Introduction

Hello everyone, my name is Mishael Avila. I am a Journalism major here at RU. I am originally from Ecuador but have lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey since I was 6 years old. At first I was a little scared to declare journalism as my major because I feared that I would not be able to get a job after college. Eventually I decided to take a journalism class just to see how it went and I ended up loving it. I am glad that I made this decision because it has been an exciting journey.

Even though it does seem that journalism is a very tough, competitive field, I am still very positive and excited to see where I end up. I’ve always had an affinity with writing and have always loved magazines, so originally my dream was to work for a fashion or entertainment magazine, but some things have changed.

The media is now one of the most important tools that we have today. Even though it has its flaws, it also provides us with a platform that generations before us never had. If used correctly it can do amazing things. I love that it gives voices to those who before would have never been able to even have an opinion on different matters. Also, that it is giving a bigger spotlight to topics that relate to women and POC.

Media consumption also plays a big role in the shift that journalism is going through, which is why I went from wanting to work in print to dreaming of getting a job in digital media. Buzzfeed and Refinery 29 are, so far, where I dream to work in the future. I love that both publications combine news and entertainment of all kind. I look forward to meeting and working with everyone in this class.

This is something I watched through Refinery 29 that touches on the subject of how the media impacts us today.