What was your first job as a journalist?
My first job was at Chicago's oldest neighborhood newspaper, the Hyde Park Herald
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No
How is social media changing news?
With short news bites and clips, which make it harder for print to stand out and be read.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Spiderman
What does it mean to be a journalist?
This means holding power to account. It means creating the first draft of history and being trusted to tell stories that will last forever.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
N/A
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I prefer emails.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google suite, Otter, Chatgpt, Journalist's Toolkit...
What's your favorite social network?
My favorite social network has to be Threads right now. I love the conversations and how it is not ran by the bots
Who do you wish followed you?
I wish that Chicago-born and raised author and writer Jamilah Lemieux followed me. I had the honor of meeting her during her book tour!
Why did you become a journalist?
I became a journalist due to my love for writing.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
My high school didn't have a paper. I started one that didn't last too long, but in the couple of issues that did run, I wrote music reviews.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I am most proud of my participatory budgeting story because I came up with the idea and learned a lot.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep going, you will get things wrong but never be afraid to try and do better next time
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitch I ever got was to report on draft day at Soldier Field to talk to Black Bears fans about what the team means to them.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Not sure at the moment
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Read a book
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I love to read Block Club Chicago because it is hyperlocal and I learn about new things that are in proximity to me.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
N/A
