Ever since I was young, I have always been drawn to storytelling. I’ve always believed that everyone deserves to have their voice heard and their story told, especially the stories that are often overlooked or ignored. That passion is deeply personal to me because it connects back to my own family. My parents immigrated from Egypt, and although my father moved to the United States when he was 18 years old, much of my family still lives there today. Growing up between two cultures gave me a strong appreciation for the importance of listening to people’s experiences and preserving the stories that shape who they are.

Writing became the way I connected to those ideas. I found myself most interested in stories that went beyond headlines — the kinds of stories that reveal emotion, identity, struggle, and community. I want to use journalism not only to inform people, but also to make people feel seen. Whether it is covering underrepresented communities or highlighting voices that are rarely given attention, I am inspired by the ability journalism has to connect people through honesty and empathy.

Sports also became a major part of that connection for me. I was drawn to soccer from a young age because of my father, who played while living in Egypt. Much of my childhood was spent learning from him, which made the sport feel deeply connected to my family and culture. Although I did not continue playing as I got older, sports remained a large part of my life through my brother, who played basketball throughout his childhood up until going to college.

My passion for journalism comes from the combination of all of these experiences: my love for writing, my connection to my family’s story, and my desire to give others the opportunity to be heard. I hope to continue telling meaningful stories that might otherwise go unnoticed and to create work that allows people to feel represented, understood and connected.