The guest speaker from this week’s class is Ebony Renee Baker who is a fashion editor at Refinery29 UK. She shared her journey from studying journalism at Ryerson University in Toronto to landing her current role in the UK. She highlighted how internships and freelance work during university can help to open doors for future opportunities. She also emphasized the importance of networking and being adaptable, especially in the field of journalism, including when it comes to digital platforms that are popular today such as Instagram and TikTok.
A key takeaway from her experience in my opinion is the value of taking risks, such as moving to a new country without a job and learning to adapt to the culture and industry. She mentioned how in doing this she started working as a freelancer, which in turn allowed and helped her both, to build connections within the industry and refine her skills, which eventually helped lead her to her role at Refinery29.
For me, her advice about the importance of digital literacy and social media skills is crucial. She explained how traditional journalism education at Ryerson couldn’t fully prepare her for the current demands of the job, where creating engaging content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram is essential. Back then it wasn’t something popular or relevant and they were therefore not taught this. This reflects the idea that we should always be learning and adapting to industry trends, especially if we’re in fields like journalism and communication.
Her experience to me also highlights the importance of perseverance, as she faced multiple rejections before landing her dream job and as someone going into the communications field I should be prepared for this and always push forward. That it is firstly okay to switch paths as you will find the right one and challenges are a part of the journey of life and career success. Ebony Renee Baker’s story in my opinion truly demonstrates that persistence, networking, and being open to new experiences can help turn setbacks into opportunities, a lesson I will be reflecting on in my everyday life and my experiences in the work field after I graduate.
This week’s thought bubble popped!