Hello, I am Emmanuel Rodriguez Mejia and I am a co-editor-in-chief. I have been in journalism since the second semester of my sophomore year. I hope to continue doing journalism in college. With this being my last publication before I graduate, I just wanted to take a moment to use my platform to discuss the ongoing relevance of journalism and the importance of civic engagement.

Throughout my time in The Spellbinder I have attended Santa Ana Unified School District board meetings, interviewed countless people and taken countless hours to write articles. While doing this, I learned what it meant to be a journalist and the importance of keeping up with the news.

While it might seem trivial to waste time reading news articles that seem to cover problems that are distant, it is truly not. Staying informed broadens our understanding of the world, helps us recognize patterns that eventually affect our own lives and protects us from living inside a narrow informational bubble. We live in a time of uncertainty and despair. The headlines mention protests, calling for ceasefires, elections, another pandemic and countless more things that probably will be written after this article is published. These headlines might leave you feeling overwhelmed and hopeless, but I assure you that it is important to truly understand and comprehend the things going on.

If you ever feel overwhelmed with the news or feeling too anxious I recommend taking a break for a day or laying in your bed blasting music. Your feelings are valid and valued. Mental health is something extremely important and can be easily overlooked. I suggest reading this article if you ever feel like you need new ways to cope with the news.

Furthermore, while news is getting more access through applications like TikTok and Instagram, I urge you to fact-check every single person or idea you see. Question the intent of the journalist, of the source, of everything. If something seems suspicious or not credible, it most likely is not credible, so be careful what media you consume.

Also, I want to take a moment to say this: the news is not always on your side. The content you read and see about on social media might not always be the only news going on. Currently, the media on TikTok has been pushing the hantavirus. It is getting clicks and views; however, at the same time there is an ongoing investigation about a Disney cruise ship that no one seems to be talking about. The news is something that can be manipulated and pushed out, so continue to just always be vigilant about the media you are consuming.

Additionally, it is important to stay involved in your local community. Notice the things that you want fixed, whether it is a park or more library places, use your voice to be heard in places that matter. Look into the representatives you are voting for. Do your research on all the city council members, school board members, mayors, members of congress — anyone of political power. Question the decisions they make and the future plans they have. Do not be afraid to stand up and ask questions that seem too small, they are people meant to represent you.

At the end of the day, if there is one thing you take away from this letter, it is that political engagement matters and you matter. Do not scroll past a headline of ICE agents taking and splitting families apart because it does not affect you. Understand the reasons behind decisions that are made, who is benefiting and why they are benefiting, but remember to take care of yourself.

So to end this letter, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes of all time: ignorance is NOT bliss.