The Story Behind Hazleton

In the past fifty years, the demographics of the Hazleton Area have shifted in a number of exciting ways. These changes in demographics have allowed the city of Hazleton to not only grow contrary to its previous declining population but also into a thriving area with many new businesses and new leaders. The goal of my project was to interview people who have different experiences from each other and demonstrate the diversity Hazleton has despite the fact that we all call this city our home. Throughout the next seven blog posts, you will hear from seven different people, all who have stories with little in common.

I did these interviews as part of my senior project, but the experiences and knowledge I gained from these interviews as well as the writing process were far greater to me than they were for the project. In Charles, who was a former first colonel, I saw how important it is to look at the challenges in my own personal life and use them to grow and become something better than I initially was. In Brad, who is the lead pastor at LCBC, I learned that listening to what God is asking of us can be the best decision we ever make. These are only two stories, and all seven taught me something profound.

I hope that as you read this you will take some of the things I've learned with you, but the thing I want people to know the most is that the changes occurring in Hazleton are not negative. They are positive changes that are making our city into something more beautiful, and the positive impact made on our city comes down to each individual person. How do you impact the city of Hazleton? Are you a positive influence on our city?