Responsible news outlets are mirrors, reflecting back images of the communities that support them, allowing others to see new perspectives.
I’ve been the cultural expression and community values reporter at the Tucson Sentinel since summer 2022, and my greatest pleasure has been reporting on the diverse topics that emerge from Tucson and neighboring towns across Southern Arizona’s Borderlands.
During times of uncertainty and conflict, I’m grateful I’m able to produce stories that uplift and act as a balm for the readers — that’s my hope. This past year brought many stories to my plate and I make a point of treating every report with care.
This year, I’ve reported about large events like the Tucson Jazz Festival, Tucson Comic Con, and the All Soul’s Procession as well as business openings, galleries, theater, books and compelling community members such as Adiba Nelson, contestants at Iron Chef Tucson and more.
And I’ve seen the effects of a healthy local press clearly in my time living and working here in Tucson.
I could write ad nauseam about the importance of the media as a whole, but I would like to shine a spotlight on local press. I may be biased — I’m a local journalist myself — but there is a special kind of magic to local reporting. The people I interview constantly express their appreciation of having someone listen. “Thank you for covering this.” “Thank you for spreading the word.” “Thank you for telling our story.”
It’s our privilege to be those ears, and to help pass along those important stories to a wider audience.
The process of storytelling is layered and complex. It all begins with the seed of the story. This could be an Instagram post, a press release, even a flyer on a lamppost. Inspiration can strike from a conversation sparked by an overheard remark at a coffeeshop. That’s part of the magic.
Then comes the process of finding sources. Personally, I find this sacred. As humans, we engage in interpersonal communication daily, most of the time without a second thought about it. But communicating effectively is at the heart of our craft as storytellers.
As a journalist, the trust between a source and me is the heart of the story. This is the real magic to me: the connections I make, the people I meet on a regular basis is what makes the experience special.
There are some stories that stand out to me in reflecting on the past year. Covering the Tucson Jazz Festival was a blast. I didn’t know how little I knew about jazz until the festival came around and I was able to interview some of the musicians. My favorite of those stories was the one about Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band. I appreciate stories that serve as learning experiences in the process.
Another highlight was an article I wrote about Tucson storm chasers, who hit the streets to take photos of the monsoons.
My work goes beyond the expected arts coverage. These last 12 months, I’ve explored themes and topics such as tribal affairs, religion and spirituality, policies about inclusivity, food, writing and so much more. I’ve also had the pleasure of translating pieces from English to Spanish with the goal of serving more diverse audiences. My New Year’s resolution is to produce more articles in Spanish, that’s for sure.
There may be no Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, or Spider-Woman, around here but there are reporters who care, and I get to call them my colleagues at the Tucson Sentinel.
Authentically local independent journalism is urgently needed. Without professionals like the ones on our staff, so many rocks would go unturned and so many stories would remain untold.
It’s with the backing of readers like you — and support from the Report
for America program — that I’m able to keep an ear to the ground, and a pen at the ready.
You can keep the Sentinel growing and thriving when you join our Watchdog Club group of supporters. Help us listen even more intently, and tell you and your neighbors even more about what makes Tucson tick.
Join the Watchdog Club
Give to real local journalism that matters — your donation TRIPLED before Dec. 31! Support the watchdog reporters of the
nonprofit independent newsroom at TucsonSentinel.com.
The Tucson Sentinel’s award-winning, in-depth reporting provides details and context — and your investment in authentically local news could be TRIPLED because of generous matching donations.
Beat the deadline, and help us bring Tucson even more fearless independent journalism.
Because of the wonderful support from the leaders of the Sentinel’s Community Challenge Fund, and matching grant from NewsMatch, all donations before midnight on Dec. 31 can be matched 2-1!
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Right here, you can become a member of our WATCHDOG CLUB group of supporters — with a variety of donation options — and you’ll get:
When you donate before the clock strikes midnight on Sunday, your gift to support local nonprofit news is eligible to be
matched, dollar-for-dollar, by NewsMatch, a
national effort to help underwrite news organizations like the
Sentinel. PLUS, your gift will be backed by contributions from generous local donors to the Sentinel’s Community Matching Fund!
With this 2-1 match, every dollar you give means another $2 to support local watchdog news. And the $3 from your donation can have the impact of $6, because of Report for America’s support for our local journalists who are members of that program.
But, as they used to say on late-night TV, wait: there’s more.
If you sign up to give monthly, NewsMatch and the Community Challenge Fund mean your monthly gift can have 36x the impact
over the course of 2024 — the entire annual value of your monthly
donation is eligible to be matched. Whether you give a one-time
donation, or subscribe as a member of the Watchdog Club with a monthly
contribution, donations of up to $1,000 per individual are eligible to
be matched.
So if you become a $25 monthly donor, you’re helping put $900 into real local reporting in Tucson over the course of a year!
Plus, if we meet our goals and sign up 31 more new monthly contributors, we’ll get a special bonus from NewsMatch & the Challenge Fund (and bring Tucson a whole lot more dogged reporting)!
** We still need 31 new members to hit our goal — please pitch in today! **
If you haven’t given yet, please do now. If you’re already a Watchdog Club member, please tell your friends and family just how important truly local independent news is for our community, and get them signed up, too!
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