I knew when I chose the Tuskegee News that the size of the paper, as well as the city, paled in comparison to other newspapers chosen by my classmates. But I also knew a bit of its history and that I wouldn’t have to drive very far, which spelled “WIN” to me. Little did I know the impact this experience would have on me.

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The Tuskegee News office is staffed by three people. That’s it. Two of those people write all the stories. They put out their weekly paper every Wednesday, and it is the definition of local, local, local. It is full of pictures of high school football players, the homecoming court, business owners and major influencers in the city.

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Guy Rhodes is their editor. If you know anything about Tuskegee, then you know it has a population that is predominantly African American. So naturally, I assumed the staff would be black. Wrong. Rhodes is a 70-year-old white man. He is an Auburn graduate with a major love for sports but also the community of Tuskegee.

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Jackie Carlisle and Scott Richardson round out the staff. Jackie is a friendly Tuskegee native who serves as the community news editor, and Scott is the son of owner, Gayle Davis, and serves as the advertising manager.

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The office of the Tuskegee News is nestled in an historic building on Main Street. Out front, you can purchase a copy of the newspaper from a small orange paper box own copy for 75 cents. The paint-chipped walls inside are lined with awards from the Alabama Press Association, artwork reflecting Tuskegee’s rich history and pictures of late owner Paul Davis.     Honestly, it looks like you’ve walked into your grandma’s house. So, if you’re anything like me and you loved going to Grandma’s, then you would love this office. You can tell it’s not just their office. It feels like home.

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The person who made the biggest impact on me on my visits is the fourth unofficial member of the Tuskegee News staff, Louise Nall. She is their 96-year-old paper lady. Like a paperboy, only older and wiser.

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I walked along with Mrs. Nall as she delivered papers on foot to businesses in downtown Tuskegee, just as she has been doing for 46 years. Her community loves her for it, and she loves them right back. Not because she is someone who provides a service that they appreciate but in the way that you love your best friend because you can depend on them.

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She reminded me of my high school basketball coach, Coach Walton. Coach Walton is not in her 90’s, but we loved her for her commitment to students and her community. They are hometown heroes. All my life I wanted to be an actual hero or a celebrity, and I can admit that I now know I wanted the wrong thing.

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Mrs. Nall reminded me that I want family. I want love and compassion and to help people. I want everyone I reach to be a part of that family. Why? Because that is community. It is not just shared places but shared experiences and a mutual love for one another no matter how big or how small that community is. And in the world of local, local, local that’s what life is all about: the love for your local community and your fellow neighbors.