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Commitment to Diversity
Social justice was something I’ve always talked about and researched on my own, but it wasn’t until I wrote a story delving into my personal experiences with racism at my school that I realized I could use my writing to influence how race and equity is addressed by my community. The story started with a description of the origins of my school’s nickname “White Castle,” drawing on the school’s mascot (Knight) and lack of racial diversity among both the faculty and student population. In that piece, I interviewed teachers and students to explore ways we could both increase diversity and better support people of color at the school. That story happened to be my first entry in the “NSPA Best of Show” competition. It was also my first story to place in a contest for social justice reporting. In that moment, I realized that people were hearing my words and that I wanted to use journalism as a platform to raise awareness for the issues I felt passionate about.
Later that same year, I was talking to someone who mentioned a Supreme Court case from the 70s about my home town’s refusal to build public housing. The town, Arlington Heights, received a verdict in their favor, which seemed to lay the groundwork for the lack of racial diversity that still exists today (over 80% white). I wanted to find out what, if anything, the city was doing to change their demographics. I learned about a plan written for the city that made recommendations for increasing diversity through changes in areas such as hiring practices and new housing developments. I interviewed the mayor, a resident whose family has been here for generations, a student of color and an AP Human Geography teacher to better understand the impacts of growing up in a racially stagnant area. Through my reporting, I was able to educate my community on how local government and policies can influence the racial mix of a community and help them reflect on how those policies impact their lives.
The story that placed second in NSPA Best of Show for social justice reporting was a story I took on as reports of bullying and vandalism increased at my school. Incidents of transphobia such as students destroying tampon dispensers in the men’s bathroom and verbal harassment were exploding. While this story didn’t change the entire student body’s attitude towards minority groups, those that I interviewed texted me “Thank you” after it came out. From that, I knew that I made them feel heard and allowed others in the community and nation to feel their frustration and fears, which is all I could really ask for.
Beyond my reporting, I am always passionate about sharing my Korean culture, whether that means participating in International Club at school or bringing Korean dishes to share with the staff on nights we would stay late to design pages and print the newspaper. But when I started writing about social justice in the newspaper, I was able to find myself and who I want to be; someone who points out ignorance and hate and asks for better.