Dear Editor,
From the moment I was around 10 years old I always knew that I wanted to become a journalist.
I remember coming home from school and going online and reading news articles, because I always like to know what is going on whether it is locally or internationally. In that moment I wasn’t set on becoming one because at that time I was interested in becoming a meteorologist. You’re probably wondering what made me interested in that career path. Well, whenever I see the weather on TV or hear it on the radio, I am always curious as to how they can predict if it will rain or if it will be sunny. I became more interested in it during hurricane season. I’m always intrigued as to how they form and become hurricanes.
I became more interested in becoming a journalist in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic when we were at home and my eyes were glued to the TV screen. Every night my family and I would watch Don Lemon who at the time was a TV Journalist for CNN. Looking at him every night he inspired me to study journalism in college. I hope to one day meet him as he is the reason why I wanted to become a journalist. Currently, I am in my second year in college majoring in English with a Concentration in Journalism and I’ve recently been hired as a contributor for Yellow Cedar Media. It has been a wonderful opportunity, and I am looking forward to being able to share stories not only with the people in the Virgin Islands, but also the people around the world. It is my duty to make sure that I am a voice for the voiceless.
As a young person in the Virgin Islands I think it is very important for news to be shared with everyone especially our young people. Some might wonder why we need to know about the news – well it is important to know what is going on so you can be caught up with current events. Journalism is something that I personally feel we don’t talk heavily about in the Virgin Islands. Yes, we have sites like “The Virgin Islands Consortium” and “Virgin Islands Source” and talk shows on the radio, but we don’t get to see or hear the real story of what is going on. I am not saying that we should not watch or hear these media sites; it’s just that growing up I listened to the radio and from then to now people always complain. Growing up I was taught that you can’t complain unless you can fix the problem. So, when we complain about WAPA and other stuff, ask yourself is there any way that I can help the linemen do their job? As we enter 2025, I am hoping that we can cover stories on people in the community and for people who deserve to have their voices heard.
Kwaniqua Monsanto, St. Thomas
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