day 18, to who you wish you could be

Day 18. The person that you wish you could be

Amy,

When I first wanted to be a journalist, sometime in middle school or at the start of high school, I read a story about a girl who was covering a conflict in the Middle East. She was brutally murdered. I had her picture cut out and held onto it for a long time, to remind me what dedication comes with serious journalism. It wasn't that I wanted to die for it, but I wanted to remember that I couldn't take it lightly. I remember my mom being afraid–asking if I really wanted to go do that sort of journalism.

I would still say yes. Because we have to.

I've never seen, heard or read work by anyone more committed to freedom of the press (and of the people in many respects) than you. In an era of media corporations, partisanship of news, 24-hour access to news, ever increasing budgets for shows & campaigns (that are becoming increasingly connected), it's a relief to turn on Democracy Now and hear the stories no one else is telling or stories with an angle no one else is using.

Right when I feel most hopeless, when I feel like I can't go back to a country so blind to its own corruption and so determined to do what it wants with no regard for the next generation (buying banks that continue to screw up, taking health care away from the middle class, letting the rich finance elections, being too good of friends with car companies to move toward sustainable transportation)–when I feel like it's all lost, I hear all of your reports. I hear the stories from journalists that are hanging in there with the country.

You're the voice that says, "We can fix it." You're what reminds me that if all of those pushing for real social justice and a sustainable future (or ANY future if we're honest), it can't get any better. Hopefully, if I make it through graduate school, I'll be able to inspire a fraction of the people that you do as I work to preserve individual liberties.

Many thanks,
Megan

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