As I take over the Tukwila Reporter for Dean Radford, I know I have big shoes to fill, but I am up for the challenge. As Dean took me around Tukwila during the last couple of months before he retired on June 30, I realized I won’t be able to replace his institutional knowledge. But, I am committed to providing Tukwila with a quality newspaper the community can be proud of, as Dean did so well.
I grew up in south King County and graduated from Kentridge High School on Kent’s East Hill. I spent the early years of my adulthood exploring other parts of the country and world before returning to the Pacific Northwest two years ago.
I started my journalism career 10 years ago at a weekly newspaper near St. Louis, Mo., after graduating from the University of Missouri. When I first took the job, I envisioned myself working there for a few years before moving on to a daily paper, but I quickly found a passion for community journalism.I believe that every person and every community has a story to tell. As a journalist, I have had the pleasure to uncover and share a number of those stories.
I am eager to discover the stories of the residents and community of Tukwila. With such a diverse population, I am sure to find a multitude of interesting people and communities.
In the past few weeks, I already had the opportunity to attend an Eid al-Fitr gathering at Foster High School’s stadium to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. What a beautiful celebration and chance to meet members of Tukwila’s Muslim community.
For the past year, I have covered schools and sports for the Kent Reporter, a role which I will continue, in addition to my duties as assistant editor of the Tukwila Reporter.
Over the next few months, you may see some changes to the look of the Tukwila Reporter, as I add new features and try new things. Please feel free to reach out to me with feedback and let me know what you would like to see or if you have story ideas. I want to this to be your community paper.
I look forward to getting to know you and your community and sharing your stories.
