The Bridge is a community publication by RiverWise that creates, platforms and curates stories about our neighbors in Beaver County. The Bridge is working to become a hub for all things community: a platform for creative advocacy, a bulletin board for resources and opportunities and a space where the people of Beaver County are seen, inspired and motivated to work together.

What does that mean exactly? Creative advocacy uses art to disrupt prevailing narratives and strengthen community movement. (Read RiverWise's and New Sun Rising's Creative Advocacy Playbook here.)

Although Beaver County is often known for its industrial past and professional athletes, there's lots more to our story.

The prevailing narratives about Beaver County often leave out the creativity and diversity of our small cities; the ingenuity and sustainable initiatives generated within our municipalities; and the patience and diligence cultivated in our farm towns. Beaver County is rich in history, culture and stories waiting to be told.

The heart of The Bridge is our community. We love Beaver County. And we want Beaver County to be the truest version of itself — a community that’s full of good people doing good work, together. We work hard to ensure that every edition of The Bridge reflects that.

OUR VALUES

Listening first.

The Bridge isn't a breaking news platform. You won't find the latest crime statistics or too much focus on singular, national events. The Bridge is intentionally deliberate when responding to the ever-changing politics of our country, our cities and our neighborhoods. Instead, we aim to listen to places where wisdom exists and highlight stories about people in process as well as community movement toward systemic change.

Above all, dignity.

We prioritize careful, patient storytelling that allows us to sit with people, places and programs as they process and create. As the political division in our country bubbles and as it becomes more difficult to find commonality and mutual respect, The Bridge is committed to dignifying our community through the stories we tell. Additionally, The Bridge recognizes that some people groups have been historically disenfranchised and portrayed by the media in undignified ways. As we work with our neighbors, we strive for accuracy, transparency and, above all, dignity.

Narrative change through collaborative storytelling.

The Bridge produces stories that highlight people and projects that are pushing back against longstanding assumptions about Beaver County's limitations. We foreground stories that disrupt the narrative that Beaver County's best days are behind it. Although our team includes trained journalists and documentarians, we recognize that residents are the ultimate authority on their own story. That's why a significant portion of The Bridge's content comes directly from the community. We platform community-submitted stories, art and other forms of creative expression that illustrate collaboration and innovation, empathy and restoration, and movement toward a more equitable, vibrant Beaver County.

You'll find three kinds of stories on The Bridge...

STORIES BY THE COMMUNITY

As a platform for creative advocacy, The Bridge gives space for Beaver County residents to share their perspectives on local and regional issues. This could be reflections and editorials, art projects and original music, nominations for our Outstanding Women of Beaver County awards, and much more. We prioritize stories and creative pieces that dismantle stigmas, encourage collaboration and highlight community movement.

To submit to The Bridge, visit our Google Form link here.

STORIES BY OUR TEAM

The Bridge is curated by a small team of award-winning Beaver County journalists who specialize in documentary film and photography as well as feature reporting. Some of the stories by our team focus on the growing number of community and economic development projects taking place around Beaver County. Other original "Bridge" stories highlight people and places that might not be featured in traditional news outlets.

STORIES BY TRUSTED OUTLETS

The journalism industry is changing shape. As newspapers dwindle and some even shut down, The Bridge is dedicated to platforming stories from devoted journalists who are still covering the important issues of our communities. The news shouldn't be a competition — we need each other! We want readers of The Bridge to support local news not only from us but from nonprofit newsrooms and other trusted outlets throughout the region.