LoganSquarist wouldn’t be possible without the hard-working efforts of our dedicated staff. Hailing from all across the country, with a number of interests and professional aspirations, our team has one thing in common: a passion for Logan Square. Discover the people behind the scenes that bring you articles, events and more in our LoganSquarist Staff Highlight column.
What’s your role with LoganSquarist?
I originally joined staff as an editorial intern, but my internship ended in March. Now, I’m a staff writer! I tend to stay within the Arts + Entertainment beat, but sometimes delve wherever else my interests take me.
Where are you from originally?
Saint Louis, MO. I love it very dearly and miss it often.
When did you join?
December 2016.
Do you write professionally?
Yes and no. For now, I am a journalism and creative writing student at DePaul University. Aside from LoganSquarist, I also edit (and sometimes write) for Shredded Mag, an online arts and culture magazine that I co-founded with some fellow DePaul journalists. I contribute to the DePaulia student newspaper from time to time as well. In the future, I would love to be writing professionally for a full-time job in journalism.
What made you interested in writing for LoganSquarist?
Community and locality. I love journalism that is deeply rooted in where it takes place, and that’s what LoganSquarist is. I saw that it would provide me the chance to really understand a single neighborhood, from its local businesses, to its residents, to its events — and that’s exactly what I’ve learned. A neighborhood might seem like a small area until you really get to know everything that goes on within, and what its residents care about.
What is your favorite LoganSquarist story you wrote?
I thoroughly enjoyed reporting and writing for my article about the LINK Program at the Logan Square Farmers Market. First of all, I love farmers markets and everything that they stand for. So not only did I get to attend a good farmers market, but I had the opportunity to have really good conversations with the people who work there about the way things are run, and what that market means to people. It was incredibly motivating to see neighbors interacting with each other over something so basic as their weekly groceries, and then be able to transform that into words and a story that was important information for residents to have.
What is your favorite restaurant in Logan Square?
It’s between Lula Cafe and El Pacifico. Lula Cafe is perfect for a nice, elegant meal and having a good time out. El Pacifico just has some amazing Mexican food until late night, and a plethora of vegetarian options to keep me interested.
What’s your favorite thing to do in the neighborhood?
There are so many things! My favorite way to experience a place is through its people, so I enjoy anything social. Comfort Station was one of the very first places I went in Logan Square, and continues to be a favorite of mine. They have a lot of interesting programming going on all the time. I also try to pop my head into Uncharted Books whenever I’m around. They have an incredible selection of local poetry and other writings (such a collection is hard to find elsewhere), a beautiful dog and very nice employees.
What has been the best part about joining the team?
Most definitely the people. Being able to meet other people on the team, and also make connections with people that I continue to see at various events I might be covering. In that way, I’ve seen how much of a community Logan Square really is. Exploring a neighborhood really in-depth and going beyond the surface that most visitors might see has been really rewarding for me.
Interested in joining the team? Meet the rest of our the staff and check out our opportunities.
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