Daily Inspiration: Meet Jacob Hylton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Hylton. They and their team shared their story with us below:

LOOKOUT started with the idea that the greater Phoenix area needed a dedicated news source for the queer (LGBTQ+) community that wasn’t solely focused on lifestyle content. As a reporter for many national news outlets for a decade, the founder, Joseph Darius Jaafari, wanted to bring the same kind of investigative work he’s done with outlets such as Rolling Stone, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the New York Times.

With the help of his partner, Jacob Hylton, the idea started off simply as a weekly newsletter that would do give people insight into some of the important legislative things happening at the state’s Capitol. At the same time as our launch, state houses began launching anti-LGBTQ+ bills that would directly affect the community, and LOOKOUT has been at the forefront with that coverage, attending all the committee meetings and making sure that there is someone part of the community there who could actively help give context to coverage.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a struggle, but a worthy one. LOOKOUT is still very much in its infancy, but it’s punching above its weight. The stories we have published so far have gained national and local attention. And even though we’re small and new, when we’ve attended our local pride events, people know about us and thank us for the coverage we’re providing.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
LOOKOUT’s founder, Joseph Darius Jaafari, is a seasoned investigative reporter who has worked in multiple cities and covered LGBTQ+ issues throughout his career. He was on the ground reporting on the Bruce McArthur trials and speaking with police in Toronto, he dove into the military’s criminal punishment of gay men living with HIV, and he focused on challenges facing same-sex couples in North Carolina. This background in coverage helps LOOKOUT from the only other queer news outlet in Arizona, which focuses solely on lifestyle and bar coverage.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Given that there is no other news outlet in the city of Phoenix that covers LGBTQ+ issues (even local news outlets don’t have a dedicated reporter covering these issues), we’ve been lucky that we are our biggest competitor, meaning we are the only ones we have to try and beat. In that regard, we’re also unlucky, because we have to make sure that our work hit differently. It needs to differentiate itself from others, and be clear in its mission, that we are a news organization by and for the city’s queer community.

Pricing:

• $5 a month
• $65 for a year

Contact Info:

• Website: lookoutphx.substack.com
• Instagram: @lookout_phx
• Twitter: @lookoutphx
• Other: lookoutphx.org

Image Credits
Moses Martínez