I grew up in New Mexico listening to my grandmother’s tales about teaching on the Navajo 
reservation. The spirit of my background is reflected in my written work, and I’d like to think storytelling is in my blood. As a reporter in Los Angeles, I was able to write articles that personalized the struggles of daily life and celebrated the accomplishments. I continued this work as a social media and communications specialist at a nonprofit organization. There, I was able to thread together storytelling and social media to produce meaningful content. In furthering my education on the East Coast, I have learned that data can produce its own narrative as well. Rather than detracting from the creative process, statistics and analytics help add to the overall tapestry.