My first experience with storytelling came at 9 years old, when I stood before the city council to interpret on behalf of my non-English-speaking parents.
As I grew older, I continued listening to stories and translating them as I helped my mom’s small business. I saw how language and translation played a crucial role in building resilience and accessibility for those who could not communicate due to the language barrier. This motivated me to become a journalist for the unheard voices in my community.
My first piece for the San Mateo Daily Journal was published in September 2021, and encouraged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In the spring of 2022, I applied for a position writing for the Student News column. Since then, I have had the opportunity to write more than 25 pieces on topics ranging for immigrant-owned businesses and voting rights to climate policy and veterans.
Each piece has received a diverse range of responses consisting of constructive feedback, appreciation and challenges. Among my favorite memories is the “Unsung heroes” piece that urged appreciating people from all walks of life. In a response letter to the editor, I learned about a gas station cashier during the day and a pizza delivery driver by night, who appreciated the efforts of our column writers. In another piece called “Music and memory,” I emphasized about the effect of music therapy on seniors suffering from dementia. In response, a reader shared his experience as a child musician performing at homes for the elderly. Another piece that resonated with a lot of readers was my piece on Veterans Day and society’s treatment of veterans. I was able to hear from readers whose parents, siblings, friends, and even they, have served. There have also been pieces such as those on public health, policy and climate change when I’ve received differing opinions and constructive criticism.
What each piece shares in common is the space inviting open discussions to hear the differing opinions in our community. These moments of appreciation or disagreement affirm the purpose of journalism which is to facilitate discourse, inform others and highlight our shared humanity. The opportunity to write for the San Mateo Daily Journal has reminded me of the importance of journalism in our world right now. The media we consume not only allow people to stay informed but also play a role in the decisions we make.
Journalism enables factual coverage of public figures and events, holding those in power accountable and presenting narratives that challenge assumptions. Right now across the country, reporters are restricted from newsrooms, publications are being sued, funding is being cut and coverage is cherry-picked. This fosters a hostile environment for the media and attacks the First Amendment rights of Americans.
Now more than ever it is crucial to support local journalism to safeguard our democracy.
Eileen Liu is a senior at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.
The Daily Journal wants to ban me for my next comment. Not sure what I can say anymore. PLEASE - lets lets our youth ruin our future. Lets CHAMPION IT.
Keep writing Eileen. There is nothing wrong about widening your field of knowledge and expertise. Experimenting and widening your field of vision is exactly what high school and college years are there for. Doing the research is good for the brain. And writing is good for the soul and your mental health.
And you know you are doing it right when you also have plenty of naysayers. It's pretty boring just preaching to the choir. If you only get applause - even from the wrong people - you might not have found the essence behind the story. Cut through the false advertising. See through the fake news.
And I also agree with some of the other commenters, keep working a story from many angles and sometimes - if you let yourself stay open - you might just surprise yourself.
Hi Aileen - with all due respect, were you absent somehow while Biden was President? "Right now across the country, reporters are restricted from newsrooms, publications are being sued, funding is being cut and coverage is cherry-picked." Even today, the main media are still reporting more than 90% negative coverage about Trump. I have been a faithful subscriber to the valued DJ, but let's be honest most coverage has ben negative for Trump while all the disastrous Biden administration was never, ever covered. The last press secretary banished sevral reporters from the Press Room and never gave critical reporters a chnace to ask questions. All of them, BTW, had to be submitted beforehand so that she could reply and even those attempts were beyond amateurish. I am not sure what you mean by "Right Now"! As far as I know, only AP has been barred for reasons that I do not agree with either, but reporters?
Thank you, Ms. Liu. Well said. Sadly, this "administration" believes First Amendment rights apply only to their chosen sycophants and allies. It is part of the authoritarian regime they are pushing, with shocking consequences for our teetering democracy.
If you judge this Administration by that metric - Jon Mays is the exact same dude. Why is President Trump exempt from crapping on the Constitution - but Jon Mays is not ? Riddle me that.
Thanks for your colum today, Ms. Liu, highlighting the value of writing for the community. Of your more than 25 pieces, I’d elect your column (if I'm recalling correctly) on traditional Lunar New Year traditions and celebrations to be the best. Many of your columns focused on the adult playbook narrative of the evils of fossil fuels and their supposed contribution to affect global warming. Unfortunately, there are no answers from “the adults” on any real actions people are taking to combat this supposed global warming. Perhaps those columns were obligatory but as we’ve seen, and read, we know you’re capable of writing on other topics, and very well, as you’ve noted some of your favorites.
As for journalism, I’d say we have a big problem in journalistic ethics, especially in the last decade from the mainstream news on the “factual coverage” part. There’s a reason people’s trust in mainstream news sources is declining and even more so due to their cover-up of Biden’s mental fitness and the various Democrat hoaxes from the past decade. As long as these folks continue their fake news and lies (and we can see they’re not letting up, especially with the so-called “Maryland man”) trust in mainstream media will continue to decline. That being said, good luck in your future endeavors and if you choose, to continue writing in local journalism or elsewhere. Perhaps you can be another leader in returning journalistic ethics into journalism.
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(6) comments
The Daily Journal wants to ban me for my next comment. Not sure what I can say anymore. PLEASE - lets lets our youth ruin our future. Lets CHAMPION IT.
Keep writing Eileen. There is nothing wrong about widening your field of knowledge and expertise. Experimenting and widening your field of vision is exactly what high school and college years are there for. Doing the research is good for the brain. And writing is good for the soul and your mental health.
And you know you are doing it right when you also have plenty of naysayers. It's pretty boring just preaching to the choir. If you only get applause - even from the wrong people - you might not have found the essence behind the story. Cut through the false advertising. See through the fake news.
And I also agree with some of the other commenters, keep working a story from many angles and sometimes - if you let yourself stay open - you might just surprise yourself.
Hi Aileen - with all due respect, were you absent somehow while Biden was President? "Right now across the country, reporters are restricted from newsrooms, publications are being sued, funding is being cut and coverage is cherry-picked." Even today, the main media are still reporting more than 90% negative coverage about Trump. I have been a faithful subscriber to the valued DJ, but let's be honest most coverage has ben negative for Trump while all the disastrous Biden administration was never, ever covered. The last press secretary banished sevral reporters from the Press Room and never gave critical reporters a chnace to ask questions. All of them, BTW, had to be submitted beforehand so that she could reply and even those attempts were beyond amateurish. I am not sure what you mean by "Right Now"! As far as I know, only AP has been barred for reasons that I do not agree with either, but reporters?
Thank you, Ms. Liu. Well said. Sadly, this "administration" believes First Amendment rights apply only to their chosen sycophants and allies. It is part of the authoritarian regime they are pushing, with shocking consequences for our teetering democracy.
If you judge this Administration by that metric - Jon Mays is the exact same dude. Why is President Trump exempt from crapping on the Constitution - but Jon Mays is not ? Riddle me that.
Thanks for your colum today, Ms. Liu, highlighting the value of writing for the community. Of your more than 25 pieces, I’d elect your column (if I'm recalling correctly) on traditional Lunar New Year traditions and celebrations to be the best. Many of your columns focused on the adult playbook narrative of the evils of fossil fuels and their supposed contribution to affect global warming. Unfortunately, there are no answers from “the adults” on any real actions people are taking to combat this supposed global warming. Perhaps those columns were obligatory but as we’ve seen, and read, we know you’re capable of writing on other topics, and very well, as you’ve noted some of your favorites.
As for journalism, I’d say we have a big problem in journalistic ethics, especially in the last decade from the mainstream news on the “factual coverage” part. There’s a reason people’s trust in mainstream news sources is declining and even more so due to their cover-up of Biden’s mental fitness and the various Democrat hoaxes from the past decade. As long as these folks continue their fake news and lies (and we can see they’re not letting up, especially with the so-called “Maryland man”) trust in mainstream media will continue to decline. That being said, good luck in your future endeavors and if you choose, to continue writing in local journalism or elsewhere. Perhaps you can be another leader in returning journalistic ethics into journalism.
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