Growing up in small town Iowa, I had literally no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up.

First it was zookeeper, then video game designer, then video game tester, then chef, then baker, then author, and now, I have finally landed on high school English teacher. How did I, a future teacher, end up as a journalist in college? Well, it is an interesting story.

I was at the orientation fair the summer before my freshman year at Iowa State, and I stumbled upon the Iowa State Daily booth. I love creative writing, so I decided I would sign up and hope there would be something for me down the line.

A few weeks later, Mark Witherspoon sent me an email inviting me to fall training at the Daily, which takes place a week before classes start. I showed up, and I was one of only three freshman there; talk about terrifying.

Before I knew it, I was on the LGBTQIA+ beat and covering an incredibly diverse community I knew very little about, even though I identify as a part of it.

I soon came to love not only my beat but being a reporter as well. I have gotten to meet many incredible individuals across Iowa State and Ames and tell their stories. Creating visibility for and informing the public about the LGBTQIA+ community’s issues through my writing has been one of the best opportunities I have ever had.

A year and over 100 articles later, I am now the news editor for diversity and get to advocate for more than just the LGBTQIA+ community. Through our writing, my reporters and I tell the stories of the many overlooked and often side-lined communities; no matter if those stories are sad, happy or create change, we will be there.

If just one person reads an article from my desk and thinks, “I didn’t realize what these people were going through,” I’ll feel my job is complete.