somebody tell me why i work so hard for you

Public media is a vital and exceptional service that is free and widely available.

Working in this industry helps me feel connected to my community and be an active participant in it. I think public media is the best and most efficient way to be an informed citizen. That makes me feel like I’m a part of something bigger than myself - but not so big that I’m out of touch. Because we are listener-supported, and we are in people’s ears every day, people feel connected to us. And it’s important that those connections are authentic.

How her values align with a career in public media: It’s important for me to feel connected to and rooted in my community. This project has influenced every aspect of my career since. And I’m grateful to have had the support and confidence of our entire newsroom and organization. I’m really proud to have done this work in the city I grew up in. It was one of the most ambitious and difficult reporting projects that I’ve worked on to date, professionally and personally. It’s about the police killing of Manny Ellis in 2020.

Proudest moment: The podcast I made with my colleagues last year, The Walk Home. On top of that, she has an eternally positive attitude and an incredibly humble disposition. She can do quite literally anything - podcasting, hosting, daily spot news and features of all varieties. What colleagues say: Mayowa is a utility player in every way, in both talent and willingness to pitch in where needed. In three words: “Empathy, intelligence, creativity” Pacific Public Media/KNKX, Seattle/Tacoma, Wash. Keep shining bright! - Karen Everhart Mayowa Aina This is Current’s inaugural class of public media Rising Stars - congratulations for your work and achievements. Their profiles draw from the nominations submitted by colleagues and each honoree’s responses to a survey about their accomplishments, values and sources of inspiration. These 22 young professionals rose to the top of our evaluation process to be recognized as a Current Rising Star of 2023. So many of the 238 nominations offered compelling testimonies of talented colleagues who are introducing new ideas, voices and skills to change the ways audiences experience and engage with public media. We asked for nominations of Rising Stars - early- to mid-career professionals who are making a difference for public media organizations and audiences. Current’s new initiative to shine a spotlight on public media’s up-and-coming talents drew an amazing response.

Somebody tell me why i work so hard for you