Today we’d like to introduce you to Lance Dixon.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lance. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started as a nerdy and kind of curious kid in Miami and thought I’d take my years of theater training to New York or Los Angeles. But instead, I attended Morehouse College in Atlanta and started writing for the school newspaper. That experience eventually did take me to New York but a little farther north on Broadway — to Columbia’s journalism school.
So I finished up there and made my way back to Miami in 2013 to begin working for the Miami Herald. I covered local government there for about four and a half years before I decided to make the move to digital media. I joined The New Tropic in early 2018 and I’m now serving as the director.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think anyone with a really compelling story can say they’ve had a smooth road. That might be an overstatement but I think adversity is where you really get a sense of who you are as a person and build the strongest relationships with the people that stick with you through tough times.
Over the years, I’ve struggled with wondering if I was good enough, with imposter syndrome that hasn’t really disappeared, and with feeling professionally stuck from time to time. When those obstacles emerged I tried my best to find ways to push through or change my situation, but it wasn’t always easy.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The New Tropic – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
So in my role as director of The New Tropic I try to use our delivery methods (our newsletter, website, and social media channels) to help people make the most of the city of Miami. To highlight its imperfections and people working to change and improve on those things. The motto of our parent company is “live like you live here” and while I’ve gotten teased for the super earnest nature of that statement it is one that I try to think of in everything that we publish and put out there to our readers.
I care a lot about Miami, it’s my home and it’s been the starting ground for my professional career. And I think that care, love, and appreciation for all of the facets of our city is what really sets The New Tropic apart from others in local journalism. But let me be clear, nothing that we do would be possible without the work of journalists at outlets like the Miami Herald, Miami New Times, Miami Times, Sun Sentinel, WLRN, and many more. We all thrive when we can all provide a service and help to inform and educate our community.
What are you striving for, what criteria or markers have you set as indicators of success?
I think success can be measured by impact. And not some tangible measure of impact like open rates for a newsletter, or clicks to an article. I define impact as the email from a reader who said our voter guide encouraged her parents to register to vote for the first time in several elections. Or overhearing people talk about one of our neighborhood recommendations over dinner in Miami Beach.
Success to me is all about leaving a mark on someone else and helping provide someone with information or inspiration they couldn’t acquire by themselves. I’m lucky to be in the position I’m in and I hope to find ways to always pay it forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: thenewtropic.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Twitter: @LDixon_3
Image Credit:
The Urbanism Summit
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