Natalie Edelstein, 2018 “Emerging Voices” Scholarship Recipient
When Glamour Magazine announced their women of the year issue, I knew it would be nothing short of amazing. What I wasn’t prepared for was one of the best journalistic, power-woman combos of 2018: Yamiche Alcindor writing about Kamala Harris.
As a California native, Kamala Harris’ rise to political stardom is one I have watched closely. She is the only African American woman in the Senate, and its first ever Indian America. She has made a name for herself championing the rights of women and minorities, and prior to serving in the Senate was the Attorney General of California, where she took on cases that reshaped California’s legal landscape.
Alcindor is one of those journalists whose careers you dream of when you’re a little girl. She’s written about some of the most consequential events in the last decade including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the Ferguson unrest, and the Baltimore protests.
As I read the story, I couldn’t help but stop and take in what was occurring. Two women of color, sitting down for a national news outlet, elevating a story and a voice that would have otherwise been drowned out fifty years ago. The piece, which details Kamala’s political career and background, is written with a kind of careful consideration that only women can provide to one and other.
Upon finishing the story, I was able to reflect on what an incredible moment in history we are living in. The piece inspired me to go back into my internet history and find some of my favorite profiles, written by and about women and post them to Twitter. “Women are an amazing, powerful force and I am inspired by the ones around me every day,” I wrote. “Here is a thread of profiles I’ve read in the last few months that make me hopeful for our future,” and with that I listed out some of the pieces that I found strength in this past year. They include Claire McCaskill’s Toughest Fight, Kamala Harris Is on the Rise, How Maya Rudolph Became the Master of Impressions, Aly Raisman Takes the Floor, The Quiet Power of Viola Davis, She Founded Me Too. Now She Wants to Move Past the Trauma, and What Does Tulsi Gabbard Believe?
I am reminded of what a powerful force women in media are almost every day when I read profiles by Jia Tolentino and Taffy Brodesser-Akner. I am lucky to see myself represented in television news when I watch Katy Tur and Hallie Jackson report live from the White House, and I am excited about the future when I see my peers, like Allison Pecorin, taking on some of the biggest news stories of the year. Despite what some might say, I have immense hope for the future of this industry and the women involved in it.