Emily Sweeney’s Boston accent is already the stuff of legend.
The queer Boston Globe journalist shot to viral stardom this year, not just because of her quintessentially Dorchester pronunciation, or her wicked cool tracksuits, but for telling stories about her city in an accessible and informative way. In 2026, Sweeney converted her Instagram and TikTok fame into a new title: social video journalist. For her, the role is a dream come true.
“When I was a kid, I dreamed of hosting a TV or radio show,” she says. “But as time went on, reality set in: I didn’t look or sound like a typical TV host or news anchor.”
Sweeney stuck to print, writing for the newspaper’s Blotter Tales column and its Cold Case Files series, until the opportunity arose to do more video. Now, her voice and her “Dot Rat” style immediately prompt any doomscroller to stop and learn from the best.
“I never really gave up on my dream,” she says — and as she enters the Out100 for the first time, that’s the same message she’d extend to her fans: “Never give up hope.” @emilysweeney22
