"I chose to get involved in storytelling because I wanted to try something new and give myself a challenge."
Hometown: Kahului, Maui, Hawaii
PBS Mentor Station: PBS Hawaii
Six-word Memoir: Be you; tell the story of you.
Why did you choose to get involved in storytelling?
I chose to get involved in storytelling because I wanted to try something new and give myself a challenge. I already knew the basics of a camera and how to edit; from there I wanted to push myself to do something else. Something more than just making videos, but to tell a story. Storytelling gave me a chance to explore journalism and put a story together with not only words but other aspects such as b-roll and sound. Storytelling made me want to listen and tell the stories of other people and myself.
What story are you most proud of?
The story I’m most proud of is a story I participated in January; it was a story about many women that came together to fight for women’s rights at the women’s march. I am most proud of it because we got amazing interviews and the natural sound bytes and b-roll brought the story to life. We interviewed a woman there that has been fighting for women’s right since 1969. It was so cool how she was fighting for all this time and never gave up.
How can youth media change the world?
Youth media can inform the world during the coronavirus pandemic by sharing their stories and capturing what’s going on in their lives. They can also share their thoughts, how they feel, and what their community is doing during this time. Informing the world especially during this pandemic is very important because we all have a voice that needs to be heard. By using our voices and documenting during this time, future generations can look back at what we went through and our experiences during this pandemic.
Who is your role model?
My role model is Mrs. Suzuki because she inspires me to work hard and is an amazing leader. She has inspired many and impacted so many lives. Mrs. Suzuki never gives up and is always willing to do whatever it takes to help me. She gives up a lot of her time and always pushes me to work. She has made such a big effect on my life. All of this I look up to and aspire to be like her. Thanks to her I have found my passion to be a storyteller.
