If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I thrive on new experiences. Being in a place where I know absolutely no one is nothing new — I traveled from California to Washington D.C. for college, spent a semester abroad living in three different countries, and now, I’ve made a home in the Big Apple. Well, not the Big Apple per se; I’m actually living in Queens and travel to Brooklyn every day to get to my internship at the premier black women’s lifestyle magazine, ESSENCE.

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Many people refer to ESSENCE as the “Black girl magic headquarters” and those people are spot-on. Every day I come into the office, I’m inspired by everyone doing their part to maintain the vision and reality of Black excellence. Just a few months ago, I never would have thought I would have this kind of access to the people I aspire to be, let alone that these people would be so relatable. At ESSENCE, I have had so many opportunities simply because they believe in my capabilities and they want to see me do well.

 

At Howard University, I study journalism and have been chasing a career in media. Before I decided I wanted to pursue magazines, however, I knew I wanted to write. During my internship, they’ve allowed me to do just that, but I have also gotten to experience many other aspects of magazine publishing. I’ve gone to photo shoots, interviewed celebrities, and gotten to work on social media as well. I’ve done the boring work, the exciting work, and everything in between, and I’ve learned that it’s not all glam all the time.

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Outside of ESSENCE, life in New York has been interesting. I spend a lot of my time on New York’s lovely underground transit system, where I’ve seen both disturbing and delightful things. I’ll spare you the details, but at least I have plenty of stories to bring back home. As my summer in New York comes to a close, I will somewhat miss the energy of the city and the anxiety I feel every time I walk down the crowded Manhattan streets, but I will especially miss my first real experience in the magazine industry doing my dream job. This is truly a summer I will never forget.