training:
aaja jcamp
Summer 2022
JCamp is a six-day training camp – with a strong focus of networking – that brings together 25 diverse high schoolers from across the nation with a strong passion in journalism. It is run under the Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA). Though each day was more tiring than the last, every evening when we got back from a packed schedule of fascinating speakers, I would take the time to research the next day’s speakers, compiling a summary I researched about them in a Google Doc, and taking note of questions I would have for them. During the day of, I would make sure to not only engage with my set of prepared questions, but take time after their presentation to speak with them personally, introduce myself, and exchange contact information. Amongst the other high schoolers, I made sure to get to know all of them, be curious of their lives, ensuring that on bus rides and meals, everyone was included in conversations. My favorite part about this experience was its emphasis on the power of diverse voices and pertinence of it in journalism — a topic not covered the in-depth in past school journalism experiences.
Left: Document I created to research guest speakers in advance so that I could prepare thoughtful questions. Right: Outline for Adobe Spark we created, while reporting about Little Tokyo.
My role models
Washington Post Reporter
My mentor who taught me true diverse, powerful storytelling and brought me Target shopping when my suitcase got lost at the airport.
ABC 7 Chicago Anchor
The broadcast mentor from JCamp who taught me through his kind-hearted character the nature of humility and care.
Star Tribune Critic
Funniest guy on the block. I miss our talks on the bus ride from Little Tokyo and walks to the cafeteria all about the journalism industry, recent shows he's reviewing, and what it was like meeting Taylor Swift.
Detroit Free Press Editor
Though I only got to talk to Mr. Bhatia during the AAJA conference, I soaked up every second of it: opportunities for teens like me to write for the Press, his day-to-day schedule, and Michigan football.
The family I found
