I am a fourth-year Journalism student at Thompson Rivers University who hopes to build a career as a storyteller focused on immigrant experiences and underrepresented communities. As a Filipino immigrant, I have always been drawn to stories about identity, migration, and belonging. My goal as a journalist is to create work that documents the realities of immigrant life while also giving voice to communities that are often overlooked in mainstream media. Through writing, reporting, and multimedia storytelling, I hope to publish stories that help audiences better understand the struggles, resilience, and everyday experiences of immigrants in Canada and around the world.
During my time at TRU, I have developed strong skills in reporting, interviewing, research, and storytelling. My coursework and projects have taught me how to listen carefully to people’s experiences and translate them into meaningful narratives. One example from my portfolio is my creative nonfiction story about my childhood and growing up separated from my mother when she worked overseas. This piece reflects TRU’s institutional learning outcome of Connection, as it connects personal memory with larger social realities faced by many immigrant families. Writing this story helped me understand how personal experiences can reflect broader issues such as migration, family sacrifice, and cultural identity. It also demonstrates my ability to use narrative writing to build emotional connections with readers.
My experiences at TRU have also strengthened my sense of Engagement and Local-to-Global awareness. As a journalism student, I have learned how local stories often reflect global issues such as migration, labour mobility, and cultural identity. Being both a student journalist and an immigrant allows me to approach stories with empathy and curiosity. I aim to engage deeply with the communities I write about by listening to their perspectives and representing their stories responsibly. These experiences have helped me understand journalism not only as a profession, but also as a way to build understanding between cultures and communities.
Moving forward, I hope to continue developing my career as a journalist who focuses on narrative storytelling and community centred reporting. The skills I have gained at TRU, including critical thinking, storytelling, and community engagement will guide me as I work toward publishing more stories about immigrant life and identity. My goal is to contribute to a media landscape where diverse voices and experiences are represented, and where storytelling can help create empathy and understanding across cultures.