A Beginning...
Join me as I survive a pause in my journalism career.
“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.” That’s the very first line of Dune by Frank Herbert—a reminder that how we begin matters. So, let me start with where I’m from.
I was born at the tail end of the 1980s and raised in Belize, a country nestled between regions, cultures, and identities. Belize is a place that defies easy categorization. We breathe magical realism—the kind that teaches you which boledo numbers to bet on through your dreams, and warns you against walking alone at night for fear of some spirit-world encounter. Ours is a land layered with post-colonial tension, racial complexity, and deep storytelling traditions. In many ways, growing up in Belize taught me that stories aren’t just entertainment—they’re survival, connection, truth.
So, why this—and why now?
I’m launching this space because I’ve always wanted to tell stories. That desire was born in childhood, nurtured by fairy tales and fictional heroines like Jo March. At eight years old, I had no clue what Europe was, but I knew Jo dreamed of going there—and so I did too.
My first instinct was to study history. But I quickly realized that the slow pace of academic writing wasn’t dynamic enough for the kinds of stories I wanted to chase. What followed were some wonderfully winding years: I earned a degree, worked in Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sold real estate under two of the shadiest characters to ever hit Belize (RIP Boris Mannsfeld), and even managed PR for Aschenthium Belizean heavy metal band—my sister’s. Supporting her dream taught me how radical and necessary it is to build something different. We were defying expectations, making art in a space where it wasn’t supposed to exist. And people—some even in positions of power—admired that.
Then I joined Channel 7 News. I had interviewed with Jules Vasquez a year earlier, but it wasn’t until our “Road to Wacken” campaign hit a wall that he called me back. That marked the beginning of a whirlwind journalism career—one that placed me at the center of some of Belize’s most significant national headlines. It also led me to pursue a master’s in journalism at the University of Missouri, which culminated in my selection as the 2025 David Kaplan Fellow at ABC News in Washington, D.C.
Now, I find myself at another beginning. I’m in visa limbo—awaiting an extension of my OPT work authorisation—and while I can’t legally work, I also can’t stop being a journalist. I need to tell truths, bear witness, and keep sharpening my craft. That’s why I’m turning to this space: a mix of Substack, TikTok, and Instagram to tell stories that matter. I’ll focus on political narratives, especially around immigration during this new (and fraught) Trump administration, and I’ll share reporting on Belize—my homeland—and the ongoing evolution of journalism there.
What kind of community will this be?
Honestly? That’s up to you. This space will grow based on the people who care about the kind of stories I tell.
Here’s what you can expect:
New posts every week (to start!)
Occasional deep-dive interviews and behind-the-scenes reporting reflections
Explorations of language, identity, and the messy beauty of storytelling
Free access to articles, and eventually newsletters and archives
Paid subscriptions (once I’m legally allowed to earn again) with extra reporting notes, Q&As, and early access to projects
So please—subscribe, share, and join me as I explore what it means to begin again.
Let’s begin.