Alejandro Ramirez
Verified
As seen in:
Nashville Scene,
Medium,
VICE,
WBUR-FM (Boston, MA),
Pith in the Wind - Nashville Scene,
Nashville Post,
International Policy Digest,
Our Community Now,
Williamson Scene - Brentwood
Covers:
Hip hop, homelessness, social justice, immigration, Latino issues, housing, politics
Doesn't Cover:
Business, celebrity gossip, food
Managing editor @NashvilleScene. Co-host @pplshistorypod season 1. Send tips and memes to aramirez@nashvillescene.com.
Elsewhere: @alejandroramirez.bsky.social
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Intern at DigBoston.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Nope.
How is social media changing news?
In many ways, it's easier to curate the news you see. It's also sped up the cycle, haphazardly at times.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
April O'Neil had the best TMNT scoops.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
You look for the truth, whether it's about a band's new music or whatever the hell politicians are up to.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
GIF-reactions are where it's at.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
By email, with the clear "What" and "when" structure. And with good background facts.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Docs, voice recorder, endless stream of notepads and pens, my phone.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter for news and discourse, Facebook for actually being "social."
Who do you wish followed you?
More local journalists and editors. No celebrity white whale aspirations, though.
Why did you become a journalist?
I like finding stories and figuring out narratives.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I didn't. I came over to journalism fairly late, and didn't even join my college paper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Either my profile on the late rapper Scientifik or my story on the problematic Long Island bridge that ran months before its closure.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Seek out every opportunity and elbow your way into the room.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Mid-morning, right before the day gets too crazy.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
None stick out, but I've had some awesome in-person and social media tips from sources.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Hard to pick just one...
What's your favorite drink?
Non-alcoholic: Arizona Watermelon Juice
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Either in the field getting interviews, or, sadly, my non-journalistic PT job. Or a bar.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Each rag has its ups and downs, so I try not to fanboy for outlets, but the NYT has definitely been on a tear in the past year.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Hip-hop: free PR. Homelessness: charity/rumor-mongering,
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.