A Letter from the INDY’s New Editor-in-Chief

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Good morning, readers.

For nearly 20 years, I’ve been an INDY reader like you. As a student at Carrboro High School, I would pick up a copy at Weaver Street Market during lunch and pore over each smooth page. The INDY was so bold in its voice, topics, and commitment to building a just community.

It also helped me to realize that writing and talking to strangers, two things that always came naturally to me, could be a career. I soon got to work with my friends launching a student newspaper. Cut to today, where I am writing to you as the INDY’s new editor-in-chief.

In the interim, I studied journalism at New York University and then moved back to North Carolina to be a reporter, and eventually managing editor, at The Robesonian in Lumberton. When I joined the INDY staff for the first time in 2017, it was a dream come true. For two-and-a-half years, I covered topics that mattered most to Durhamites, from evictions to immigration, with a special focus on criminal justice issues. For the past five years, I’ve been on the other side of media inquiries as director of public affairs and special projects at the Durham District Attorney’s Office. In that role, I informed the public about what prosecutors do and helped the office navigate shifts in technology and policy.

Frankly, I didn’t expect to return to journalism. But the opportunity to once again be a part of the INDY—particularly at a time when it’s poised for growth and reliable reporting is so important—was too incredible to pass up.

We have big plans for 2025. We want to hear what matters to you—if you have a news tip, think there’s a topic that’s under-covered in the Triangle or simply want to share your feedback, reach out. You can help fuel the INDY’s growth—and get access to exclusive events and content—by supporting the Press Club. 

Read more about what you can expect from us going forward. 

Connect with me at [email protected]. I’m excited to see what’s next.

—Sarah Willets

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