I come from a family with all sisters and all female cousins. I am also the Editor-in-chief of the Nassau Weekly at Princeton University, and our managing editors, and publisher, are all women. ASME placed me at O, The Oprah Magazine, and the magazine's mission to inspire women to live their best lives--professionally and personally--resonates with me.

 

This summer, I worked on various projects for the print team, and authored articles for OprahMag.com. For print, I researched the gender discrepancy in citations by journalists, areas of women's health care that are overlooked, and wrote parts of the weekly O, Circle of Friends newsletter. I combed my favorite novels and poetry books for quotations for the first page of the "Live Your Best Life" section of the magazine. I also researched and pitched stories for the "Beauty of Giving" spread in the magazine, which comes out annually, and features non-profits doing beautiful, important work.

 

For OprahMag.com, I authored news articles, (one on the deal the Obamas signed with Spotify to produce and host podcasts, and one on an FCC vote to ban robocalls), book roundups (one on best audiobooks, and one on the best spooky literature for the Halloween season), and a longer piece on the art and science of lucid dreaming.

 

I have two more publications coming out in October on OprahMag.com. One features Tracy K. Smith, the 22nd U.S. Poet Laureate, on how poetry can be productively experienced by everyone. It was an honor to interview her and integrate her poetry into the piece. We also discussed how identity shapes art, and her latest book, a collected volume of poetry called Eternity. 

 

My second piece that is forthcoming is about a cookbook called The Bread and Salt Between Us, which features the recipes and personal history of Mayada Anjari, a Syrian refugee who resettled in New Jersey. In my article, I also highlight the all-women team, (food stylists, photographers, editors, writers, translators, publicists, and publishers), who volunteered to make the book come to life.  

 

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to be an ASME intern, and to have been a part of the O team. I met wonderful people, and learned so much about magazine journalism and writing in the digital age.