complicated relationship with the news, and by that I mean I stopped reading it. I realise this is a privilege and I felt shame for cutting it out altogether, but I found it hard to find a way to consume it that felt right. And with this, I introduce you to my wonderful friend Alice, founder of News to Know. Her way of delivering news to her community is approachable, digestible and works for me (and I bet for you too).
I hope you enjoy her musings as much as I do, and you grow and expand from the wonderful people in my life that I feel we could all learn a thing or two from.
Grateful to have you here.
Hey, I’m Alice. I’m a journalist based in my dream city of New York. For as long as I can remember I’ve always “been moving” to the city and in 2019 I finally did it. Living in such a dynamic, energizing, and diverse city has inspired me to share my passions for news and storytelling with my family, friends, and basically, anyone that will listen.
I grew up in Melbourne, Australia and have spent my life traveling around the country as well as through Asia, South, North and Central America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. I have always been a curious person. When I meet someone new I want to know everything about their life. I love giving people the space to share their stories. I always learn something, and maybe they will too. The power of storytelling can change someone’s life, it holds those in power accountable for their actions and gives us an opportunity to view the world from a different perspective. And this is what news is, storytelling.
Over the past few years, many of my family and friends have told me they’ve stopped consuming the news. It’s too depressing, too repetitive, too frustrating, too confusing. Being able to shut it out is a privilege. And, for those in a position to do so I can see why disengaging and reducing their news consumption is the path they’ve chosen. However, as a journalist this makes me feel discouraged, disappointed and to be honest a little frustrated. Which is why I created @newstoknow, a page designed to inspire readers to engage with the news without feeling overwhelmed. With each post I find the balance between a headline and a lengthy story, sharing the most important facts and information so my readers can continue scrolling feeling more informed and empowered and less overwhelmed.
News to Know Instagram Grid
Turning a blind eye to the news is often a result of fear. Fear that the world is falling apart, fear of not understanding what’s going on, fear of not being able to do anything to help. My goal as a journalist is to create space for my readers to reset and re-engage with the news, whether it's happening down the street or on the other side of the world. I want to remove that feeling of fear and help people understand why and how the outcome of global events will impact them directly, arming them with the necessary information to feel secure, make educated decisions and have informed conversations.
My advice, take a beat and step back, focus on what you’re interested in instead of trying to absorb absolutely everything and build from there. Treat your news consumption the same way you would a fiction genre, read what you like and try something new when you’re ready. While a news article or podcast may not provoke the same feelings as a good novel, at the end of the day they are one in the same, a story.
You can find Alice on LinkedIn and more of her writing at aliceianson.com