Hello! I’m Serena, the new Resident Blogger for Spotus. Along with Digidave and Kara Andrade, my name will start appearing on blog posts that chronicle local news, developments in Spotus stories and profiles of local activists and bloggers who have insight on the issues we’re reporting.

But who is this Serena Renner anyway?  Good question! I’m an amateur journalist who just moved to the Bay Area from San Diego. I graduated from UC San Diego last June, and after taking a break from journalism to become an activist working on the Obama campaign and a Service Employees International Union campaign, I was eager to get back to my passion — reporting on issues that we as humans face, from climate change to immigration, to inequality and a downed economy.

Why Journalism? I’ve always had a deep interest in social justice and a compassion for people. I also enjoy writing so journalism was a natural way to connect the dots. I strive to tell stories that serve the public, spread awareness, offer new perspective and reveal a common humanity. UCSD didn’t offer a journalism program so I credit my training to the UCSD Guardian newspaper, where I spent three years muckraking, pulling all-nighters in the news room, and fighting the administration on issues like student fees, labor disputes, and a controversial free speech policy. I also served a short stint at the UCSD Alumni Magazine and recently co-founded Meridian Collective, a cooperative for young journalists, which I hope will one day connect, inspire and train the next generation of journalists.

Why Spotus? As all of us know, the economy is tough right now, especially for journalists. Reporters are getting laid off nationwide and the industry is going online so fast that just about every news organization is scratching its head trying to learn multimedia and conjure up a more sustainable business model. I hope to one day go to Journalism School, but it doesn’t make sense to me right now when every thing is transitioning. I’d rather jump right in and be part of that change.

I heard about Spot.us through Kara Andrade and was immediately intrigued by its forward-looking, community-centric model for journalism. Spotus embodies my interest in creative story telling by commissioning print and online stories, using photo, video and multimedia to publicize those stories, and opening up the journalistic process for all to see in this blog. I started to wonder if there was a place for an eager young journalist like me in the Spotus community. After all, I need to build my skills, expand my journalism network and learn about my new home in the Bay Area. So I asked David and Kara if I could help out, and before I knew it, the symbiotic relationship was born. I look forward to being part of a project that changes the shape of journalism and connects people in the process. Thank you all for welcoming me aboard!

Related posts:

1. The Year of the Political Blogger Has Arrived
2. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow – Goodbye Kara!!!!!
3. Spot.Us Advisory Board Meeting
4. How newspaper closings will affect online news
5. What Do YOU Want to See Covered in the Bay Area