Before stepping into the USC Campus on my first day of the Annenberg Youth Academy, I was filled with a flood of emotions. The idea of meeting new people, taking college classes and being in an unfamiliar space was overwhelming, but exciting. My worries were immediately put to rest, as I realized the other students were in the same boat as me. Meeting my fellow classmates, as well as the teachers that I was going to be working alongside with for the next three weeks, sparked an immediate sense of curiosity and eagerness for the experiences to come.
The following is a reflection of my first week at Annenberg, diving into specifics of the two courses I’m taking: Journalism 101 and Communication and Civic Engagement.
The program kicked off with Megan Telles, a KTLA anchor and reporter, as our guest speaker on the first day of class. She recounted her career journey, starting in highschool where she initially got rejected from her dream school USC. Determined and focused on what she wanted to achieve in life, she remained persistent and eventually got in. Rather than persuading us to follow her specific career path, she emphasized the importance of never giving up and to trust the process. Her powerful words truly stuck with me as they inspired me to stay committed to my goals, even when things don’t go as planned.
Having been a member of my school’s newspaper for the past two years, I felt confident stepping into Journalism 101, but didn’t know what to expect with the Communications course. I quickly realized not only was the program engaging but also incredibly impactful. Starting the program off with Professor Rogelio Lopez’s communication class, we dove into critical media literacy and how media shapes how we view the world. We explored how visuals and design influence interpretation, and how using specific tools such as zines and infographics to your advantage can be beneficial. Through one of our required readings for this week “Representation and Missed Representation” by Jimmetka Anderson, we learned how media representation is socially constructed, and often controlled by dominant groups. This then progresses and leads to the stereotyping of marginalized communities. In class we explored similar ideas, learning how certain symbols and visuals shape public perception. This understanding allows me to be more critical of the media I consume, questioning whose voices are represented, and whose are missing. This encourages me to make sure I pay attention to the small details, while also staying intentional with every aspect of my journalism. Looking deeper into representation, and therefore the lack of it, has shown me how overlooked it can be sometimes.
Continuing the days with Journalism 101, with Professor Allan Lopez, we went over the fundamentals of writing a story. We covered the Who, What, When, Where, and Why,” and “How.” We also went through the different lead types, and when it’s most effective to use them. Diving into the value of broadcast journalism, and the importance of having a concise script, while showcasing the important parts. Working with my classmates in this class throughout this week really helped me get to know them, as well as learning about their different passions and interests.
On the last day of our first week, we took a field trip to the California African American Museum (CAAM), to commemorate Juneteenth. Seeing the wide range of art by different artists, to highlight and show Black culture and history was truly empowering. One exhibit that stuck out to me was the Awol Erizku: X. This used powerful symbols, visuals and colors to explore Malcolm X not only as a historical figure, but as a representation of faith and identity. The use of bright colors around the room not only made it inviting, but the mixture of photography and art allowed the experience to feel layered and personal.
Although it’s only been one week into the AYA program, I already feel like I’ve learned so much, from engaging discussions with my classmates to lessons from Prof. Rogelio and Prof. Allan. I look forward to continuously being challenged, getting to know the campus and my peers more and growing throughout the rest of the program.
Works cited:
Anderson, J. (2022). Representation and Missed Representation. Media Literacy for Justice. ALA. Accessed June 15, 2025
Communicating Change 