I am an activist, organizer and interconnected being working to combine my passion for videomaking with my purpose in public service to train to be a videojournalist. 

I grew up making short films and videos to share the experiences of humans, plants and animals on this planet we share. I believe stories are a gateway to empathy and understanding. When we tell stories, especially of those most marginalized, we can expand others’ worldviews and give our audience a glimpse into lives they have not, and may never live themselves.

I bring my high emotional intelligence to any work I do. I bring an active listening ear and open heart to learning about experiences I have not had, and how people tell their stories in the way they want them expressed. I try to replicate that perspective they’ve given me when retelling their lived experiences.

This, along with my curiosity, ensures I am always asking the deep, nuanced questions needed to really understand an issue. I am truly interested in the workings of all opinions, whether or not I agree with them.

I have overcome mental health issues caused by the way I’ve experienced information being disseminated. For this reason I am pursuing journalism to be the change I wish to see, which means I am focusing on solutions journalism. I am committed to and firm on my desire to uplift my audience through media, and avoid creating more apathy in my audience.

My goal is to create multimedia news stories using video, audio, graphics and print to showcase solutions to local and global problems.

Junot Diaz