J-School Presentation on Travel, Journalism

Today I returned to the San Antonio College J-School (short for Journalism School) where I learned how to write stories for newspapers, magazines, and websites. It has been nearly 12 years since I was a student here. Once we sell our house in North Austin to buy an RV to travel full time, I plan to write again as one of the ways I earn income. I thought now would be a good time to tell my story so far to SAC's next generation of journalists.

About 30 San Antonio College journalism students and staff attended my presentation called "Journalism, Travel, and the Search for Stories -- My Journey to Full-time RV Life." Photo by Louis Daguerre

After spending several years chasing newspaper jobs from San Antonio to Frederick, Maryland, Seattle, Waco, Texas, and Austin, I stopped working for newspapers to work for the Texas Department of State Health Services. Along the way, I learned how to thrive in a stressful and competitive industry, accept setbacks, and find a way to begin again. 

Photo by Louis Daguerre

Here are the takeaways from different times in my career:

1. Take Extra Assignments -- While at J-school, I only wanted to write about science or art. When I was assigned the entertainment beat, I didn't like it at first. I soon enjoyed it and it prepared me for times in my career when I was assigned difficult assignments, like a fatal house fire or working on the sports desk.
2. You Really Can Interview Anyone -- During my final year of J-school in 2005, a group of us joined SAC journalism advisors to cover the recovery of hurricanes Katrina and Rita along the Gulf Coast. It was only my third time outside Texas. Visiting far away and devastated areas to talk to real people showed me that I truly can interview anyone to tell important stories.
3. It Can’t Be All Work -- I earned a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund business reporting residency at New York University. The week-long course showed students how to write business stories and we visited iconic business sites, such as the New York Stock Exchange. Between lectures, guest speakers, and writing assignments, we bonded. Taking time to enjoy the moment, getting away from the newsroom, and making friendships made the experience that much more special.
4. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone -- Following the DJNF residency, I was assigned to a summer business reporting internship at The Frederick News-Post. The internship places people of color in historically white newspapers. Frederick was the most segregated town I lived in. Virtually all the Latinos in town were immigrants and most of the US-born first generation were in grade school. I'd usually arrange for an interview over the phone. When I'd arrive, many people were visibly surprised to meet a Latino and would often say "You speak English so well!" This was the point of the internship, to show that people of color aren't just housekeepers, kitchen staff, or criminals. Forcing me to address that inequity in a professional way made me grow in ways I couldn't' have imagined because I grew up in San Antonio, a place where I never knew my race to be a limiting factor. 
5. Give All of Yourself -- That internship turned into my first full-time reporting job. As I plugged into the community, I was able to tell stories that had not often been told in the newspaper's 120 year history. That's because I speak Spanish and know sign language. I was surprised to learn Frederick has a large residential deaf school, so I often ran into deaf people. Being able to include diverse voices in my stories gave me a sense of pride and more accurately reflected the community. 
6. Make Connections -- I joined the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and attended its annual conventions around the country. My favorite way to meet people was to introduce myself to a few people, then introduce those people to new people. It's a way to be memorable and become the go-to person for connections. Later, those connections helped me get freelance assignments and a job when I moved to Seattle.
7. Embrace Your Limitations -- When I moved to Seattle in 2007, I had less than 2 years of daily reporting experience. I couldn't get a full-time reporting job because I was outclassed. Fortunately, I had a graphics and web background, so I was able to get a job at The Seattle Times as a news producer, updating the various news pages online.
8. Stepping Stones are OK -- By late 2008, we were home sick. Trying to find a reporting job during a recession in a dying industry was difficult. The closet I could get to home was a job at the Waco Tribute-Herald. It wasn't my favorite place to live, but it allowed us to be closer to home and provided a stepping stone to our next home in Austin.
9. Know When it’s Time to Move On -- I finally got a newspaper job in Austin at Community Impact Newspaper in 2009. While it's a successful business model, it wasn't the kind of journalism I was accustomed to. The paper only provides positive news, preferring not to include more than one side to a story. I found a job as a web administrator with the Texas Department of State Health Services where I would remain for the next 6 years.
10. Find Outside Passions -- While I believed in keeping the public informed of health-related topics, I found the work less rewarding than writing for newspapers. To make up for the lack of job satisfaction, I helped found a food rescue nonprofit called Keep Austin Fed, ran the Gardens at Gus Garcia community garden, and became known in Austin for my community composting efforts with Compost Coalition.
11. Follow Your Heart -- In late 2016, my wife and I decided it was time to sell everything to buy an RV and travel full time. Our love of travel, my desire to write, and wanting to collect memories, not things, are just some of the reasons we've decided to start this trip. We plan to split our time between touring, working, and giving to causes we support.

Here's the article journalism student Elena Longoria wrote about my presentation in The Ranger.