By Alana Victor
Since I was a little girl I have loved talking to people and listening to their stories. My parents joke that they knew I was going to be a journalist back when I was 6 years-old. They brought me to a neighborhood party where I proceeded to interview and question all the adults about their jobs and lives, even though most were complete strangers to me. To this day, I love meeting new people and hearing their stories.
As far as my own story, it is still in the works and is unfolding faster than I ever imagined it would. I am already in my third year at USC, where I am studying both Journalism and International Relations. Since my freshman year I have tried to involve myself on and off campus as much as I could. I was a reporter, news editor and features editor for the Daily Trojan. I am a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, a sorority, where I serve on the executive board as the Chief Operations Officer and oversee social, sisterhood and standards of the chapter. Also, during my time at USC I have explored and discovered new passions. I am involved in the Teaching International Relations Program (TIRP), where I teach high school students about different foreign policy topics. And additionally, I was the manager for a winning Presidential and Vice Presidential Undergraduate Student Government campaign and have stayed involved this year as USG's Director of External Relations.
However, my story started long before I came to USC. I was born June 8, 1994 in Pasadena, California. I lived there my whole childhood upbringing and went to three different schools there as well. Each of these schools had a religious affiliation that, looking back on now, I am very grateful for. While you might be thinking, it is because it gave me a stronger religious foundation, that is not what I am getting at in this case. Going to a Catholic elementary school and a Catholic, all-girls high school made me crave a more diverse environment. This was one of the main reasons why I chose to go to USC. While it is not the case with everyone, growing up within small communities gave me a desire to immerse myself in different communities. Journalism and writing has allowed me to discover these communities on a different level.
There are 7 billion people on this earth and each one has a different story, no matter how seemingly simple it may be. I have been continually inspired by Humans of New York, a photoblog and book that features brief interviews from random people in New York City. Similarly, I want to help people tell their stories because I believe that everyone deserves to be heard and should have their own voice. Journalism and unbiased reporting allow opportunities for people to get their message out to the world. It also goes beyond individuals and is important for countries, organizations, institutions and all different communities.
Journalism revolves around the sharing of information and stories with other individuals and communities. Right now is such an exciting time to be in journalism because of the advancements in technology that make opportunities for communication exponentially greater but also very different. While some might find these new changes daunting or unsettling, I am excited by the uncertainty and constant evolution that shapes the field. I too believe that I can be a dynamic individual who helps shape journalism for the future.
I believe in global citizenship, which for me is having an awareness of the world around you and your place in it. One day, I want my major impact and contribution to be at an international level, possibly in international news. I am intrigued by all things, public diplomacy, foreign policy and international relations. While I would love the opportunity to investigate anything in the international realm, I am particularly interested in South America and the types of democracies within this region. Even more particularly, I am interested in women's involvement in this region and in international governments in general. Ultimately, as a journalist, I hope to address challenging subjects that others may sometimes avoid or overlook so that no group or individual goes unnoticed.