MY STORIES:

• Immigration, business and community: Organizations in Utah assist Hispanic entrepreneurs overcome challenges and find success
• Mass incarceration, health disparities, the achievement gap: Is the Utah governor’s Multicultural Commission helping?
• How Latinos in Action is inspiring youth who are Latinx to find success and overcome challenges like high dropout rates, youth suicide, and more

MY BLOG:

Throughout my time writing for Voices of Utah, I have consistently surprised myself. I began my academic career a shy, introverted student who would avoid talking to new people at all costs. My writing abilities were mediocre at best. This class has showed me just how much I have changed.

I love the journalistic process. I love discovering an issue or person or organization and learning everything I can about it, really diving into it as deeply as possible. I especially love having the opportunity to meet new people and hear about their pasts, stories, and what they believe. The process of compiling all my research and findings into something that flows and (hopefully) inspires is challenging, but in the best way possible.

The idea of opening a person’s eyes to an issue and motivating them to take action is exactly what I want to do. Information is key to our democracy. In order to be a civically engaged citizen, we need to be informed. To be a small piece of this process has been amazing and something I want to continue doing.

Continuing this idea of civic engagement, the media has a critical responsibility to portray all groups fairly and accurately. I believe this is something our media are not doing well. When we hear about members of the Hispanic/Latinx population in the news, it is typically in a negative light, and our political leaders often encourage this. During my time reporting this beat, I only found inspiring and uplifting stories. These are people who have to work against what the media write about them, instead of with the media’s support. It is disappointing that the press ignores these and focuses on negative stories instead, because it is not an accurate representation of this community. This makes it more difficult to be a civically engaged citizen, because if we don’t believe in members of our community, we won’t want to help them.

I study strategic communication and, in the past, have been adamant about not wanting to work as a journalist after I graduate, keeping my eyes on a career in marketing and communications. Before, I was planning on only looking at jobs in marketing and communications in the nonprofit sector. I believe that sharing the work these organizations are doing would be a fantastic way to spend my career, though now I am also considering a career in journalism because of the experience I gained in this course. I find the process of writing challenging but extremely rewarding, and to have the opportunity to do this as a career would be phenomenal.

I truly believe that you learn the most about yourself when you serve others. Throughout this class, I have had the opportunity to put my personal interests aside and learn about different organizations and people. Because of this, I was also able to learn a great deal about myself, what I enjoy working on, and what I might want to do in the future.

ABOUT ME:

I am a strategic communication student completing my third year at the University of Utah. I work as an Intern at UServeUtah, the Utah Commission on Service & Volunteerism, and as the Lead Coordinator for the Bennion Center Scholars program.

Civic engagement and service are both things that have defined my college experience. Throughout my communication studies and service with the Bennion Center, I have been able to learn just how powerful the media we consume are and how media outlets can be used for good. After I graduate, I want to work in a marketing or communications position in the nonprofit industry or as a journalist. I consider these to both be opportunities that would give me the chance to utilize the skills I have learned throughout my undergraduate career to influence others to create positive change.

Filed under: Hispanics & Latinos(as), Student-Journalists |