Unscripted. Unfiltered. Unforgettable.

Swain Domain behind the scenes of The Jim Acosta Show Town Hall at the Lincoln Theatre in DC

This video is what transparency looks like. I went behind the scenes at something special: the first-ever Jim Acosta Show Town Hall, held at the iconic Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C.

🎬 Watch the highlight reel here

As someone who’s spent years in journalism and video production, there’s nothing quite like the energy of a live event. But this wasn’t just any event—it was a bold experiment in truth-telling, community, and unfiltered conversation. Every person in the theater had a story to tell.

I brought a team of assistants—aspiring journalists and visual storytellers, from a high school senior days before her graduation to

sid espinosa

UMD ‘20 who helped create a quick-turn social video with

Rep. Jasmine Crockett

. The Swain Domain team helped capture behind-the-scenes footage, connect with audience members, and experience what it takes to produce a show that cuts through the noise.

Olivia of Troye

kept me laughing and I loved her timely fashion choice of a Bruce Springsteen t-shirt, supporting THE Boss.

Jim Acosta

and

Matty Hoye

pulled this town hall together in under a month. As Jim put it, “We’re building the plane in the air.” People want this show on the road—and from what I saw that night, it’s easy to understand why.

Listening and sharing these kinds of moments I built my career around—and later, taught my visual journalism students to recognize and capture at the University of Maryland. Authentic. Unscripted. Human.

This is my second original video release on

Substack

, and I have another planned this week! Representation isn't an afterthought—I'm 2/2 on elevating queer and racially diverse voices.

With your support, I’ll keep documenting the real stories that often go unheard.

Thanks for being here and for watching,
Bethany Swain

Founder, Swain Domain