If there was ever a time for us all to be valiant, it is now

Curiosity drove my desire to learn about everything from when I was a young child, so I was constantly peppering everyone with questions. I wanted to know everyone’s story and how they helped make the world vibrant.

I have been involved in journalism over the last few years, discovering and helping amplify stories. It all began when I spontaneously decided to live stream and report on marches that were taking place in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska, in 2020. It has been a life-changing experience since, and I wish I had found this career path sooner

Today I still want to know everyone’s story, and I’ve tried to find ways to highlight unheard voices. Since 2020, I have built an online following, first by live-reporting through social media the civil unrest and events in Nebraska, which garnered over a million views, and later by covering the disparities and issues minorities face in healthcare, social support and education.

I have interviewed community members, activists, elected officials and others to share their stories in a different and distinctive light. Through this, I began seeing issues that were once invisible to me, and through the power of social media, I shared them with the world. One of my favorites was a live Facebook interview with a COVID ICU nurse who gave my audience a vivid perspective of the war between our local healthcare workers and the virus.

Over time, I have developed a thirst for knowledge and seeking the truth in things around us. We are constantly learning from the moment we are born until we leave this Earth, which has driven me to learn from as many people in the journalism industry as possible.

During my last two years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications, I had the opportunity to work for two exciting nonprofit news outlets with fantastic journalists. I also became a Society of Professional Journalists member and met even more remarkable journalists during the 2022 SPJ Conference in D.C.

In the months leading up to my Dec. 17, 2022, graduation, I began to think deeply about the kind of journalist I wanted to be and reflect on the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met.

I’ve seen Christmas celebrations in South Sudan, the breathtakingly brilliant White House in D.C., beautiful shores and clouds over San Juan, Puerto Rico, the magical lights of New York City, golden sunsets over Nebraskan fields, the majestic mountains of Colorado, the excitement of Las Vegas and the glamorous life of Beverly Hills.

Although these various places I have been fortunate to see are vastly different from one other, they all have in common that there are countless stories hidden within them.

I created The Valiant Post to share people’s remarkable stories worldwide, big or small. Everyone has a story, and each one is important. All of these stories will be free to read, but if you want to support the reporting, you can do so here.

My ultimate vision is for this to be a refreshing, dynamic, collaborative media outlet that works with all kinds of storytellers worldwide. I want the content to range from in-depth articles, investigative reports, engaging podcasts, brilliant photo essays, exciting videos, thoughtful guest essays from people everywhere and everything in between.