Finding My Way Back

Six years is a long time to step away from anything—especially a field as relentless and ever-shifting as journalism. When I left the newsroom, I didn’t expect the path back to be winding, political, and at times deeply personal. Yet that’s exactly what it became.

For a bit of history, I interned at the St. Croix Avis in high school but I didn’t want to be a reporter at the time. I then attended the University of the Virgin Islands originally studying Psychology. I wanted to be a sex and relationship therapist. And…that was a bust.

My Avis Internship instructor was working at UVI at this time and both her and the Associate Professor of Journalism told me I had talent, that I should look into a minor in journalism at least. That was all it took. I switched majors and studied Mass Communications, focusing on creative writing and journalism. I was the editor for the school’s newspaper and interned at CBS TV 2. I also freelanced for the Virgin Islands Source. When I graduated, I became a full-time journalist, working at the St. Croix Avis. Hell, I even did an extremely short stint of Caribbean News at WSVI (Channel 8) before the Avis told me I couldn’t do that.

I was always writing, always part of somebody’s newsroom.

Looking back, I recall the moment when I began running away from media.

It was 2017 and we had just been struck by not one, but two hurricanes—Hurricanes Irma and Maria. I suppose you could call it a midlife crisis, but that year was when I began questioning if I was truly doing anything of purpose with my life. Sure I had a job I was great at, but I was still living in a tiny apartment, barely making rent and often skipping meals because my meager paycheck didn’t cover my ever rising bills. I did freelance photography, sure, but it wasn’t enough. I didn’t believe my “friends” were my friends, and began noticing a trend of people always wanting something from me—a photo for their event, news coverage of some kind, anything but not really…me. Ultimately, after seeing a man in uniform cutting away at a fallen tree I decided, yeah, this is where I’m going. At a press conference, I approached the then Brigadier General of the Virgin Islands National Guard and told her to give my information to a recruiter. I didn’t care which. I was approached by a recruiter for the Air National Guard and just like that I was off to become a Civil Engineer for the U.S. Air Force.

But it was the guard, so naturally I had to return home, back to my civilian job in the newsroom but still juggling time on the base. It was 2019 now, and I remember submitting a story and being told that they could tell my heart wasn’t in it. And you know what, it wasn’t. On top of there being a deployment (that I did not go on and that’s a story for another time) I submitted my resignation almost immediately after. It must have been maybe a few days later that I was approached to be the Public Relations Coordinator for a senator at the Virgin Islands Legislature. Just like that, I was out of the newsroom.

During those years away, my career took me into the inner workings of the U.S. Virgin Islands Government—first within the legislative branch, then later in the executive branch. I gained a front-row seat to policymaking, communications strategies, and the delicate dance between elected officials and the public they serve. It was fascinating work, incredibly demanding, and often eye-opening.

What people don’t always see is how difficult it can be to navigate the political landscape from the inside. On the outside, the public forms opinions based on headlines, social posts, and statements. On the inside, you’re responsible for shaping those messages while simultaneously managing personalities (AWFUL PERSONALITIES), priorities, and pressure. It’s a balance that demands diplomacy, resilience, and a skin thick enough to withstand criticism from every direction. I will say, the Virgin Islands Legislature was the messiest, back-stabbing, fraudulent place I have ever stepped foot in. And it is why I continuously tell the public, now that I am free, to pay attention and stop letting these people play in your face. They are not who they pretend to be and your “favorites” are probably the worst of them all. The executive branch was no different.

Despite the challenges, I loved my job in public relations. I loved the pace, the impact, the moments when it all came together to help the public understand what their government was doing. I am big on education, so nothing warmed my heart more than keeping people informed. But loving the work and being able to continue it are two different things.

When I moved to Texas, I expected the transition to be difficult, but what I didn’t expect was the abrupt wall I hit. The USVI government has never had a consistent or equitable policy on remote or hybrid work, and while specific employees were allowed flexibility, many others—like myself—were not. The inconsistency left me with a hard truth: keeping my job wasn’t possible under the rules as they stood. Leaving the executive branch was not something I particularly wanted—I loved the work I did and the team I worked with—but it was something I had to do.

After that, I found myself maneuvering between self-employment, contract work, and a long list of odd jobs. Each one served its purpose, but none of them felt like home. And then came the offer—one I had sidestepped for years—to freelance for the Virgin Islands Daily News.

For so long, I avoided returning to journalism. I dodged the question to write often, opting to take photos instead. Maybe it was fear that I had fallen out of rhythm. Maybe it was the thought that I had changed too much—or that the industry had. There was also the lingering fear that since I was owed money by the Virgin Islands Government, that if I had to write about them, I would never receive it. But something inside me shifted. I was…tired. Tired of silencing my own voice, tired of tiptoeing around people and their personalities, and tired of burying the part of myself that once thrived in research and storytelling. I LOVE writing. I LOVE journalism. I LOVE investigating.

So I said yes.

And just like that, the spark was back. The words returned. The thrill of chasing clarity, truth, and narrative came rushing in like I had never stepped away. Freelancing reopened a door I thought was permanently closed—and I walked through it with a renewed passion I hadn’t felt in years.

Returning to journalism after a six-year break wasn’t just a career shift; it was a reclamation. A reminder of who I am, what I love, and why I write. The journey through government, politics, and reinvention shaped me in ways I’m grateful for, but coming back to journalism feels like coming home.

And I’m excited—truly excited—for what comes next whatever it may be.

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P.S. The St. Croix Avis isn’t with us anymore. Keep Virgin Islands’ Journalism alive by supporting the news outlets that still exist such as the Virgin Islands Daily News, The Virgin Islands Source, and WTJX <3