Looking back on this experience — from the very first interactions via email, to sending in what I felt was a half-done pitch, to pivoting, to working with my mentor, to now being an alumni of this program — I am filled with so much gratitude. I have wanted to work in radio for such a long time. To be in this space with these people who are seasoned professionals, and feel at home, was not what I thought my first taste of true reporting would be. As an artist, we can be hypercritical of ourselves, and this program allowed me to make mistakes without feeling like I was failing or letting myself down.
I am so grateful for this opportunity, for these people, for this absolute pressure cooker of a week that has not only taught me new skills, but also has reinvigorated my artistry and the way I approach creating in all facets of my career. I suppose the long and short of all things in life is that everything happens for a reason. We get to choose the paths we take that lead us to where we ultimately need to end up, and no matter how desperately you try to run from them, the inevitable things will catch up to you eventually.