As a photojournalist, I chase moments that reveal something deeper. Some arrive quietly. Others burst open like fireworks of color, sound, or motion. What connects them all is the pulse of community, the ways people show up for one another, for creativity, and for shared purpose.
Over the past year, my assignments have taken me from bustling Small Business Saturday celebrations in a snowstorm to the warm glow of a video‑art exhibition at the Beverly Arts Center. I’ve watched a sea of pink unite strangers at Lake Katherine in the name of hope, lingered over freshly brewed coffee in a cozy Willow Springs café that has become a local staple and watched residents come together for the Orland Park Police Department’s Special Olympics Bike Ride.
Reporting with Southwest Regional Publishing for more than 15 years has allowed me to witness firsthand the strength, creativity, and generosity that make our local communities so remarkable.
At Heights Cycle in Palos Heights, I witnessed the energy and courage of women entrepreneurs. Local author Erin Stevenson, of Palos Park, signed her book She Can! while her young daughter proudly displayed her very own illustrations. Nearby, vendors shared their crafts and spoke about the challenges of running a business while raising families. Neighbors exchanged encouragement, laughter, and celebration. Small businesses create spaces where dreams are nurtured and community thrives.
At Lake Katherine, Palos Goes Pink brought people together in a collective show of strength and hope. Breast cancer survivors, friends, and supporters moved through yoga flows, circuit training, and dance routines, encouraging one another every step of the way. Each movement became a shared expression of resilience. Events like this are about people lifting each other up.
The Orland Park Police Department’s Special Olympics Bike Ride highlighted inclusion and community support. Riders of all ages and abilities pedaled side by side. Strangers became friends, and families shared moments of joy and connection. Stories like this remind me why I write – to inform readers, yes, but also to celebrate how support and shared experiences strengthen our communities.
Ashbary Coffee House in Willow Springs offered another perspective on community building. For the past 19 years, owners, Vicky and Karl Stadtler have created a café alive with creativity, conversation, and comfort. Musicians, artists, seniors, and students all find a home there, sharing tables and stories. Watching these interactions, I noticed the same thread connecting all the stories I cover. People create spaces that welcome, support, and inspire.
At the Beverly Arts Center, the Video for Early Nights exhibition, currated by Saint Xavier University Department Chair and Art Professor Nathan Peck, transformed visitors into participants. Screens glowed and shifted, drawing people into immersive experiences. Visitors whispered, laughed, and paused in awe together. The exhibition showed that community is built through shared experiences, talent, creativity, and the emotions they evoke. Watching these interactions reinforced what I see in every story. Connection is at the core of meaningful community, whether in a café, at an event, or in an art gallery.
All of these moments, though different in setting and style, share the same lesson. Community is living and present in the choices people make to engage with one another. It is laughter shared between strangers, determination in the face of challenges, the pride of a child’s creation, the warmth of shared coffee, and the wonder sparked by art.
Through my lens and words, I aim to show that the heart of our communities beats strongest when people come together to dream, create, and care for one another. The stories I cover remind me that even small acts, a smile, a helping hand, a shared space, can ripple outward and strengthen the bonds that make a community thrive. Witnessing that heartbeat up close is both an honor and a responsibility, and I strive to reflect it in every story I tell.
