Next Generation Leaders celebrates the achievements of young alumni of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. In this episode we talk to Melanie Henshaw (Mvskoke) '22, Indigenous Affairs reporter at Street Roots, an alt weekly street paper in Portland, Oregon.  In that role she reports on tribal sovereignty, ecological destruction, climate change, social justice, and other topics. Before joining Street Roots, she was a fellow for NewsBreak, and prior to that was the desk editor and a multimedia producer for the Daily Emerald. 

Find Melanie Henshaw Online:
Street Roots Author Page
Muck Rack Author Page
Daily Emerald Author Page

Show Notes: 
0:01: Show introduction
0:37: Guest introduction
01:14: What is Street Roots?
03:30: Melanie's educational background
04:51: Why Melanie chose the indigenous affairs beat
05:54: How journalism has failed indigenous communities
08:31: Using social media as a journalist 
10:07: Protecting your peace and privacy online
13:42: Can and should non-indigenous reporters report on indigenous affairs?
17:39: Takeaways from working at a college paper
19:38: Transitioning from multimedia storytelling to writing
22:03: Avoiding getting pigeonholed as a journalist based on background or ethnicity
25:36: Why Melanie chose to move to Portland
27:07: Job search advice
29:23: Knowing your worth and negotiating for better pay and benefits
33:54: What employers are looking for in prospective hires
35:41: More job search advice
38:22: Show wrap-up

Download the transcript for this episode.

Interested in more podcast content from the SOJC? Check out the Hearst Demystifying Media Podcast, where Damian Radcliffe gets the industry scoop from media experts.