Typically, SOC senior Fabianna Rincon can be found in journalism classes, broadcasting with ATV, or working with Professor Jane Hall. But this fall Rincon is taking the semester off to work full time in the prestigious Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Congressional Internship Program (CHCI CIP). She also had an incredibly productive summer working at an internship with NBC10 Boston, attending the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) convention, which she had been to before as part of the NAHJ Student Project, but this time she attended as a journalist. Rincon took some time to update SOC on both her summer experience and her CHCI CIP position this fall as a Communications Intern with the House Democratic Caucus, and how her heritage and identity inspires her future. 

How did you become interested in journalism? How has your experience at AU helped you in your path to becoming a journalist?

My parents were journalists - they met at their radio station in Venezuela, and I fell in love with the art by hearing about how they fell in love with each other. They’ve supported me in this journey since I was eight years old, and I never would have gotten this far without them. That being said, I also wouldn’t be the journalist I am today without AU. I owe so much to my professors, my extracurriculars, my friends, every project and assignment, every hour spent on the third floor of the SOC [McKinley Building] looking out the windows and feeling gratitude for just being there. AU did not just help my path to becoming a journalist - it completely reshaped it. 

What was your biggest takeaway from your internship at NBC10 Boston? Is there anything you’re particularly proud of?

I thrive being thrown in the deep end. From day one at NBC10 Boston and Telemundo, I was immediately immersed in different projects and short term assignments, and quickly adapted to the high speed culture of daily journalism. But unlike these assignments with the fastest turnarounds, I’m honestly proudest of the project that took me the longest. I spent the summer working on an in-depth immigration explainer, exploring the complexities and overlaps of immigrating to Massachusetts through 2,000 word articles and four-minute [video] packages in both English and Spanish. This in-depth project took the entire summer, I literally turned it in on my last day, and I am endlessly proud of not only the hard work I put into it, but the skills I honed to be able to turn in such high quality products in the long and short term. 

What are some of the highlights from your experience at the NAHJ convention?

Of course, the NAHJ convention offered some of the best professional opportunities of my undergraduate career. The panels, trainings, and networking connections are unparalleled, and have opened so many doors for me in the industry. But my greatest highlight of this yearly conference is the friends – the familia – I get to reconnect with. Once a year, some of my favorite people are brought back together to celebrate our culture and our craft; it’s not an exaggeration to say that it is the week where I truly feel “myself” more than in any other time or place, and it is an experience that I truly treasure. 

How has being a part of the NAHJ been beneficial for you? What would you say to other students considering joining? 

If you’ve talked to me for even five minutes, you’ve probably heard me bring up NAHJ. The community and resources that this organization offers are invaluable, and yet so many journalists in both the academic and professional spheres aren’t made aware of them. I have truly no words for what this organization has given me, not only as a professional, but as a person. The only words I have? Join, join, join.

What was the process for becoming a communications intern at CHCI like? What are you looking forward to while working in your position? 

I actually applied three different times for my position at CHCI. It is an incredibly competitive program, known throughout DC for the doors it can open and the opportunities it can offer. After being accepted, a second rigorous interview process matched me with the House Democratic Caucus, where I was accepted as a Communications Intern blending their Press and Digital opportunities. As much as I’m looking forward to the incredible day-to-day responsibilities and assignments I’ll receive in the Comms world, I am honestly so excited to finally be a part of the CHCI Familia, and to join this prestigious community of Latinos on the hill. 

What advice would you give to an incoming freshman interested in journalism? 

Opportunities like CHCI’s internships or NAHJ’s scholarships are there for you. They are there through the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Gay and Lesbian Journalism Association, Women in Journalism, AAJA’s chapter on campus, associations and coalitions through each part of the diaspora that truly any person can find themselves in. These opportunities are there, you just have to take advantage of them! It is truly the best advice I can give. 

What do you think is important for the future of journalism? 

I am incredibly passionate about the diversity of digital news, and how this medium will truly shape the future of journalism. I 100% believe that our generation best receives valuable information through narrative videos, short-form broadcast adaptations, social media graphics, and through each of the fluid platforms that the digital space offers. This goes without even mentioning its importance to the Latino community, an inherently global population that increasingly relies on social media and digital connections. All my life, I’ve struggled to choose between a future in print or broadcast news, but I’ve finally come to realize that I am meant for a future in the digital space, seamlessly combining them both.