What was your first job as a journalist?
Writing reviews of hip-hop films for a student organization's newsletter on my campus, UC Hip-Hop Congress. First assignment: "How High."
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, indeed; for poetry. I unfortunately had to give it away during one of my moves, from southern Vermont to New York City.
How is social media changing news?
It has swiftly democratized the process by which events and phenomena are calibrated and calculated in the media. The personal is political.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
William Miller from "Almost Famous" (Cameron Crowe, 2000). Who, of course, is not fictional.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Expelling truth. And remembering this: "Each individual is merely the universe experiencing itself from a different angle."
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via e-mail. My e-mail address is clara@inkblotcomplex.co. Get creative; I have an old-school, print sensibility and enjoy reading longform.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Docs for writing; iMovie, CapCut, AirBrush for marketing; Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator for branding and event posters
What's your favorite social network?
IG for leftist news. TikTok for education/analyses. Twitter for personal thoughts from public figures. LinkedIn for thoughts from colleagues.
Who do you wish followed you?
Mohammed El-Kurd, Ava DuVernay, Eve Ewing, Ta-Nahisi Coates
Why did you become a journalist?
Thought is life. Analysis is supper.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I had a fortnightly column my junior year. I wrote thoughts, projections, and analyses of cultural conundrums in "the Clara Rose voice."
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A firsthand, in-depth account of time unknowingly spent with a racist, sexist, homophobic cult, Twelve Tribes. It sparked much controversy.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Sweat, sweat, sweat. You must be OBSESSED with unearthing opportunities and forward motion if you're going to get anywhere at all. Sweat.
