The Border Belt Independent and local news partners hosted a listening session for young people at The News Reporter office in Whiteville on Thursday.
More than a dozen teenagers across Bladen and Columbus counties shared insights on their goals, challenges, and concerns for the future. The event was held in partnership with NC Local, Open Campus, WUNC, and the News Reporter. Ideas expressed by those in attendance will help shape future coverage and stories from BBI and its partners.
Through several roundtable discussions, the teens were asked questions by moderators from the news organizations about opportunities in their community, access to news and information, and what issues they care about most. There was a mix of optimism and fear as young people considered their career paths and the lack of opportunities in rural southeastern North Carolina.
“There’s a desire to stay close to home and be near family in the future,” said Chris English, president of Southeastern Community College, after a discussion with two teenagers from Nakina in southern Columbus County. “But also a concern that if they do that, they aren’t going to make enough money to support a family for themselves.”
English said that tension is something he consistently hears at the community college in Columbus County. It’s also why the college has consistently aimed to expand workforce development training, such as truck driving, electrical engineering, and cosmetology.
Many of the young people in attendance came with Men and Women United for Youth and Families and the Columbus County DREAM Center, nonprofit organizations based in Columbus County that teach life skills to local youth. Xavier Moore, a junior at Bladen Early College High School and a member of the Men and Women United for Youth and Families Youth Ambassadors program, said he is trying to decide the best career path.
His passion is graphic design, but he believes he could have a more stable career in architecture. He hopes to attend a four-year university and potentially relocate to a city, but he said moving away from his parents and grandparents would be an emotional challenge.
“There’s more opportunity in a place like Raleigh,” he said. “But I’d definitely shed a tear if I had to move two hours away because my mom is everything to me and I wouldn’t get to see her as often.”
Attendees were also asked about ideas to help improve local news access. Many said they found themselves overwhelmed by the chaos of social media. That information onslaught led them to disengage from the news because of the burden of verifying misinformation online. More often, they said, news comes from conversations with their family and peers.
“If young people don’t understand how the news will affect them,” said the Rev. Edwrin Sutton, chief operating officer of Men and Women United for Youth and Families, “they might not care about it, and instead say ‘I’ll let mother take care of that for me.’”
Shannan Bowen, founder of NC Local, said the event was a reminder of the importance of rural communities coming together and sharing stories.
“There’s some real power in this room,” she said. “I want you to leave here thinking about what we can test, collaborate, and do together to improve information, news, and community for everyone.”
