E49: Hometown revival: She left the LA ad world to help her rural hometown community thrive | Melissa Hughes in Western NY

This episode is sponsored by Visit LivCo. Livingston County, New York is the heart of the Genesee River Valley, home of Letchworth State Park, and westernmost gateway to the Finger Lakes. Make LivCo your basecamp for one-of-a-kind hiking, dining and more. Plan your escape at www.visitlivco.com and follow along on Instagram @visitlivcoI am excited to invite you to my conversation with Melissa Hughes. Melissa and I met through Urban Exodus, as she was a dedicated reader in the early days of the project. When living in Los Angeles, she would often pursue the stories on the website during her lunch breaks, dreaming of her own escape. After a few years of planning, scheming, and rooftop gardening, Melissa and her husband took a leap of faith and left LA  to return to her childhood stomping grounds in rural Western New York. When Livingston County last year made the decision to move their tourism office to the local chamber of commerce, they offered Melissa the role as director of tourism.  In our conversation we speak about Melissa's experience moving back to her hometown, finding purpose through your work, the urban/rural divide, rural gentrification and rising costs, and the power of art to transform.This is a story about rural revitalization, returning to your hometown, and prioritizing quality of life and family connection.Read more about Melissa and see photos from life in Livingston County urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book