Founding Columnist · Flagship Voice
Cheryl Leeds
Listening is the first civic duty. Everything I've ever written started with sitting still long enough to hear someone else's version of the truth.
On most social media platforms, you'll find me as CherokeeNana. The links to my social media accounts are available below. I have been writing for many years, and it has been a joy to watch the next generation discover that same love of writing and critical thinking. Together, my grandson and I founded the Northeastern Journal as a collaborative project: two generations of writers who share a passion for learning, asking questions, and encouraging thoughtful conversation. I am deeply civic-minded. I care about my community, my country, and the future we leave to those who come after us. I believe that meaningful progress begins with curiosity, respectful dialogue, and a willingness to consider different perspectives.
Recent Columns
On Substack
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The Porch Light Podcast
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Favorite Quotes
- “A family that argues at the table is a family that still trusts each other.”
- “The news is just the neighborhood, written down.”
- “Memory is a civic resource. We ought to fund it like one.”
Reading Recommendations
The Porch Light
My own collection of essays on neighborliness.
What the River Remembers
Victor's history of the county's waterways.
The Long Table
Renata's love letter to Main Street.
Timeline
1968
The Journal's earliest predecessor begins as a mimeographed community bulletin.
1991
Cherokee Nana writes her first Sunday column.
2015
The Sunday Letter newsletter launches.
2026
Northeastern Journal relaunches as a full civic platform.
Speaking
Cherokee Nana speaks regularly at civic forums, library events, and community gatherings on memory, place, and local journalism. Placeholder booking information for the rebuild.
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