The first day of any new experience is always a nerve-wracking one. Luckily, with AYA, this feeling dissipated quickly. As I stepped foot on USC’s campus, I was filled with awe and excitement as I took in the brick buildings and the surroundings. My first day was everything I could’ve hoped for. To open the program, we heard from USC Annenberg Graduate Jordyn Holman about how journalism works in the real world. She gave us valuable insight into the importance of putting yourself out there and working in the journalism landscape. We also had the pleasure of hearing from Chanel Lake, the SVP of Influencer Marketing at Edelman, and Kelly Uchima, a mental health advocate and influencer. I really enjoyed the conversation, and it made me excited for what’s to come in the program. It was interesting to hear about the things that happen behind the scenes in almost every ad, commercial, and brand deal we see. It was also impactful to learn about the perspective of an influencer and the inner workings of her career.
The second day was filled with more introductions and information. In the morning, we had our first discussion with three facilitators and learned in depth about civic engagement. While reading one of the assigned papers, I found the differing views on what it means to be a “good citizen” fascinating. The paper, Educating the “Good” Citizen: Political Choices and Pedagogical Goals, included interviews with students on this matter. It raised an interesting question for me: Does being a good citizen mean opposing the rules if they are wrong, or adhering to them regardless?
We also had the opportunity to hear and speak to Melanie Cherry about everything PR-related. This was specifically insightful for me as I never truly understood what working in PR entailed. She also explained the wide variety of PR jobs you can work in in the industry. She was really great to talk to and was deeply knowledgeable about her field of work.
On Wednesday, our third day, we spent the day celebrating Juneteenth. The morning went on as usual, with our group discussion and three facilitators. On this day, we learned more about civic media and its impact in our current day and age. I found the concept of “thick” and “thin” participation to be interesting. I had never really thought about the different degrees of civic engagement and how the concept has adapted to this new digital age. After our first class, we had a lovely BBQ lunch in celebration of Juneteenth, catered by Earl BBQ. We spent the rest of the day visiting the California African American Museum. We had the opportunity to visit many exhibits with impactful messages, including a wonderful display by the dynamic artist Simone Leigh. The starkness of her work struck me and I was immediately enthralled when I stepped into a dark viewing room to watch one of her video pieces. Her interpretation of Black feminist thought throughout her sculptures and videos fascinated me and was unlike anything I’d seen before.
On our final day, we visited the Japanese American National Museum. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time off campus and learning about the deep history of Japanese Americans in the United States. I found it especially impactful to hear personal stories from the volunteers while walking around the exhibits and learning about the artifacts through their eyes. We ended the day with ramen for lunch and explored the historic area of Little Tokoyo. A very rewarding way to end a week full of information and new experiences.
My first week at AYA has been a whirlwind of moments that I’m grateful to have been a part of. I am beyond excited to continue my journey in this program and am looking forward to what’s to come!
Communicating Change 