Growing up in Tucson, I have three childhood memories that stick to me like sweat on those 100-plus-degree days:
1. Getting excited for the new flavor of the month at Eegee’s. My new favorite is kiwi lemonade.
2. Sitting in the trunk of our childhood van at the De Anza Drive-In watching two-for-one movies.
And 3. Tuning in everyday after school to local news channels, watching TV journalists like Guy Atchley and thinking, “Wow, they have cool jobs.”
Little did I know then that I would one day become a working journalist, making storytelling an important part of my life.
In high school, I worked on the Cactus Chronicle, Tucson High School’s student newspaper, and I fell in love with the idea of reporting current events and letting people tell their stories through my writing. In high school I knew the dream of journalism was achievable for me.
I attended the University of Arizona in 2017, studying journalism and religious studies. I worked at The Daily Wildcat student newspaper in many forms, including multimedia editing where I helped my peers explore the avenues of audio journalism and podcasting. At the UA, I focused on digital storytelling and found a way to carve my path in the world of local journalism.
After the UA, I ventured into the Sierra Vista community, covering stories about ranching and local businesses through video and audio before accepting a job at my hometown newspaper in Tucson. I worked as a digital producer for the Arizona Daily Star for the last 2½ years covering Tucson through video and audio, helping create the Stars of the Star podcast series.
My favorite thing about being a journalist in Tucson is the plethora of events and community stories just waiting to be covered. Tucson’s annual events like the gem and mineral show, Tucson Meet yourself and the Fourth Avenue Street Fair are just a few festivities that bring the community together and really bring out amazing stories waiting to be shared.
Tucson will always be my home, through every monsoon and every art market. The city really shines when its community comes together.
Fun facts about me:
🌵 I studied journalism and religious studies at the University of Arizona.
🌵 I can converse in four languages including German and ASL.
🌵 I’m a huge “Real Housewives” fan, specifically RHOBH, RHONJ and RHOSLC.
🌵 I love watching people win money on game shows.
🌵 I’m a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
