An Inspired Chat with Marissa Heffernan of Lents

We recently had the chance to connect with Marissa Heffernan and have shared our conversation below.

Marissa, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: When have you felt most loved—and did you believe you deserved it?
A recent moment that made me feel very loved is when I decided to quit my job and freelance full time. The outpouring of support from former co-workers, friends and others in my network really buoyed me. So many people reached out to offer congratulations, advice or offer small jobs to jump-start my freelance work. As a journalist, it can often feel like you’re just shouting into a void with your stories, so it was so great to hear that so many people read my work and valued it. It made me realize that the effort I made over my decade in the profession was not invisible, and that the fruit of my labors was well deserved.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I got my first journalism job writing a youth perspective column for my Maine hometown paper when I was 16, and never left the field. I attended the University of Arizona, studied journalism and environmental science, then moved to Southwest Washington for my first full-time journalism job at a daily paper. After a few years, I moved south to the “other Portland” (Oregon) and took a job at an industry publication, writing about recycling. I became very interested in recycling policy there, started a successful monthly newsletter on the topic, and then decided to strike out on my own and start freelancing. Today, I enjoy the freedom and flexibility freelancing gives me. I write for a range of publications and also have had the chance to take part-time jobs in other fields that interest me — but still have plenty of time for hobbies, home improvements and volunteering!

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was younger, everyone said I was shy, so I believed them — but I was just quiet, preferring to read or play by myself instead of joining the fray on the playground. In fact, when I said I wanted to be a journalist, many people tried to dissuade me, thinking I wouldn’t be able to cold call sources or interview strangers. Today, when I tell people I used to be considered shy, they’re shocked! I regularly strike up conversations with people I pass that seem interesting, have moderated conference panels on stage in front of thousands of people, and can just as easily ask a parade-goer what they like best about the event as I can cold-call a senator and ask tough questions. Quiet folks can still be confident!

Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
I miss the past era of journalism, where you moved to a community, got a job at a paper, and worked there for 40 years. While I have loved all the places my job has brought me, there’s nothing quite like knowing the fabric of a community and being able to report with a depth of knowledge that only comes from spending years attending meetings, talking to your neighbors and covering the things that affect them most. Unfortunately, the industry today is not built to foster that. The huge conglomerates that have eaten all the local, family-owned papers prefer to hire new grads, run them into the ground, and spit them back out. It’s so hard to make a good living as a journalist, both in an economic sense and a mental health sense. I wish I could work at a daily for my whole career — but it’s just not realistic.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to building a robust, local community network of care for my neighbors and self. It’s so easy to be siloed today, and to be overwhelmed by the amount of atrocities that happen all over the world and in our own backyards. But getting out, volunteering, and doing even just a little bit of tangible good helps so much. I am very involved in several local groups and am always looking to give my time, effort and money to those who need it.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think people will mistakenly label my willingness to care deeply and love hard as a weakness. I’ve made many choices that have opened me up to pain, but none of them were mistakes and none of them surprised me. I think a life lived behind walls isn’t a life lived well, and that part of living is being willing to take risks and open yourself to hurts. I am proud of my capacity to care and actively choose to maintain it, even if being more guarded would be “easier.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marissaheffernan.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-heffernan-a6b7b7104/

Image Credits
Big Wave Productions