Afi Scruggs
As seen in:
The Guardian,
The Washington Post,
USA Today,
NBC News,
Lifehacker,
VICE UK,
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Yahoo,
Cleveland.com,
RawStory
and
Covers:
Spot news, features including cooking, health, social justice, income inequality
Doesn't Cover:
Military, economics,
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I covered the planning commission for the Maryland Independent in Charles County, MD.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. (If you want to know my age, just ask.)
How is social media changing news?
First off, we get news from Facebook not from news outlets. Secondly, we don't know what's true anymore.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
That question does not deserve a short answer.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I use a computer, cell phone, DSLR, recorder and several microphones. I write on Google Drive. I edit audio with Adobe Audition.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook and lurking on Instagram.
Why did you become a journalist?
It was a way to write and make a living simultaneously. Plus I like finding stuff out and spilling the beans.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I am most proud of an investigation into a principal who was having an affair with a sixth-grader.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Stay curious
When's the best time to pitch you?
Mid-morning or the day BEFORE you want the story if possible.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A request to write stories for the 2019 Black History month special edition of USAToday.
What's your favorite drink?
I love Coca-Cola.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I'm most likely playing my bass. I have two careers.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
My favorite publication is New York Magazine.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
All I do is write stuff down without checking it out.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.