On Wednesday of this week I went out to Aspire Slauson Academy on the corner of Main and 59th Street to participate in the school’s Career Day activities. A friend of mine teaches there and she asked me to come by and speak with the kids. I instantly jumped at the opportunity to engage with kids facing some of the same challenges that I encountered as I made my way through LAUSD’s public schools.
During the short visit I was able to speak with second, third and fourth graders about what an editor and writer are supposed to do on a daily basis. However, for as much as Career Day is about inspiring the students to do well in school in pursuit of a career, leaving the campus after about an hour-and-a-half I realized that it was the kids that inspired me during that random visit.
These children were very direct and honest about what they wanted to know: did I make a lot of money? What are some of the fun part of my job? What were the bad parts about this career? Those were just some of the questions I fielded that warm morning.
In answering all of their questions, as best I could, I realized that these kids were reminding me why I love my job. It’s not the money or the title or even the perks that come with being an editor: it’s about the lifestyle that allows me to do what I love. I get to talk to people and write for a living. Sometimes I am able to watch sporting events, write an article and get a check in the mail a week later. Sometimes I can edit articles sitting in a small café in Culver City or in Mexico City.
Every week I meet somebody new who tells me a part of their life story; or the project they are working on to make the world a better place. I am constantly greeted by the smiles of local leaders, artists, teachers and community members dedicated to making Culver City the best place to live. Such support and warmth is truly priceless and at the core of why I love this career.
One of my journalism adviser at El Camino College, Jolene Combs, always said that a career in journalism wasn’t about the money but all about the lifestyle. As always, she wasn’t wrong. I live an amazing life and a big part of it is because of the lifestyle that my career provides. I constantly think about Jolene who passed away a few years ago and how she changed my life in ways I never imagined possible. When I started at El Camino’s the Union, I was a day laborer looking for an alternative to backbreaking work. Today I am blessed to sit here with the title of Culver City News Editor. I am fortunate to work in a place like Culver City and I was honored to share a small piece of my hour with the kids at Aspire Slauson Academy. Most of all, I was lucky to be reminded from the most unlikely of sources why it is that I love my job.