Asaka's Take: Rebecca Worby, Reasons To Be Cheerful
Learn more about the subject of a recent episode of The Journalism Salute
“I feel like my sort of dinner party tidbits are all kind of uplifting, which you don't necessarily expect in a journalism job,” says Rebecca Worby, the editorial director of Reasons to Be Cheerful.
Rebecca was one of Mark Simon’s recent interviewees on an episode of The Journalism Salute.
Reasons to Be Cheerful is a nonprofit website and newsletter founded by cultural icon David Byrne. The newsletter has 135,000 subscribers.
In an interview with executive editor Will Doig, Worby said, “A Reason to Be Cheerful story will tell you not just what the solution to a problem is, but also how that solution was implemented. It'll do it in a way that feels conversational and approachable. You don't need to be an expert on sustainable timber construction to understand and enjoy a story about the Portland Airport's new wooden roof.”
Let’s share Rebecca’s story and explain a little more about Reasons To Be Cheerful through a series of links (click on the underlined headline to read).
1. The Portland Airport’s Astonishing New Roof Tells a Local Timber Story
The article, written by frequent contributor Hannah Wallace and published in November 2023, is a behind-the-scenes look into this “years-long deep dive into sustainable forestry.” With thoughtful interviews and stunning photos, it feels like a tour across the forest, as she spoke to different people involved in this project. They explain how they cut down trees strategically in order to foster biodiversity.
“We pretty much don't publish a story unless it contains all the tenets of solutions journalism. We're really looking for stories of working, effective solutions — evidence-based, whenever possible,” explains Worby.
2. Make America Rake Again
The ironic title comes from an interview with Michael Hall, a self-described “Berkeley hippie” who’s a part of the growing movement to ban gas powered leaf blowers in cities. The article, also by Hannah Wallace, delves into the detrimental health and environmental effects of gas-powered leaf blowers, and the steps cities around United States have been taking to regulate them.
“This is a good example of a type of story that we do fairly often,” says Worby. “Either someone on our team or a freelancer will notice that multiple places are doing something, implementing some kind of solution, often at a policy level, so let's look at, the success that these different places are having sort of variations on a theme, how widespread is this trend, etc.”
3. Friendly Mentors Help Ukrainians Find Their Footing in Vilnius
Because of the war, tens and thousands of Ukranians migrated to Lithuania, now representing the largest foreign community in Lithuania. This story by MaryLou Costa highlights the work of Befriend Vilnius, a program in Vilnius, Lithuania, that has offered mentorship to hundreds of Ukranian refugees trying to find their footing.
MaryLou, also another regular contributor, interviewee mentees and mentors in the program.
"I like this kind of story because seems like a feel-good story at first, like, 'Oh, how nice! They're making friends,' which they are, but it actually is having a practical impact for the people involved, for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Vilnius who don't know anything from where to get a coffee to how to fill in different kinds of paperwork.”
5. How Unfamiliar Fish Are Helping Mainers Fight Food Insecurity
During the Covid pandemic, the economy experienced widespread impacts, including a slowdown in the fishing industry as restaurants and markets closed. A nonprofit initiative, Fishermen Feeding Mainers (FFM), helped filed the gap by compensating fishers for providing fish to food pantries and schools.
At the food bank visited by reporter Kea Krause, there is a high demand for whole fish.
“These are people who are showing up and are able to get these ground fish like pollock or gray sole and cook them in the style that they’re used to. So it ends up being this amazing cross-cultural story in addition to a story about helping fishermen stay afloat and feeding people,” adds Worby.
The article is a part of the Waterline series, which features “stories at the nexus of water, food, and climate.”
6. How student journalists are stepping up to fill news deserts
Journalism about journalism in this story by Elizabeth Hewitt.
“So it was kind of meta, right? She's reporting on the students who are reporting on Town Meeting Day,” says Worby.
"But then turned it into this much broader look at how student journalists are providing news in places that need it, both through entire student-run newspapers and just different kinds of J-school programs.”
Our latest episode features an interview with Florida Atlantic University student journalist Mary Rasura, who is filling a news need with the LGBTQ monthly publication, OutFAU.
7. The 3D-Printed Affordable Housing of the Future Will Be Recyclable
The story by Miranda Lipton profiles BioHome3D, a printable, 100% recyclable house prototype, developed in collaboration with the University of Maine and local nonprofit Penquis.
“You don't need to know how a 3D printer is going to make a whole home to read that story and get something out of it,” says Worby. “It is important to us that our stories are accessible, that you don't have to have any particular kind of expertise, you know, because sometimes the stuff we're writing about can get kind of wonky or complicated.
8. On Cairns, Hoodoos, and Monoliths: What Happens in the Desert Shouldn’t Always Stay in the Desert
The personal piece that Rebecca wrote for LitHub is an ode to the complex history and rich cultural tapestry of the Southwest.
At her time studying Creative Nonfiction in her Master’s Program at Columbia University, Worby found herself fascinated by the “ins and outs of public lands in the American West, which is sort of a complicated thing.”
“I wanted to write a book, didn't quite work out. I thought it was going to change my life, and it actually did, but not in the way that I thought but instead by giving me this education in a lot of journalism skills”
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