On January 23, Legacy Foundation held the first installment of this year’s Lake County Advancement Conversations series at Innsbrook Country Club in Merrillville. This session was entitled “A Vision for Local Journalism” and featured Kathy Chaney, executive editor of “The Times of Northwest Indiana,” as the keynote speaker. The audience was made up of community leaders, business executives, university staff and students, as well as other members of the community.
Kelly Anoe, president and CEO of Legacy Foundation, is pleased to see the series’ latest season start off with an important topic like local journalism.
“Local journalism has a very significant impact on our communities,” Anoe said. “It keeps our residents engaged while preserving and protecting democracy. We invited Kathy Chaney here to share the work being done by ‘The Times’ and to illustrate just how important local journalism is to our community. Legacy Foundation’s priority is to strengthen Lake County and engage its residents. The Lake County Advancement Conversations are deeply rooted in that mission. I would like the attendees to leave having learned of new ways that they can get involved and having gained a better understanding of local journalism.”
Chaney, a Chicago native, has been passionate about journalism since she was 7 years old and has won several awards for her work. She made history when she became the first African-American and female executive editor of “The Times” on October 1 of last year. Chaney has served as the Vice President-Print of the National Association of Black Journalists since 2020. Through her illustrious career, Chaney has made a point of supporting those around her.
“My mentorship of other journalists has had the most significant impact on me,” Chaney said. “I seek to lift others as I climb. After all, I’ve had people mentor me and help me out during the course of my career. I want to make sure that I’m always paying that forward. There’s room for all of us, so I’m happy to share my wisdom if it will help the next generation of journalists. They’re the future. I love this industry, so I always get excited when I encounter a young person who’s interested in journalism.”
After Chaney completed her address, members of the audience participated in a Q&A, asking her various questions about journalism in the Region and her own experiences in the field. Chaney shared her thoughts on the ways that journalism in the Region has changed over the years and described how she and her team at “The Times” is finding new ways to enhance the paper with more diverse voices and perspectives. She also stated that the best way to keep local journalism alive is to cover topics that people care about, can learn from, and will be interested in.
Chaney appreciates having had the opportunity to engage with the Region’s residents at an event such as the Lake County Advancement Conversation and looks forward to participating in similar discussions in the future.
“The individuals in the audience today represent the voices of all residents throughout the Region,” Chaney said. “It’s crucial for them to hear from me, as the representative of 'The Times’ leadership team, about the role our paper plays in local journalism. I also wanted to express my commitment to furthering 'The Times’ authentic, ethical, and top-quality journalism. I hope the audience members leave feeling reassured after learning that The Times has a veteran journalist at the helm who cares about the same issues as the residents of the Region do. I want them to know that the Times is headed in the right direction and is here to be a vehicle for residents who want to get their stories out.”
At the event, Legacy Foundation announced a new name for the series. Originally, the program was called the “Lake County Advancement Committee,” but this name implied that the sessions were exclusive. The more welcoming “conversations” was then substituted for “committee.”
Please visit legacyfdn.org for more information on upcoming Lake County Advancement Conversations sessions and Legacy Foundations announcements.
