Editor’s Blog

Everyone has a story…

Welcome to the Youth Journalism Alliance! I’m Rory, the founder of YJA, and I’m super excited that you’re interested in our organization! For our very first blog post, I’d like to talk about some of YJA’s goals and what we hope to accomplish in the coming years.

At YJA, we’re committed to fostering a healthy environment for the next generation of journalists to learn and grow. As a reporter with Nickelodeon’s Nick News and the youngest on the show, I felt that the opinions of youth were being undervalued, and I was often underestimated due to my age. Most adults couldn’t believe that I’d interviewed Cabinet members or asked questions in the White House Press Room at only 14 years old. I founded the Youth Journalism Alliance with the core belief that you are never too young to make a difference, and certainly never too young to have an impact on our world. Through my reporting work, I have been able to touch the lives of people across America, and I myself find joy in sharing stories and enriching lives. I was drawn to Global Youth Philanthropy because of its innovative leaders and impactful volunteer work. I was integral in helping build GYP’s journalism program, and have now founded the Youth Journalism Alliance as a partner nonprofit focused specifically on reporting.

The Youth Journalism Alliance seeks to welcome teens from elementary to high school, preparing students to grow into their roles as the leaders of tomorrow. The next generation will play the most important role on the global stage in the coming years, and YJA helps prepare youth for a career in journalism.

Why journalism? I’ve always loved journalism for its ability to enrich both my life and the lives of those around me. It is the power to inform people with truth, to invigorate their minds with knowledge, to ignite their passion with words. Becoming a journalist means that you have the obligation to create the right narrative for the public. The true narrative. It’s not about reveling in the spotlight, but about lending a voice to the people.

As YJA grows to have a global reach, we hope that we will be able to attend more events such as COP28 and HNPW. Eventually, our vision is to create a program that teaches kids to love journalism and impart with them the skills to write the future of tomorrow.