Campus Protest Coverage – A Defining Moment in Student Journalism

As editor-in-chief of The Corsair, I had the unique responsibility of leading our newsroom during a period of intense social unrest and student activism. In the spring of 2024, our team covered the largest student protests seen in Southern California since the historic Kent State University protests in May 1970. Despite being a two-year community college, we took on the monumental task of covering protests not only at our own institution, Santa Monica College, but also at UCLA and USC. This broadened our scope and challenged us to ensure comprehensive and impactful reporting across multiple campuses.

The project was inspired by the growing need for student voices to be heard and the responsibility we felt as journalists to document this critical moment. Working with a dedicated team, I led the development of multimedia coverage, including in-depth articles, live reporting, and video coverage. We navigated complex issues, from ensuring student safety during protests to handling pressure from external institutions.

This experience shaped my approach to journalism, emphasizing the importance of truth, responsibility, and courage in reporting. It was also a deeply collaborative effort, with each member of the newsroom contributing to the project's success, reinforcing the power of community journalism in times of upheaval.

This description is just one of the articles written about the protests at the time, which became a defining moment for The Corsair and student journalism at large.