Gabriela Flores didn’t always know she wanted to study journalism, let alone pursue it as a career. But after a visit to the Magner Career Center during her first year in 2019, she learned about the college’s journalism offerings. She also was introduced to the student newspaper, The Vanguard. Flash forward to her graduation year, and Flores leaves the college having served for two years as editor-in-chief of the newspaper.

Now, the budding journalist, who will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Television Radio and Emerging Media and whose Mexican heritage is a strong source of pride, is looking to improve how Latino and Hispanic populations are covered in the news.

Did you always know you wanted to major in journalism?

Honestly, I wasn’t always sure about studying journalism because I was extremely shy. I only wholeheartedly knew that I wanted to contribute to society in a positive way and that I had a knack for writing thanks to my mentors at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education. Journalism seemed the best route, yet the most intangible.

After some time at Brooklyn College, I saw I could learn other media skills that would force me out of my bubble. I decided to challenge myself by working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in Television and Radio and Emerging Media, (TREM). Through this, I wanted to gain knowledge of broadcasting while developing my reporting and writing skills at The Vanguard, the campus newspaper.

How has being a first-generation Mexican-American student influenced your studies/interests?

While I was growing up, my parents never forgot their beloved Mexico, which led me never to forget either. One of the key things that shaped me was the Spanish-speaking media we were surrounded by in our Queens home, especially Univision’s news hours. I would see the team of reporters walking around their cubicles behind the anchors who delivered the news without missing a beat. It fascinated me to see them at work and how their reports influenced the decisions and conversations around me.

As I grew older, I realized how limited Latino and Hispanic issues were reported outside of Spanish-speaking networks in America. That led me to want to uplift my community’s experiences in spaces where it’s typically underreported or silenced. It also made me want to help share other stories from underrepresented groups and issues outside of Latinidad.

How did you get involved with The Vanguard?

On my first day at Brooklyn College in 2019, I was determined to see if journalism was right for me. After hearing about the Magner Career Center during orientation, I visited the center. I met Associate Director Andre Fontenelle, one of the kindest people I’ve met on campus. He then connected me with Assistant Director Michael Sarrao, the center’s counselor for the School of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts. Magner Mike, as he’s kindly dubbed, listened to my worries about having no journalistic experience and suggested I reach out to The Vanguard. He became the catalyst for my involvement in student journalism. Without his and Andre’s support for 17-year-old me, I wouldn’t have crossed paths with the paper that changed me for good.

Graduating as the editor of the student newspaper, how did that role prepare you?

I began at The Vanguard as a staff writer, then climbed the ranks to features editor and editor-in-chief. After two years of leading the paper with talented managing editors, I evolved as a budding journalist, thinker, and leader. I quickly learned the importance of holding accountable different structures of power and myself, knowing that I as a reporter have the responsibility of delivering fact-backed truth and nothing short of it. That’s an important lesson I’ll carry with me for the long run. My experiences inside and outside of editing duties thickened my skin overall, teaching me to champion the efforts of my peers and my own.

What was your favorite class and why?

When it comes to journalism-related courses, Sebastian Tuinder’s Introduction to Radio class was my favorite because it enabled me to see audio storytelling’s intricacy and beauty. The instructor who taught me the most about the field was Mark McSherry, whose journalism lessons and anecdotes continue to help me immensely. Intellectually, as a philosophy minor, all my courses in logic, reasoning, and rationality are, without a doubt, my favorites. Each philosophy course allows me to unravel my critical thinking while teaching me to better understand and actively listen to others.