Blog #1: Creative Artist Statement

Growing up, a lot of the people I knew, family and community, just took news for granted or by its word, never really thinking about the other side(s) of the story. This was very common among my more religious community. There’s this idea of knowing what you know and not bothering to go outside of your little box, especially for women. Fortunately, even with growing up within that enclave, I was lucky enough to be exposed to television and radio, news and media which shone some light outside of those four walls. Adolescence was confusing at times.

As I grew up, I noticed the discrepancies more in what was taught versus what could be learned.  So keeping in mind both these models, I reconstructed and expanded my way of seeing the world. This pushed me to go for this degree of Media Analysis instead of one in a field I have no interest in but that would be expected of me or even no degree at all. So my double agent adolescence has developed into a more widespread understanding and interest in everything.

What I want to do is, analyze mainstream media stories and narratives - expand the story to include more extensive and varied voices, particularly women's voices. And a huge part of that is supporting and adding my own voice to a growing number of women who are looking to break down the woodwork and find a space within media for them to work. Sports, theatre, television, film - all are compelling to me and push me to talk about and analyze them. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and now Last Week tonight, have been major influences when it comes to political and social observation; while not always agreeing, I do appreciate their core - analyzing and calling bullshit on people who usually deserved it. The comedic but candid commentary is the direction I'm heading in but for everything.