I spent almost every day during the final two weeks of last spring reporting on the Emerson encampment, from the moment tents were set up to when Boston police forcibly cleared it, and nearly every single event that unfolded in its aftermath.

I often think back on those events—how it all happened so quickly and, as newly incoming editor-in-chief, whether I did a sufficient job reporting on it.

Beacon reporters were among the first and only on the scene when police arrested 118 protesters at the encampment. But beyond being the first to report on the arrests, we delivered accurate reporting to our readers, citing firsthand accounts from our reporters and the community members who were there that morning. Our live-blog on the arrests became a highly cited story on the event on Google, generating more than 10,000 views.

Student journalism has always been incredibly valuable, but The Beacon’s response to last semester’s events pushed the envelope. As many news outlets relied solely on police reports, The Beacon spoke to protesters and witnesses on top of reporting on what we saw that morning.   

For the first time in a while on campus, community members felt they could trust us with their stories. We met people where they were at—in residential halls, 172 Tremont, in the Dining Hall—to hear what the community wanted to share. What mattered to them during the morning of the arrests wasn’t that we were the first to report on it but that we were committed to being there as both reporters and community members. 

I am confident that we did the best reporting we could both as students and as journalists who had yet to have experience covering a divided and deeply personal topic. However, given that we are early in our journalism careers, there is always more to learn.

I joined The Beacon in the fall 2021 semester as a former editor of a high school newspaper who was eager to face a new challenge and embark on her new endeavor as a journalist. I was naive to think writing and reporting was all I needed to know. As it turns out, it’s just half the job.

I became a Beacon correspondent a year after the paper experienced a mass exodus due to a toxic and unwelcoming newsroom environment. As an Asian American woman, I questioned why I felt the desire to join the paper and, most importantly, stay. 

At The Beacon, contributors join the paper for a multitude of reasons. For myself, I joined because of my love for reporting and a desire to share the power of journalism with those who come from underrepresented backgrounds.

But joining The Beacon in the fallout of resignations and community distrust came at a price. We struggled to rebuild our relationships with other Emerson community members. People didn’t want to work with us or talk to us as sources. We lost story opportunities because we didn’t have the voices to help it come to fruition. When I started moving up the ranks, I told myself the situation was getting better, but perhaps I just wanted to have a glimmer of hope.

For so long as a staff member for The Beacon, I prioritized asking for forgiveness from the communities we hurt. But what is the point of forgiveness if we, as Emerson’s student paper, don’t change The Beacon from the ground up?

The Beacon can never really go away. We’re Emerson’s only newspaper, and there’s a need for us to be on campus, for accountability and documenting history. But we have a responsibility to set the expectations for what the future of journalism can and should look like. 

I stayed in The Beacon, despite heavy moments when I considered leaving for good, because I felt in my heart as a reporter that we could make real progress that would serve the Emerson community.

The work our staff did last spring is proof of that. We made mistakes and we learned from them. For every new thing we tried that succeeded, we discussed ways to make it even better. We built connections with our readers and the greater Emerson community and showed up consistently to report and fulfill our obligations as journalists.

The journalism industry is constantly changing, and innovation often starts on college campuses. Our challenges are no different from those legacy papers often face. 

At the end of the spring semester, our staff reminded our readers and ourselves that we are the go-to source for Emerson-centric news. We’re also a place for budding journalists to learn, make mistakes, and succeed. 

Simultaneously, it is the paper’s history and past wrongdoings that remind me that the turnaround we made is just the beginning. The work to maintain a top source for Emerson news doesn’t stop here.

Amid the college’s modified policies, I assure you that The Beacon will continue to pride itself as the only editorially independent and student-run newspaper at Emerson. We’ll report on what matters on campus and beyond and hold the institution accountable. 

This summer, The Beacon’s senior editors and I revamped our website and updated our standards and bylaws. It was long overdue, but I made it a priority as part of our ongoing efforts to be transparent with our readers and our staff.

Now, you can learn more about The Beacon and the faces behind it. You can learn how to contribute as a reporter, editor, designer or photographer. 

Have a story you want us to dig into? Send a news tip or become a source. Do you have a unique perspective and are looking to prompt productive discourse? Submit an opinion piece or a letter.  

To get started with us, pick up assignments and pitch ideas. Attend our weekly meetings on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Little Building.

For our readers, stay up to date on news from The Beacon on our website, newsletter, Instagram, TikTok, and X. Pick up our weekly paper on newsstands all around campus. 

Good journalism is nothing without people. We need people to help us generate ideas for the newsroom, to produce impactful stories, and uplift diverse voices. 

The upcoming semester is not going to be like any other, but The Beacon will remain dedicated to serving our readers with essential news.