LONG BEACH — One local news organization is breaking from the pattern of sad and difficult headlines to ask people about gratitude.
Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor for the Long Beach Post. She helped come up with the newest project.
“I would say we can all use some happy news, some lighthearted news, something to really change up from all the depressing headlines that we’ve been writing,” Rivera said.
The gratitude line was a way for people to call or write in and say what they’re thankful for. They’ve never done this before, and their little experiment got more than 50 people to respond.
“That has been surprising and amazing to see that folks really want to connect even if it’s something that is experimental, it’s not what we’re used to, but folks are looking for different ways to connect,” Rivera said.
Production Coordinator Steven Smith is responsible for editing all the messages together in a short video.
“The things that stand out to me are the ones that are saying ‘I’m just thankful to be alive. I’m thankful that I have life today,’” Smith said.
One message said: “I thank God that I’m alive. I had a lot of friends of mine going on, so He left me here, and I had a stroke.”
Rivera’s career has been all about print journalism. For the last five years, she’s been at the Long Beach Post. Even seasoned veterans know news gathering is changing.
“I’d love to see more of these types of things. It’s something that I feel like our readers are really craving: to hear more from each other, not so much what we’re saying, but what their neighbors are saying,” Rivera said.
The Long Beach Post will release the finished video Wednesday night so people can enjoy it on Thanksgiving Day. It will be free to watch and publicly available on the Long Beach Post’s social media channels.