For the longest time I believed that my route would be law as it was the only thing that made sense.
Starting my UB career, I pursued the 3+3 program to attain my combined BA and JD, as law was what I'd pursued traditionally and having been told my whole entire adult life that it was my only believable path.
For countless semesters I had been told by people like Alisha Allison (former assistant news editor at The Spectrum) to join, but I didn't feel like I was good or “strong enough.”
Eventually, I went on to take my first journalism class with Andrew Galarneau for fun, and quickly it stuck to me that this felt more like me and what allowed me to be who I am.
I started writing about the odd money loops in the Student Association when Becky Paul was still president. Galarneau suggested I get the ball rolling — interviewing club members and starting a sub-reddit. Quickly my sub-reddit flooded, and I understood my passion for reporting and learning the truth.
I met my long-time partner in crime and little sister, Nadia Bangeroo — who is now the Assistant News Editor.
I met Ricardo Castillo, our former Editor in Chief, in the Spring 2024 after being selected as a Resident Assistant at Evans Quadrangle, he pushed and encouraged me to join.
And with that last push — I joined in Fall 2024.
I met wise writers like Nadia, strategic writers like Mylien Lai and humble writers like Rodrigo Feijão. People who taught me along the way the great importance of “seeking truth and reporting it.”
Despite the feelings of doubt, unworthyness and fear — I reported and learned a lot.
To those who join The Spectrum always remember the following:
1. Despite this only being an “internship credit class” you will learn the importance of reporting for your community.
2. There will always be people who don't have the nicest thoughts, but do remember your job as a reporter is to report the truth and solely the truth ethically.
3. Journalism is a field that is frowned upon, but is an experience that will bring you joy and anger, sometimes in between; other times feelings that are stronger than another.
As I end my final chapter here at The Spectrum and my final chapter at UB, I've learned so much that I wish to keep with me forever, and the experience could only be fulfilled here at The Spectrum.
Despite the feelings of working a full-time job with no pay – it was worth it.
You might not meet your click or clack here, but you will meet people who will leave, and people who will teach you important things. When you go out and report on those things, you will realize and feel the due diligence you have at you fingers and your brain. You are at the frontlines, seeing constant moving history, and now you get the chance to report and show the world the truth of what is going on: a big responsibility, but an honorable one.
To the social media team, Ella, Kaylah, Amirah and Sabrina:
Thank you for bringing energy to my long days and pushing me when things felt endless, that matters most especially when you feel like your goals are not reaching.
To Mylien:
Thank you for reminding me again and again about my truest potential. For reminding me when I was experiencing writer's block where my path was, and for reminding me to focus on what needed to be done rather than all the pressure that was held around me by those who didn't know my story and timeless nights.
To Nadia:
Thank you for grounding me and pushing me to continue more and to pursue more. For reminding me that what I was feeling was valid, for pushing me up when all I wanted was to give out — when life was taking its fullest brunts at me.
To Rodrigo:
Despite you not being here, It was always a good feeling validated about my experiences as a reporter and to be reminded to not underestimate my work and to continue doing myself and what I needed to do.
To Alyssa:
Thank you for giving me freedom to pursue countless amazing projects and looking deeply at the potential of my work and projects.
To Bruce and Matt:
Thank you for being great instructors, and for the constant push and reminders that such line of work will never be easy, there will always be challenges — the only matter is what you feel and what you input.
And to All:
Thank you for the constant hard work despite the diversity of opinions that existed within all of us. We all worked and worked constantly to meet at one response.
Beyonce Thomas-Reynoso was the podcast editor and can be reached at beyonce.thomas@ubspectrum.com
