A Legacy Worth Upholding

My very first Corsair assignment was a beach clean-up article in fall of last year. My partner and I were tasked with covering Heal the Bay, an organization responsible for beach cleanups, and how they were working to clean Santa Monica Beach.

But the location online was vague, and we never ended up finding Heal the Bay. What we did find were different people coming out for Coastal Clean-up Day and ended up interviewing whoever we could. All of these strangers had unique stories. One person founded an organization after his friend passed away and wanted to keep his legacy and kindness alive. Another created an organization after his service dog nearly stepped on a needle in the sand. We met an international student who fell in love with Los Angeles and wanted to give back to her new home. For a brief moment, my life was intertwined with the lives of strangers who I otherwise would have completely overlooked. 

The assignments continued, each bringing new memories and friends along the way. Our then Editor-in-Chief, Ashley Cox, saw potential in me, and brought me on as Opinion Editor. I continued editing articles, writing stories, and taking pictures. Towards the end of the semester, I decided to take a chance and apply to be Editor-in-Chief.

To my surprise, I was selected for the role this past December and have been working non-stop since then. I’d be lying if I said these past few weeks haven’t been characterized by anxiety. When taking on such a significant role, it seems natural to develop insecurities.

But regardless of what happens this semester, I know that if I were to help even one single person grow their passion or help share someone’s story, my time at The Corsair would have been worth it. Our new staff members are driven and inspired, and they ease the hopelessness I often have about a small group like ours being able to change the world for the better. The staff I have interacted with are intelligent, compassionate people who are aware of how journalism can be used for good, and want to be a part of that. Like the people I met that fateful day of my first assignment, I hope I can be an instrument of change.

(Right) Editor-in-Chief Katheryne Menendez, (Left) Managing Editor Gavin Quinton.