Writing
Writing was the first thing I learned to do in journalism, and it made me fall in love with the craft. I've learned about myself and the world around me through this basic building block of reporting.
Taking pride in my work
The first time I felt like a "real journalist" was early on in my exploration of the field. My second article, about affirmative action, taught me a lot. I learned that I loved interviews and research, because they helped me form new, educated perspectives. Connie Dominguez, one of our main sources on the article, changed my personal opinion of affirmative action - teaching me the importance that journalism has, not only on the general public's but, on the journalist's knowledge of a subject. To this day, I still love debating affirmative action. Winning a Best of SNO award on top of my personal growth was the cherry on the cake!
MAKING A CHANGE
One of my favorite pieces I have ever completed was my editorial on trigger warnings. It was a subject I truly cared about. After I wrote it, the English department started writing a new policy for required readings regarding trigger warnings. It was gratifying to see my hard work and research pay off and actually change a topic of personal importance to me. Most journalists would tell you they want to "make important change." I actually accomplished the journalist dream.
Ethics and Impartiality
A journalism story I love to tell is when my partner and I interviewed a mayor from a small town in Texas for our article on Gov. Abbott's repeal of Texas's mask mandate. When we finished the interview we asked the same question we always do: "Is there anything else you would like to add?" She responded that she usually didn't do interviews, but she had read through our articles and decided that we were bipartisan enough to partake in one of our articles. This was a personal victory, because we had accomplished what is arguably the hardest aspect of journalism - neutrality.
News gathering
The writing process
First, I start with a pitch that includes a slug, headline, and possible elements that can be added to the story.
Then, I flesh out the research, the sources, and add a little more content writing.
Then, I'll confirm my interviews and plan questions. I use Otter.ai to transcribe my audio and upload accurate quotes.
Finally, I start writing with my research and quotes. Occasionally I'll need to reorganize my grafs if the order doesn't flow well.