About this site

The Carrborean is an independent publication launched in June 2025. We aim to connect the community and support local businesses and organizations through sharing stories, art, and information about events and people living in, working in, and visiting Carrboro. We deliver hyper-local news to foster connection and amplify voices, supporting the arts, living, and civic engagement in Carrboro.

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In other news....

NC Local ran a nice introduction to The Carrborean. Scroll about 1/3 down the page. And here is an article in Voyage Raleigh, and one in The Daily Tar Heel.

The Carrborean’s Frequently Asked Questions

1.       What is it? How do I say it?

Carrborean
(kahr-bō-REE-ən)

noun

1.       Someone who lives in, works in, or visits Carrboro, NC and likely loves farmers markets, live music, bike lanes, and good coffee.

2.       Anyone who feels at home in Carrboro’s quirky, creative, and community-minded spirit — even if their mailing address says Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Pittsboro, or elsewhere.

adjective
Describing the vibe, flavor, or personality unique to Carrboro.

“That mural is so Carrborean.”

Usage tip: Being Carrborean is less about geography and more about heart.

2.       Who are you?

Fair question. My name is Jennifer Yourkavitch and I’ve lived in Carrboro for 12 years. I am an epidemiologist and lactation consultant and I worked on improving the health of women, children, and families around the world for over 25 years. Along with thousands of other scientists and tens of thousands of foreign aid specialists, I lost my job in the federal government in 2025.

3.       Why did you start The Carrborean?

I never knew what was going on in Carrboro—I had to visit dozens of websites to piece it together. So I set out to create a comprehensive events calendar--there are more than 250 events in Carrboro each month! Hopefully now everyone knows what’s going on.

I suspected this project could be larger and perhaps a way to connect and share hyperlocal information. I conducted a media preferences survey in the spring of 2025 and learned that respondents not only want to know what’s going on in Carrboro, but also who their neighbors are and what’s important to them. They want to support local businesses and contribute to making Carrboro a great place to live, work, and play.

In addition, I have longed for hyperlocal media in Carrboro for years. A long time ago, I worked at an alternative weekly in San Diego and loved the neighborhood stories that emerged within a big city. Carrboro, with its outsized arts culture, is a great place to connect community and support businesses and organizations with hyperlocal stories and information.

However, I am not the only source of this information. In this amazing community, there are so many stories and storytellers, and I want to encourage contributions from everyone. I’m going to host a few workshops on community journalism to inspire and facilitate participation in local media. If you’re interested in participating in a storytelling and community journalism workshop, please get in touch: info@thecarrborean.com.

4.       Ok, I’ll bite. What is ‘community journalism’?

Thanks for asking. The Carrborean embraces a model of community journalism based on hyperlocal reporting by people who want to tell a story about the arts, living, and civic engagement in Carrboro. We seek contributions from everyone with the purpose of amplifying local voices and connecting all of us who live in, work in, and visit Carrboro. This kind of community engagement - news generation model is gaining traction around the U.S. as people seek new (or return to old) ways of connecting locally with purpose, curiosity, humor, and compassion. It's local news from the people living it. [TM]

There isn’t just one story about Carrboro. Tell yours.

If you have a story you’d like to tell or if there is a story you would like us to tell, please get in touch: info@thecarrborean.com or 919-869-7645.

One Year In…

I am stunned that one whole magical year has passed. Here’s where we stand.

This is my favorite quote from Carrboro’s Poet Laureate, Dr. Amanda Bennett: “If you create a container with intention and love, you can trust that people will fill it with what they have, and you’ll end up having more than enough.” She wasn’t talking about The Carrborean when she said that but, nonetheless, described this project perfectly.

There are so many people to thank. I have benefitted from the kindness and generosity of many people who are very excited to have hyperlocal print news. And this project continues because so many people have contributed through sharing ideas, writing, advertising, subscribing, and corresponding and meeting with me.

Thanks to all I’ve leaned on and learned from, who kept me and the work going this year: Readers, Writers, Friends, Subscribers, Rob Carty, Jack Nestor and Arlene Furman of Technica, Abhi Sivadas of My Muses Card Shop and Art Gallery, Keith Knight, Marcela Slade, Michael Melton, Niya Tingley, Alicia Roskind Dearing and James Dearing of Oasis Botanical Lounge, the Poets of the West End Festival, Cat Lazorko from the Town of Carrboro, Bryan Reklis and Darryl Jones of the Carrboro Film Fest, Raquel Harris and the Poetic Justice League, John Nicholson, Whitney Fry, John Rees, Julia F. Green, Emily Brewer, Chea and Stan Terrell, Weatherhill Pointe neighbors, the women of The Charlotte Smith Circle, Denise Todloski, Aimee Benson, J.R., Jacques Menache, Keiko Bury and Carrboro Family Pharmacy, Pamir Kiciman, Bart Lakey, Stephanie Martin, Elaine Ellis, Jim Porto, everyone who called or wrote to tell me they like what I’m doing and also those who want to see something different, the Carolina North Forest which anchors Carrboro’s well-being and creativity, and all the characters of Carrboro who inspire me every day.

Did you know…

·       UNC’s Wilson Library asked me if they could serve as the archive for The Carrborean in November.

·       The first issue subsidized entirely through ads and subscriptions was the December/January issue and every issue since has been funded that way.

·       The first issue in which all content was from contributors (not me) was the May issue.

·       There are collectors. Are you missing one or more issues from Volume 1? Let me know—each back issue is $1; get the entire volume—wrapped with a bow—for $10. Contact: info@thecarrborean.com

If you are thinking of starting a hyperlocal newspaper, I have some thoughts:

A project like this requires a lot of time and a little bit of money to start, and someone who is bonkers enough to throw themselves entirely into it.

It takes having a vision and a strong belief that the idea deserves to live outside of you. And then pouring yourself into making it and putting it out into the world. And then seeing what happens and being ok with whatever that is.

When I began this work, I said to my husband, “I’m going to take this as far as I can, until I hit an insurmountable obstacle and then I’ll stop. And I’ll know that I took it as far as I could.”

I thought the obstacle might be something I couldn't figure out related to setting up or running the business, or a prohibitive cost to producing the newspaper, or nobody liking it, or nobody contributing to it.

So far, none of those things have happened.

So on we go.