What was your first job as a journalist?
Staff writer at the Chenango Valley News in Hamilton, NY
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. It has a much more satisfying sound than a keyboard, btw.
How is social media changing news?
It has made it much equitable, and given voice to more people and globalized response.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Finn, from my novel INK. ;)
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Holding government accountable, asking the tough questions, making sure every community is covered fairly and accurately, amplifying voices.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Hmmm. None?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email. Make me believe you have a really good story.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Word Press, Buffer, HubSpot, Asana, Headliner, Knightlab's StoryMap and timeline.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Guillermo del Toro.
Why did you become a journalist?
I grew up in Guatemala during the undeclared civil war & saw media parrot "the official story" but journalists risk their lives 4 real ones
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?
An early story trying to figure out what had happened a migrant worker who disappeared from Central New York in the 1960s.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Develop a taste for coffee and being awake at odd hours. Addiction to the adrenaline rush of breaking news and looming deadlines is good too.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Mornings.
What's your favorite drink?
Café de olla.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Cooking.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
ProPublica.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That Latinxs are all immigrants, and that all immigrants are criminals.
