About .................................. Work
Lauren ... Barton
Lauren is an award-winning writer and freelance journalist from Tennessee. She is currently preparing to transfer to East Tennessee State University, where she will pursue an ABM in Communication and Storytelling Studies.
Writing ‘n whatnot
“Since Dobbs, Some Are Considering Desperate Measures,” DAME Magazine, 2025 • Author“Kids Online Safety Act Could Leave Homeschooled Kids Without Crucial Resources,” Teen Vogue, 2025 • Author“Unschooling Trend Is Growing More Popular, But It Can Cover Up Neglect,” Teen Vogue, 2024 • Author“‘Hopeless’ Appalachian Youths Prepare to Vote in 2024,” 100 Days in Appalachia, 2024 • Author“LGBTQ+ students in Tennessee have never been more terrified,” Scalawag Magazine, 2023 • Author“Homeschooled Students’ Invisible Mental Health Crisis,” The Nation, 2023 • Author“I Speak for Myself, Rep. Tim Rudd,” The Tennessee Holler, 2021 • Author“Hundreds of sexual deepfake ads using Emma Watson’s face ran on Facebook and Instagram in the last two days,” NBC News, 2024 • Interviewee“Trans and gender-fluid kids are under attack. How can we tell their stories without furthering harm?,” Poynter, 2023 • Interviewee“What Do Young Voters Want From Kamala Harris?,” YES! Magazine, 2024 • Interviewee“This Is Not For Tears,” Study Hall, 2023 • Interviewee“High school sweethearts met on a quiz website,” Mashable, 2025 • Interviewee
About me
My heart lies within the Appalachian mountains, and my spirit rallies with the trans folks who reside in them. I write about the intersection of both, as well as home-based education systems like traditional homeschooling and unschooling. In my spare time, I've competed in Tennessee Parliamentary Debate for Walters State Community College, volunteered for the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, and planned plenty of passion projects ─ from a lifestyle magazine on WordPress, to a CRT-focused podcast, to many (failed) newsletter attempts.I graduated with my Associates of Arts from Walters in 2025, cum laude. I achieved academic recognition for my tributes to the debate team and won first place for my personal essay, Love in Appalachia, in East Tennessee’s own Mildred Haun Conference.Outside of my academic and professional work, I play the keyboard and study Appalachian folklore. I also spend time honing my skills in web/graphic design and editorial photography. I'm really interested in philosophy, sociology, history, and personality typing systems such as George Gurdjieff's Enneagram.
Photography
Pictures I’ve captured of my beautiful Appalachian home.