MY STORIES:

• Coffee Shop in Salt Lake City’s Little America Hotel strives for authenticity with Asian cuisines
• Miss Utah USA’s first minority beauty queen aims for the best in life
• Salt Lake City’s Lượm Làm tries to forget her tough past
• Pending Chinatown in South Salt Lake anticipates fall 2011 grand opening

MY BLOG:

As an Asian American myself, the stories on the Asian community that were covered were especially meaningful to me. At first it almost felt awkward to be reporting on a community that’s so close to me. But I was quickly reminded that my reporting on the Asian community would be just as if a white journalist were to report on the white community – there isn’t anything awkward about it.

I’ve always been aware of my minority status, but in a good way. I don’t lower my self-esteem and goals in life because I’m a minority in a majority group. Quite the opposite. I take great pride in my ethnicity and culture; I feel honored to be representing the Asian community in all that I do. And this journalism experience is no different. I’m excited to say that I’ve learned a great amount about my own culture through this experience.

A big challenge that I faced while investigating and reporting on the Asian beat was the desire to separate myself from my stories. If readers couldn’t figure out my ethnicity from the byline, I didn’t want them to figure it out in the stories – I didn’t want to come across as biased. As an Asian American journalist, covering stories on the Asian community is still new to me. I love being able to explore my culture doing something I love, journalism, but at the same time, I certainly didn’t want to come across as an Asian journalist who took advantage of her ethnicity to find stories and track sources.

Somewhere along the way, I had to give in and realize that I was indeed an Asian American journalist reporting on the Asian American community. I guess, in a way, being Asian American helped me gather more ideas for stories. I decided to report on stories that would be interesting to both the Asian and non-Asian community.

All of the stories I reported on for this beat were amazingly interesting topics to myself, and, I think, for others as well. I believe that in order to write an interesting piece, the writer should be interested first. I’ve learned that if I show interest in a story, sources are more likely to open up to me.

My stories ranged from foods to beauty pageants, to a feature on an incredible woman, to a community project that had been put on hold due to the recession. As a journalist, I believe story ideas can be found in almost anything, anywhere, from anyone – it just takes a little digging to get to the part that matters, but it’s there.

If I had to describe in one word what I took from my experience with Voices of Utah, it would be “perseverance.” The dictionary defines it as “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” It’s true. To be a great journalist takes a world’s amount of perseverance. I’m going to hit walls; I’m going to rush to make deadlines; I’m going to want to keep going; I’m going to continue to want to make a difference; I’m going to meet people who’ll put me down; I’m going to reach dead ends – but I will also find my way back to the beginning and try again.

I’m NOT going to stop doing what I love, which is writing, because I have perseverance.

ABOUT ME:

I’m currently in my third year at the University of Utah, majoring in mass communication and minoring in arts technology. Medical school used to be my life goal. But, somewhere along the way, I discovered that although the medical field still fascinates me, I couldn’t pursue a career that would keep me locked inside a clinic or hospital surrounded by germs. If I were to be contaminated by germs, I would rather get it while traveling the world, reporting and capturing my adventures.

My dream job would allow me to travel the world, exploring what I have yet to see. But rounding it up, I’m just a singer and dancer who fell in love with photography and journalism.

I believe fine arts can brighten someone’s day, and that all people have good morals and ethics – it’s up to the individual if they want to carry it out or not.

The photos I take, I hope, will make you feel something, anything. The writings I do, I hope, will educate and inspire you to be the person you want to be. Sometimes the decision to be a good person is tough, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

I have many dreams and choices I have yet to discover and unlock; many doors I have yet to open. But once I do, I know things will be good. I know my path in life and I’m thankful for those who are by me every step of the way. I have goals and dreams that I’m aiming for, and I’m having the time of my life trying to make them come within reach.

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