New Job, New State, New Life

I'll be saying good-bye to this studio in about a month.

About three years ago, I changed my career path from wanting to work as a print reporter to being a TV news producer. I wasn't sure if I'd be any good at it, but I ended up doing well and really loving the job. When you're running a live show, anything could happen and I love being challenged every day.

About two months ago, my boss sat me down and asked me what I wanted to do with my future. I'd thought about it, but hadn't really made any serious moves, but her asking me made me think: well, what do I want to do with my life?

The answer: leave Florida. That's been my objective since I was about 9 years old, but it never happened for me. I am fond of it here because it's where I grew up, but I've never felt like I could be truly happy in the Sunshine State.

Now, it's official: I'm moving to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

After I had that conversation with my boss, I started applying for jobs that weekend. About a week later, I got a response from the top station in the Winston-Salem market. After some phone interviews and a whirlwind trip to see the station, which I absolutely loved, they offered me a job as their 5 a.m. producer.

Mornings have always been where my heart is, so I'm glad to be getting back to them. Also, I couldn't be happier to work for a station where I'll be challenged even more every day and reach a new level of my potential as a producer.

Although I have family in the area, this will create some new personal challenges. I'll be in a new town where I don't have any friends or little sisters to hang out with. I've also been living back at home again for the past three years, so being on my own again will be an adjustment.

I'm definitely excited about the whole experience and I feel so blessed to have landed this opportunity. God always comes through when the time is right and I know that this move will help me grow.

Thanks to everyone who answered my request for prayers that this job would be in God's plan, especially my family. Now, it's time to focus on moving my life about nine hours away and living in a city where it snows.

Monday Mood Board: Can You Not? Thanks.

My face when someone spouts their ignorant philosophy.

One of my New Year's resolutions this year was to stop avoiding conflict. I spent many years letting people say dumb or insulting things to me and just tried to ignore it because I don't particularly like confrontation. Well, eight months into 2015 and it's a new era. I feel way more confident calling people out, especially when they're ignorant.

I'm really happy to live in an era where people are having more frank discussions about race, ethnicity, politics, women's rights, LGBT rights, etc. Unfortunately, I'm confronted with people all the time who don't understand anything.

Let's be clear: in the age of the Internet, if you're ignorant, that's all on you and you looked even dumber than you would've 30 years ago because everything's at your fingertips. The library is no longer the only place to find information because now it's everywhere. Almost a year ago, I decided to really start learning more about social issues and I did it mostly by using Internet resources.

My mood board today is about things that annoy me, but are so easy to change, like cultural appropriation, people always wanting to give me a nickname instead of saying my full name and double standards.

http://complexmagazine.tumblr.com/post/126883030881/weloveblackgirls-basically

http://hira-3th.tumblr.com/post/124898669652

http://profeminist.tumblr.com/post/123424574802/britteney-conner-from-consent-watch-the-full

http://stagecoachjessi.tumblr.com/post/120084329176

http://profeminist.tumblr.com/post/118470340587/should-we-ban-bossy

Monday Mood Board: Feministocracy

Let's ignore the fact that I haven't blogged in a couple of months and just be happy to read words I've written, OK? OK.

So, for the past couple of months, I've been working with Feather Magazine's Life Director on a new feature, Feministocracy. What I constantly notice is how uneducated people are on feminist issues, which perpetuates a culture of sexism and violence against women. You can't move forward without educating people.

Femintocracy will be our contribution toward making the world a better place for women through education, using tactics like I implemented in my story on slut-shaming. We've got a lot of topics to cover and I'm really looking forward to starting more conversations on feminism.

So, today's mood board is about things that make me feel empowered.

http://alymarie.tumblr.com/post/117525022669/do-not-try-to-be-pretty-you-werent-meant-to-be

http://rubyreed.tumblr.com/post/118610122676/casual-reminder

http://archiecomics.tumblr.com/post/79189042964/banbossy

http://gohelloflo.tumblr.com/post/79584146948/since-were-all-talking-about-the-power-of

http://marveldorks.tumblr.com/post/101325494041/what-some-of-my-favourite-feminists-look-like