Repping JPR: Research, rallies, and riding it out

Hot dog — have I had a busy couple of weeks! My first year at Long Beach State is going to be over before I know it. Times a-flyin’!

My biggest updates are professional—my research partner and I just had another paper accepted to Electronic News! It’s our second peer-reviewed publication this year, and I couldn’t be happier. Even though I’m second author, I feel like I’m finally beginning to find my footing as a researcher.

I’ve also begun to move forward with my own research agenda. When I tried to conduct research on the stereotyping of marginalized communities at Augusta University, the IRB brought my work to a standstill. They sent feedback one small revision at a time, making me wait weeks between each round of edits. This week, I submitted two similar studies to the CSULB IRB. The first was approved in less than 48 hours, the second in less than 12. TWELVE!! The difference has been incredible.

Since I entered academia I’ve been striving to grow as both a teacher and a researcher, and it finally feels like I’m hitting my stride. These were my first IRB approvals as a CSULB professor, and I’m already moving forward on my next project. Hopefully, I’ll have a couple of first-author credits to my name by this time next year! And oh, how good that will feel!

I’ve also continued to exercise my right to assemble this week, this time on a local level, with my union.

On April 17, faculty, students, and supporters across the country united for the National Day of Action, rallying in support of higher education. At CSULB, members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) gathered to demand increased state funding, fair and competitive wages, and greater investment in programs that promote access and equity—including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The rally was part of a coordinated, nationwide effort to elevate the importance of education as a public good. It also marked my first time participating as a union member!

While at the rally I picked up my very first union shirt, which will allow me to participate in Red for Ed Wednesdays — a weekly tradition where educators and supporters wear red to show solidarity and advocate for stronger public education systems. These Wednesdays trace back to the 2018 teacher strikes in states like West Virginia and Arizona, where red became a symbol of urgency, resistance, and unity. And this year, I will be a part!

As we move through a second Trump presidency—one that has already threatened academic freedom and defunded DEI efforts—the fight to protect and fully fund public education is more important than ever. What’s at stake isn’t just educational funding—it’s who gets to learn, who gets left out, and whose voices are silenced in the process.

Public universities are on the front lines of shaping an informed, equitable, and democratic society. When education is underfunded or politically targeted, it’s not just classrooms that suffer—it’s students’ futures, access to opportunity, and the very idea of higher education as a public good. Without strong, well-funded public education, we deny future generations the tools to challenge injustice and imagine something better.

I saw a few people from my THRIVE orientation cohort at the rally, as well as a professor from my department. Union service counts toward my university service, so I’m trying to become as active as possible over the next couple of years. And it’s easy to to feel political when there’s a horse (dictator) in the White House. I care deeply about education in America. Trump tanked the economy. I don’t want to stand by while he does the same to our education system.

(Side note — the union provided everyone with food after the rally! El Pollo Loco — chicken and vegetarian options! Red beans and rice didn’t miss me, no sir! I had no idea they were going to feed our minds and our bellies!)

The weather has been lovely and the Santa Ana winds are finally dying down, so on Saturday I tried out a new route on my bicycle. I hopped on the Shoreline Pedestrian/Bicycle Path at Belmont Shore and rode through Shoreline Village to the Queen Mary and Parkers’ Lighthouse. It was moderately busy considering it was Easter weekend, but I’m definitely going to make a routine of riding that way throughout the week, when there will likely be a little less foot traffic. I usually bike along the bay, but there’s nothing like pedaling down the coastline. I can still smell the salt and sand!

In my last big update for this week — today marked my first-ever JPR Day at CSULB! JPR Day is the signature event of the Journalism and Public Relations Department, bringing together students, alumni, and media professionals for panel discussions, one-on-one networking, and a celebration of student success.

This year’s event featured two panels — one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The first, Pressure on the Press: Free Speech, Press Access and Owner Interference, was hosted by Dr. Gwen Shaffer and included Jordyn Ostroff, a constitutional attorney with Jassy Vick Carolan; Jessica Gonzalez, Co-CEO of Free Press; and Robert Greene, a former editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times. The second panel, Cultivating Sources and Finding Accurate Information During Disasters, was hosted by Assistant Professor Teresa Puente and included Sid Garcia, a reporter with ABC7; Jake Heflin, Public Information Officer for the Long Beach Fire Department; Loren Simpson, Communications Director for the Office of Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson; and Ethan Swope, a photojournalist. Students gained firsthand knowledge about the importance of press freedoms, the challenges of navigating public communication during emergencies, and the responsibility journalists carry in delivering accurate, timely information.

Following the panels, the event shifted to an awards and scholarships ceremony recognizing outstanding student achievement in journalism and media studies. Scholarships were awarded to students who demonstrated excellence in reporting, design, and academic performance. As a committee member this year, I had the honor of helping select some of these deserving recipients. Next year, I’ll be stepping into the role of chair for the scholarship committee as part of my service work—an opportunity I’m genuinely excited about. It’s incredibly rewarding to support and celebrate students who are already making an impact in the field.

Lastly, and this is a bit of older news, but I haven’t posted about it on here yet — I brought my sweet Woodward home last week and gave him a spot right next to my desk. It wasn’t the way I wanted to bring him home, but I feel better having him close again. He’ll always be buried deep in my heart.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks, but they’ve reminded me of why I chose this path. I get to research what I care about, support students who inspire me, and be part of a community fighting for something bigger than ourselves. I’m tired—but it’s the good kind of tired. The kind that comes from showing up and showing out.