My first day at Annenberg Youth Academy felt short but impactful. We started class with a guest speaker, Megan Telles, a reporter and news anchor at KTLA 5. She asked us all what our passion was. My peers began sharing things like music, debate, talking to people, etc. I didn’t know how to articulate my answer, since I’m not sure what my passion is. I could name many different things depending on my mood but what is my true passion? Making connections? Talking to people? My mind kept wandering. Was the purpose of this program to help me discover who I am? Or to guide my academic mind toward possible future opportunities? In a room full of like-minded peers, I wondered were they also questioning what their passion was? I saw parts of myself in the guest speaker’s story, but how could two different individuals be so similar?
After the guest speaker, we were supposed to pick up our IDs, but for some reason, we didn’t end up getting them that day. While I was waiting, I started making small talk with my fellow peers and met Isabella, Kayla, Shyla, and Reanna. We talked about where we came from and what our interests are, which helped me connect with them. Later, we headed to lunch at the E.K. Dining Hall. My first impression was that it seemed small for a college dining hall, but I later realized it wasn’t the only one on campus. I sat down with my new friends to enjoy my first college meal my first impression not too bad, but nothing gourmet. After we finished, we decided to explore the campus a bit and went to the bookstore. We ended up spending so much time there that we were almost late to class.
After lunch, I headed to my Journalism 101 class which quickly became my favorite class (sorry, Rogelio). For our first activity, we were asked to interview the person sitting to our left. I was paired with Shyla, I had just started getting to know during lunch earlier that day. Interviewing Shyla turned out to be a surprisingly eye-opening experience. It wasn’t just about asking basic questions or jotting down answers it was about actively listening and capturing the essence of who she is. It gave me a spark like a glimpse into the journalistic mindset I have to code-switch into for the class. Later that day I caught up on the reading we were supposed to do and within the reading theres a quote from the Communication mosaics textbook it talked about relationships and the importance of communication and how communication promotes health and reduces the risk of diseases. And that got me wondering were lonely people killing themselves for lack of communication? Were friendly people always happy because they’re healthy? Or does it have to do with other factors? Thinking about this I had in mind every happy interaction with someone was it just emotional or was it also my body’s physical response to communication happening?
On the second and third days, we didn’t have a guest speaker, but the classes remained just as engaging and inspiring as before. I felt genuinely content knowing I was getting to experience something aligned with what I want to dedicate my future to. I remember walking onto campus on the second day, feeling incredibly happy and optimistic about what the day would bring. With music playing in my ears, the fresh morning air around me, and the sound of the fountains creating a calming white noise in the background, everything felt peaceful and full of possibility.
On the fourth day today, Juneteenth we spent time in Rogelio’s Communication and Civic Engagement class learning about the history and significance of the holiday. Rogelio also told us about an oak tree on campus that was gifted by Adolf Hitler. During class, we visited the tree, and seeing it in person added a powerful layer to the day’s reflection. It helped put me in the right headspace both conscious of history and open-minded about how we move forward from it.
The idea that something as small as a sapling, rooted in hate, could grow into this massive oak tree that now provides oxygen to students on campus felt like a full-circle moment. It was surreal. The tree, once stemmed from something dark, is now simply a living, breathing presence silent, but meaningful. Knowing its origins made it all the more profound it was born from hate, yet it now stands as a quiet provider. That contrast felt freeing, almost like a metaphor for resilience and transformation. Even when something begins in darkness, it can still grow into something enduring and life giving.
Communicating Change 