A year ago, I had just wrapped up my digital storytelling class at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health when I learned about the NPR Next Generation Radio program. That’s when it clicked that journalism might be a way to combine my passion for public health and storytelling. I eagerly looked for a project happening in the Pacific Northwest, and there was one projected to happen sometime in 2022. I submitted my application, but afterwards had doubts about my qualifications. I was a pre-med student with a microbiology and public health background, how was I going to break into journalism? It was a long six-month wait!
When I received the news that I was moving into the next round, it was bittersweet. I had a family emergency and I knew I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to do the assigned work needed to get into the program. But Doug Mitchell himself reached out to me and asked if I was still interested. He took time out of his busy schedule to check in with me and see if everything was okay. It felt like a light in the darkness, and as things were getting better at home, I asked for an extension. It was granted!
I quickly got on my first journalism assignment, and found someone to talk to about climate change. I had taken some biology and public health courses that touched on climate change and the effects on melting ice glaciers, the ozone layer, and higher tides, but I had not talked to anyone who had been personally affected by climate change. Only through my research did I finally make the connection – that we are all personally being affected by climate change right now. It’s not just transient wildfire smoke burning our lungs, but the fear and stress of having to evacuate any summer now.
My goals had been to learn more about the tools needed for audio projects that I’m planning to do in the future. But I also learned so much from my source, the Next Generation Radio Project and my OPB mentor.
I was excited about interviewing Dr. Genoveva O’Neill. I had heard she was involved with community organizations and was kind of a big deal! When I met her and learned she was a first-generation immigrant, it brought tears to my eyes because she represented who I wanted to become: a Latina physician serving the community. It’s been very challenging finding mentors who come from a similar background. Only 6% of all physicians are Latinx, so sometimes it feels like an impossible dream.
So I feel very lucky that she had time to share her story with me. I wanted to honor what she was saying, ask the questions I planned, and not go off script or forget an important question. When she mentioned her boss wanted to know when the project would get published, I felt more than a little nervous. He could potentially be my boss in five years…I was committed to the project from the start, but now the stakes felt higher.
I had a couple of long days. I am astounded by my OPB mentor, Donald Orr, he was right there with me. He made time and gave 100% of his energy to dive into this project with me. They really mean it when they say it’s a sprint. But writing the digital story felt like I was running a marathon. Thankfully I had a whole team cheering me on to the finish line. There were so many amazing threads to follow in the story and I wanted to follow all of them. But I wasn’t writing a five-page paper. The time crunch helped me make those difficult decisions and come up with a final digital piece I’m proud of.
I can’t believe it was just a couple weeks ago that I was struggling to find someone to interview. Now, I have a list of tools and new skills to get started on the audio content I’ve always dreamed of doing. Not to mention, the amazing team and new friends I’ve met through NPR’s Next Generation Radio program and Oregon Public Broadcasting who have made it very clear Next Gen doesn’t stop here. I can continue to reach out to them for advice and help, hopefully one day soon as a medical reporter.
Thank you so much Doug, Michelle, Amara, Mary Kay, Yoohyun, PJ, Eejoon, Donald, and all the other mentors and staff who are dedicating their time and efforts for the next generation.