Breaking and overcoming barriers: Interning at OPB and becoming a black journalist in Oregon
Story and photos by Meerah Powell
Growing up as a black woman in the predominantly white city of Eugene, Oregon, I have often felt limited and even, at times, invisible. It made me realize I am in a very unique position — a position that has made me hyper-aware of my surroundings and of not only what I see in the media, but what I do not. This situation has ignited my curiosity for looking outside mainstream media and into other overlooked and underrepresented stories, and it has made me want to tell my own stories as well. That’s what brought me to journalism.
