Hello Saa Nasta family, we’re doing a new Q&A series called “A day in the life of a…” We’re kicking off this edition as the first one. Also learn more about International Mother Language Day activities.
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A day in the life of a journalist: Nushrat Rahman
Tell me about yourself in a few sentences:
My name is Nushrat Rahman. I’m a journalist, born and raised in Detroit.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a lot of things growing up! A chef on America’s Test Kitchen, an artist, an astronaut. Most of this was fueled by what I was watching on TV at the moment.
What is your current profession?
I work as a journalist at the Detroit Free Press through Report for America. My stories also run in Bridge Detroit.
What led you to this profession?
I think I’ve always been interested in way too many topics and I would love to follow where my curiosities led. Journalism gives me an excuse to continuously be learning, to ask all kinds of questions without being looked at weird (at least I hope so), and talk to people who know way more about a certain topic than I do. It allows me to enter a world for a moment, learn as much as I can and then tell readers about that world. I majored in English because I loved to read and write. I think it was a great foundation for my career today.
What skills did you have to gain to get into your field? Class/courses or experiences?
Journalism is the type of profession that really welcomes anyone. You just have to be infinitely curious and willing to do the work. I’m a print journalist, so writing was what drew me to journalism. But that’s not the only part of it I enjoy. I like the process of reporting itself — interviewing people whether on the phone or in the field, doing research, fact-checking. Then taking all that information and building it out to produce something that engages readers. Those are skills that you don’t necessarily learn in a classroom (although that is a great place one can start), it’s learned when you do the work.
What skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in your job/this field?
I think you need to have good listening skills, and able to pick up on what would make a good story. Is it a human interest angle, is this something that could help people, is there wrongdoing here by a person/institution holding power that needs to be investigated? I think empathy is key. Most of my job is talking to people — often asking them personal questions about tough spots in their life — and so it’s important to be kind and not abrasive. You don’t have to be an extrovert (I’m not!) but I think it’s important that you enjoy learning about people and what’s going on in their lives. You have to be flexible and agile in this job. Sometimes an editor will send you out on an assignment covering something you just learned about 20 minutes ago. Other times you’ll have to knock out a story in an hour or two on something extremely complicated, but you have to explain it so it makes sense! Many days I’m on tight deadlines, so I’ve learned to be quick on my feet.
What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this field?
I think stories that make an impact and bring about change — whether that is bringing to light some injustice, holding those who hold power accountable, getting information out to those who need it.
How do most people get into this field? What are common entry-level jobs?
Many people major in journalism, but many do not. I majored in English for undergrad and then got my master’s in journalism. I did one journalism internship at a metro Detroit magazine and then freelanced at local publications before landing my job today. I think the most valuable thing you can do is get journalism experience. So that may look like internships at newsrooms you’d like to work at, freelancing, etc.
What kinds of challenges do you face in your profession? How do you overcome them?
I think imposter syndrome is the biggest challenge I face. But many other reporters I’ve talked to have said the same, so we are in the same boat! Sometimes I can get in my head about the number of stories I’m publishing and the quality of my work. Are my stories good enough? Are they making a difference? It can be easy to get in my head because I’m so invested in my job. What you produce feels like an extension of yourself and when you feel like it doesn’t meet your expectations, it stings! I imagine people in any “creative” field would say they feel the same.
How does your job affect your general lifestyle and/or work/life balance?
Transitioning from being a student to working full time has been a very interesting journey. I need to get better at a work-life balance! The pandemic has blurred the lines for many of us and I am news obsessed anyway so that doesn’t help! I need to stop scrolling through Twitter so much!
Describe a day in the life for your profession:
It’s not glamorous, haha! I usually have a daily story (meaning I type it up within a few hours and send it along to my editor) or a longer story that I’m working on. A day may look like covering a press conference, sending a BUNCH of emails (with lots of typos), making tons of phone calls, conducting interviews, and generally pestering people to give me information. My favorite days are when I get to go out into “the field” — so going out to a place to talk to people, and write about what’s going on.
What advice would you give to those who wish to pursue your profession?
It’s not easy, but it’s fun! Advocate for fair pay and benefits! You get to be nosy for a living which is fun. I feel very fortunate that I get to write as my job and learn new things every day. As a person who gets bored easily, I don’t get bored!
If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? If not, what would you change?
Yes. I do wish I did more internships!
Follow Nushrat Rahman on Twitter: @NushratR
Community News:
February 21 is International Mother Language Day which coincides with Ekushe February. UNESCO first recognized the observance in 1999, which has been celebrated globally since 2000. Bangladesh first introduced the initiative to UNESCO.
Ekushe February is celebrated across Bengali communities to honor language martyrs who died while protesting West Pakistani officials who mandated that Urdu be spoken as the official language in East Pakistan, where people spoke primarily or only Bangla. This conflict became one of the reasons Bangladesh later became an independent country in 1971, to preserve language and culture.
There are two events commemorating International Mother Language Day.
Hamtramck City Council observance in front of City Hall Feb. 21 at midnight (guests are asked to arrive by Feb. 20 at 11:45 p.m.) The event will be moved inside City Hall if there is bad weather.
Wayne State University’s Bangladesh Students’ Association will host a program Feb. 21 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Student Center Ballroom. Vaccination and masks are required.