Intro
Postrel: 00:00 – 00:33
Good afternoon. This is “In the Know” with J. Po. I’m J. Po or Juliana. You may know me from my morning show on Thursdays, “Down to Folk,” but this is “In the Know” where I talk about the news. I’m the news manager here at KSFS, and I am joined today by bilingual journalism students here at SFSU. They both work for the student newspaper, Golden Gate Xpress. Melissa Garcia and Sophia Reruha. Thanks for joining me.
Interview
Postrel: 00:33 – 00:44
Yeah. Okay. So let’s just get to know you guys. So you’re, I didn’t even realize that that is a major you could have here, bilingual journalism.
Rerucha: 00:44 – 00:52
Yeah. Officially, it’s called bilingual Spanish journalism, but it’s just kind of assumed that we’re bilingual Spanish and English. You want to talk about it a little bit about it?
Garcia: 00:52 – 01:14
Yeah. I also didn’t know it could be a possibility. You go into journalism and you just think about that. But I got to know about the program through a conference about journalism. And I was like, if I can do journalism, [I] might as well do it in Spanish as well, since I know Spanish.
Rerucha: 01:14 – 01:21
It’s a really small program. I think that’s also why not a lot of people know about it. There’s like less than 10 of us, I think.
Postrel: 01:21 – 01:23
Wow. Oh, that is really small.
Rerucha: 01:23 – 01:28
It’s very small and it’s relatively new. It started up in 2022. Fall of 2022.
Postrel: 01:28 – 01:33
Oh, that is new. So that means this is the fourth, third or fourth. What year are you guys?
Rerucha: 01:33 – 01:35
I’m in my third year here.
Garcia: 01:35-01:37
I’m in my fourth.
Postrel: 01:37 – 01:38
Are you graduating?
Garcia: 01:38 – 01:39
I’m graduating in the fall.
Rerucha: 01:39
Next semester!
Postrel: 01:39 – 01:46
That’s exciting. Yeah, I’m also in my fourth year, but I’m graduating next spring.
Rerucha: 01:46 – 01:49
You’re getting there.
Postrel: 01:49 – 01:54
Exactly. I’m graduating when you’re graduating, right? You’re graduating next spring?
Rerucha: 01:54 – 01:55
Next semester.
Postrel: 01:55 – 01:58
Oh, so you’re graduating early, too.
Rerucha: 01:58 – 02:03
Graduating early. But we’ve loved our time at the program. It’s been really rewarding to learn.
Postrel: 02:04 – 02:18
Congratulations. So, through the program, you’re doing Golden Gate Xpress. So you’re both reporters. Does this mean that you write your stories in English and Spanish?
Rerucha: 02:19 – 02:40
Yes. We tend to pitch ideas in Spanish. So normally, I pitch event stories. So if something’s happening relating to Latine students on campus, like yesterday, there was a book talk. I went to that and pitched it in Spanish and English, did some reporting in Spanish, wrote it in Spanish and then just translated it into English. But I mean, sometimes it’s the other way around.
Garcia: 02:40 – 02:49
Sometimes it’s like starting in English and then translating it into Spanish. I also want to point out that Sophia is the Spanish editor of Golden Gate Xpress
Rerucha: 02:49 – 02:51
And Melissa Garcia is the digital editor.
Postrel: 02:51 – 02:57
Oh, wow. You guys are pros. Wow.
Rerucha: 02:57 – 03:09
We’ve been on the paper since last semester. We’ve kind of figured out what we want to do and how we want to report on, specifically, the Spanish-speaking community here.
Postrel: 03:10 – 03:22
Wait, that’s awesome. So what do you do specifically for the paper? What are your favorite stories to cover? Do you have specific types of stories that you like to cover?
Garcia: 03:22 – 03:53
Over the last year, I’ve really gotten to enjoy writing profiles on students on campus and also highlighting special professors and people on campus who have a role. I’ve done a profile on the dean of students Miguel Hernández last year, and then last semester I also did a bilingual piece on Sebastián Carrasco. He was the head soccer coach of the men’s soccer team. I just really like to get to know these people and like their stories and how they’ve impacted the school.
Rerucha: 03:53 – 04:36
I like writing about the student orgs on campus because most of them are politically inclined and they have sort of a social political compass, which is really interesting, given the times that we’re living in and stuff. So just hearing their opinions on what’s going on is really interesting. And also these are the people, the student orgs are the people who are really doing the work to help students, and not a lot of people know about the stuff they’re having. Like La Raza and MELA. They are doing work to educate students on their rights if they’re undocumented, giving workshops, giving teach-ins about the history of their student orgs and SFSU’s political activism. So it’s really important stuff and I don’t know if a lot of students know about it.
Postrel: 04:36 – 05:13
It really is. Because, well, SFSU is a commuter school. So I think so many students just come to school for class and go back home, and they’re not really aware of what’s happening on campus. People don’t know that there’s a newspaper. People don’t know that there’s a radio station. So I think it’s really awesome that we’re finally getting to do this collab. So can you tell me a little bit about Golden Gate Xpress and just what you guys do? It’s a student-run newspaper. Can you tell me what that means? And beyond both of your reporting, just tell me about the organization.
Rerucha: 05:14 – 05:43
We’re about, I think it’s about 30 students, ranging from years. The only requirement to be on the newspaper is that you have to have taken the journalism GWAR. We have a bunch of different sections. We cover literally all sorts of things, campus events, politics. We have a Beyond SFSU section. So that’s for ballets, movie reviews, protests that are happening, protests that happen, like in Civic Center. And yeah, it’s all led by students. I mean, that’s the big thing.
Garcia: 05:43 – 5:55
Yeah. We also have, this semester, students from BECA and film majors. It’s not necessarily just journalism students. We’ve kind of, like our editor-in-chief, Paula Sibulo. She’s like-
Rerucha: 05:55 – 05:56
She’s a BECA student with a journalism minor.
Postrel: 05:59 – 06:02
When I spoke to her on the phone, I found that out. I didn’t know that
Rerucha: 06:02 – 06:07
She’s the first BECA editor-in-chief, which is really cool. So congrats to Paula for that one.
Postrel: 06:07 – 06:09
OK BECA representation.
Garcia: 06:09 – 06:12
I think she did a really good job of just reaching out to people and being like, “Hey.”
Rerucha: 06:13 – 06:23
Of all departments. It’s not that it even was exclusive, but it’s more if you can write, you can join the newspaper, which is very nice.
Postrel: 06:23 – 06:27
So both of you, you’re both graduating.
Rerucha & Garcia: 06:27 -06:28
Yes.
Postrel: 06:28 – 06:33
One more semester after this. What’s next for you? Are you staying in the world of news?
Garcia: 06:33 – 06:38
I guess I want to go back to, you’re like, “what do we do?”
Rerucha: 06:38 – 06:41
We didn’t actually answer your question.
Garcia: 06:41 – 06:42
I’m like “the question.”
Rerucha: 06:42 – 06:43
What do we do?
Garcia: 06:43 – 06:45
I’m the digital editor. So I-
Postrel: 06:46 – 06:52
Yeah. Tell me what being the digital editor entails. Just editor in general for people who may not know.
Garcia: 06:52 – 07:00
I upload all the stories of people on the website and then I also create the social media posts for Instagram, Facebook.
Postrel: 07:00 – 07:03
That’s you. Oh, okay.
Rerucha: 07:03 – 07:05
You’re putting a face to it all now.
Postrel: 07:05 – 07:09
I follow you guys on Instagram. So now I know who’s posting.
Garcia: 07:09 – 07:10
Exactly. Yeah.
Rerucha: 07:10 – 07:34
Well, I’m the Spanish editor, so I decide what stories should be written in Spanish, what stories should be translated into Spanish. We’ve been doing a lot of translating this semester. I was shying away from it last semester because I was like, “No, like I’m a journalist. I can write in Spanish.” It cuts off a community of people if you’re just writing in Spanish or just writing in English. So, I try to have most articles that I write in both languages.
Garcia: 07:34 – 07:36
She’s also… This is her second semester.
Rerucha: 07:36 – 07:41
This is my second semester being Spanish editor, but we’re both leaving the publication next semester.
Postrel: 07:41 – 07:44
So after next semester you are?
Rerucha: 07:44 – 07:47
Yeah, we’re not going to be. Yeah.
Postrel: 07:47 – 08:04
Wow. Yeah, because you’re both graduating. What is next? How do you think that your roles in the publication, or just being a part of Golden Gate Xpress in general, has shaped what you want to do next?
Garcia: 08:04 – 08:26
I think it’s definitely just… it’s very real. Even though it’s for the school, it’s still very different, I would think, as like other news publications. I know what to expect now. Yeah, and we’re learning, but I’m like, I actually don’t know if I want to continue. Just because it is so much to handle.
Postrel: 08:26 – 08:28
It’s a lot and it’s heavy.
Rerucha: 08:29 – 08:34
All this stuff, I mean, just even learning about the stuff that’s happening can kind of wreck your heart, but-
Postrel: 08:34 – 08:49
It’s hard. And when you’re in the newsroom, there’s no escape from that. I think people say in this day and age when there really isn’t an escape from the news and current events that “Just turn the TV off. Just give yourself a break.” When this is your job. You can’t do that.
Rerucha: 08:50 – 08:52
It’s just constant. You have to be aware of what’s going on.
Postrel: 08:52 – 09:28
You have to be. Yeah. And people will tell me too, just working in journalism, I work in the newsroom at KCBS radio. They’re like, wow, you know so much. You’re so into… you have to be. And then, that can come with a price. It’s draining. So, I don’t even know if I’m going to pursue, if I’m going to continue in my career to pursue news or just journalism in a different way. How do you both feel about that? You’re journalists. Do you want to stay in journalism? Maybe a different type of journalism? Maybe digital. I mean, for you, Melissa, you’re the digital editor.
Garcia: 09:28 – 09:31
So I definitely do enjoy more the digital side and…
Postrel: 09:31 – 09:32
Versus print?
Garcia: 09:32 – 09:45
Yeah. I love social media posts, love making videos, it’s so fun. I love food. I’m a big foodie. So, I have a food blog on Instagram.
Postrel: 09:46 – 09:47
Wait, that’s fun.
Garcia: 09:47 – 09:48
But definitely more digital.
Postrel: 09:48 – 09:50
Do you want to plug it?
Garcia: 09:50 – 09:52
Meliimeals with two i’s.
Postrel: 09:52 – 09:53
Wait, I’ll follow you.
Garcia: 09:53 – 09:53
Thanks.
Rerucha: 09:54 – 09:57
Yeah, Meliimeals. Meliimeals, Meliimeals, Meliimeals.
Postrel: 09:58-10:00
Yeah. That’s good. I like that. Are you on Beli?
Garcia: 10:00 -10:01
I’m not. What is that?
Postrel: 10:01 – 10:10
You know what Beli is? It’s B-E-L-I, like deli, but with a B. It’s a social media for ranking restaurants.
Garcia: 10:10 -10:12
Oh, I need to get on that.
Postrel: 10:12 – 10:17
Yeah, I’m so bad at it. It was my New Year’s resolution to do that. I’m like, “If I’m going to spend the money eating out, I might as well…”
Rerucha: 10:17 – 10:18
Review it.
Postrel: 10:19 – 10:33
Yeah. But it’s not like Yelp where, I mean, you can look at your friends’ reviews, but it’s very much social media and you’re scrolling through and seeing what your friends are saying. And then, the way that you rank it is after you have, I think you put at least two [places], then the app will ask you, “Do you like this place or this place better?” And then you pick.
Rerucha: 10:33 – 10:34
Apple does?
Postrel: 10:34 -10:52
The app. Yeah. It’ll ask you this one or this one. And then you pick your favorite of the two, and then it’ll say, “This one or this one,” and then that’s the ranking. No, it’s fun. And then you take pictures. So, you know, maybe to supplement. Yeah, no, it’s fun.
Garcia: 10:53 – 11:00
Yeah, because it’s more like that’s like where social media and apps are going into because that seems interesting.
Postrel: 11:01 – 11:15
It’s interesting, right? And you know, maybe you can reach out now as a journalist to the creators of that app and talk to them about that. There’s so much, I mean, that could even be news. I think news is such a broad topic.
Garcia: 11:15 – 11:16
Definitely.
Postrel: 11:16 – 11:18
We cover so much.
Garcia: 11:19 – 11:25
Now it’s like pop culture is way more, like anything is news because it’s just like everybody talks about stuff.
Postrel: 11:26 – 11:45
It’s just so integrated into — I think, just with social media, pop culture has become such a part of everyday life, and influences politics and politics influences pop culture. I think we tend to think that news is just current events, national politics, local politics, I don’t know, the Pope.
Rerucha: 11:46 – 11:48
I mean, let’s just talk about it, the Pope.
Postrel: 11:49 – 11:52
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Wait, do you guys like my {shirt}…?
Rerucha: 11:52 – 11:55
Yes, I really like it. Did you wear it purposefully?
Postrel: 11:56 – 12:15
I did. So my friend got this for me. So if you can’t. Obviously, you can’t see this. My shirt. It’s like the Coca-Cola font, but it says Ciao Bella Roma, and my friend got it for me. Yeah, it’s sparkly. Yeah, my friend got it for me from Rome last summer, but when I was picking out what to wear today, I was like “this feels fitting.”
Garcia: 12:15-12:16
Very appropriate.
Postrel: 12:17 – 12:18
It’s my papal shirt.
Rerucha: 12:18 – 12:21
You know what the day that the Pope died, I pulled out my Pope Francis shirt.
Postrel: 12:21 -12:24
The day the Pope died. So Easter?
Rerucha 12:24 – 12:25
The day after, yeah.
Postrel: 12:25 – 12:29
You have a Pope Francis shirt? Back up.
Rerucha: 12:29 – 12:31
Yeah, because I was obsessed. I don’t think this is the place to get into it.
Postrel: 12:32 – 12:34
Yeah, we don’t have to get into it now.
Rerucha: 12:35 – 12:38
But yeah, new pope, American pope from Chi-town and Melissa’s from Chicago.
Garcia: 12:38 – 12:44
I grew up in Chicago, so I feel like, now that I know that piece of information, like, now, I’m connected.
Postrel: 12:44 – 12:47
I just heard the Chicago in your voice when you said Chicago.
Garcia: 12:47 – 12:51
People always say that, but I’m like, I don’t think about it.
Rerucha & Postrel: 12:51 – 12:54
Chicago. Chicago.
Rerucha: 12:54 – 12:55
I’m from Chicago.
Postrel: 12:55 – 13:17
Okay. I’ll just tell you a little bit about the pope. The new pope is cardinal…I guess, he was a cardinal. He’s not a cardinal anymore now because of the pope. Okay. Robert Francis Provost a 69 year old, born in Chicago. So May 8th, 2025, that’s today, he was elected the first American pope in history. Chicago-born, but he’s also a dual citizen.
Rerucha: 13:18 – 13:18
Peru.
Postrel: 13:19 – 13:49
Peru. So his papal name, Pope Leo XIV, following in the footsteps of Pope Leo XIII, who was known for advocating for workers’ rights and Catholic social teaching. The conclave met yesterday, did not pick a pope. They picked the pope today and white smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel, and that’s when the world knew that they had chosen a pope.
Rerucha: 13:49 – 13:51
They started crying. They started cheering.
Postrel: 13:51 – 14:17
Yes, yes, all the things. And he said that he’s going to follow in the footsteps, again, of Pope Francis, just carrying on his legacy. He’s… we don’t really, really know his views. He’s a centrist. He’s criticized Trump, but he is a little bit more conservative when it comes to women in the church and LGBTQ+.
14:17 – 14:39
We’ll see what happens there, but he’s been very critical of Trump and the current administration. So we’ll see what happens. I think it’s going to be really interesting to see how the Catholic landscape in the United States changes because I think… I actually just interviewed someone on KCBS yesterday. She has her Ph.D. in Catholic studies.
14:39 – 15:09
But, it’s a doctorate of divinity, but more from a sociological perspective and less religious. And American Catholicism is different then Catholicism outside of the United States just because of how partisan it’s become and how factional people in the church are. Politics influences religion in the way that religion influences politics, but because it’s such a tumultuous time in American politics.
15:09 – 15:32
It’s really influenced the Catholic Church here. Just the fact that we have an American Pope now, it’s gonna be really interesting to see how the difference between this generation of American Catholics differs from the previous generation and back when Pope Francis was elected and that was all different, too, because the previous pope, Pope Benedict, was still alive. It’s all very interesting.
Rerucha: 15:34 – 15:38
It’s a very big deal.
Garcia: 15:38 – 15:46
Because Pope Francis was really respected by many, not just the Catholic people, but also like people.
Postrel: 15:46 – 15:47
He was the people’s Pope.
Rerucha: 15:47 – 15:57
He was the people’s Pope. “ The great reformer,” they called him. So we’ll see what they call this new Pope. Pope Leo. Pope Leo. The 14th.
Postrel: 15:57 – 16:07
Sophia, what do you see for yourself post grad? That’s so pivoting. We had to get the Pope thing out of the way, though.
Rerucha: 16:07 – 16:24
But just because it’s on all of our minds. I want to become a librarian. It’s kind of a shift from journalism. But I am learning skills that I think are just useful. Not even if I wanted to become a librarian, just useful, period. Interviewing people, writing in both languages. I’m getting decent at writing in Spanish.
Postrel: 16:25 – 16:27
That’s wildly impressive to be able to at least-
Rerucha: 16:27 – 16:28
Write bilingual?
Postrel: 16:26-16:32
But to write in another language, too.
Rerucha: 16:32 – 16:50
I mean, I think that’s kind of a cultural thing almost, as many people know how to speak the language, but actually writing, reading is the difficult part. So it takes a lot of work to actually get to a point where you’re comfortable with it, but me and Melissa, I’m very proud of us for trying it.
Garcia: 16:51 – 17:00
I think like being in these Spanish classes where you’re speaking in Spanish, writing in Spanish and they require you to speak in Spanish. No English. It’s great practice.
Postrel: 17:01 – 17:06
How does that work, then? Are the classes — some classes in Spanish and some classes in English?
Rerucha: 17:06 – 17:17
Yeah, so the bilingual journalism program is multidisciplinary. So we don’t just take journalism or Spanish classes. We’re also taking Latino studies. I’ve taken a political science class.
Garcia & Rerucha: 17:17 – 17:20
International relations. Spanish
Postrel: 17:20 – 17:21
That’s awesome.
Rerucha: 17:21 – 17:24
It’s just everything that would be related to — oh — BECA, too.
Postrel: 17:25 – 17:26
What have you taken in BECA?
Rerucha: 17:26 – 17:28
I took TV studio basics.
Postrel: 17:28 – 17:31
Oh, awesome, I’m in that right now. Who did you have?
Rerucha: 17:31 – 17:32
I had Graham Carpenter.
Postrel: 17:32 – 17:33
Okay, nice.
Garcia: 17:33 – 17:39
I took TV and news, no, TV and radio news writing with Andrew Hongo.
Postrel: 17:39 – 17:45
Oh, I’ve had him before. Not for that class, but BECA shoutout. Yeah, I’m in TV studio basics right now. It’s so much fun.
Garcia: 17:45 – 17:45
With who?
Postrel: 17:46 – 17:47
Chris Clemens.
Rerucha: 17:47 – 17:51
Chris Clemens. Okay. Yeah, I really enjoyed that class. And I’m taking another BECA class next semester.
Postrel: 17:51 – 17:51
Which one?
Rerucha: 17:52 – 18:02
It’s nonfiction script writing, I believe. I know it’s with… Oh gosh, I forgot her name. It’s like 561 or something like 560, BECA 560.
Postrel: 18:02 – 18:15
That’s awesome. See, that’s so exciting. And it’s relevant to what you’re doing as well. I also… And it’s so, I see you as a librarian. We just met like an hour ago now. I see it.
Rerucha: 18:15 – 18:16
In my future.
Postrel: 18:17 – 18:27
I see it in your future. It’s still, you learn such valuable, important skills just interviewing people, speaking with people and talking to people. And that’s something that’s… It’s just an invaluable skill.
Rerucha: 18:27 – 18:44
And it’s basic human, I mean — of course, you kind of have to learn this stuff, learn how to talk to people in a way that’s not even just engaging, but seeing each other as humans. That takes practice. So that’s something that I’ve been learning is just hearing people out, whatever they think, whatever they want to tell me.
18:44 – 19:03
And I mean, it’s really cool. And, especially, also writing about it and kind of contextualizing whatever they’re saying to whatever’s happening in the world is another skill. Because that’s your job as a journalist to kind of, not explain things to people, but make sure that you are giving context, and we’re learning how to do that.
Garcia: 19:03 – 19:05
Sophia the librarian.
Rerucha: 19:05 – 19:09
Yeah. Like Dora the Explorer.
Postrel: 19:09 – 19:18
I thought you were going to say Sofia the First. Sofia the First. You’re going to be Sophia the First, the librarian.
Postrel & Rerucha: 19:19 – 19:27
Sophia, the first librarian ever. Sophia, the first librarian ever. The first bilingual librarian? No.
Rerucha: 19:27 – 19:31
But hey, you know what? We could just say whatever we want, I guess.
Postrel: 19:31 – 19:31
Exactly.
Rerucha: 19:33 – 19:35
But definitely not the first. Definitely not the first bilingual librarian.
Postrel: 19:35 – 19:36
In your family?
Rerucha: 19:36 – 19:41
Just period. I met someone from San Jose State. She’s a bilingual librarian.
Postrel: 19:41 – 19:43
That’s so cool, though.
Rerucha: 19:43 – 19:49
Oh, I forgot her name. I don’t want to, but yes, San Jose State. Shoutout to that librarian. Thank you for helping me.
Postrel: 19:50 – 19:54
That’s so cool. And to just have a journalism background, though.
Rerucha: 19:54 – 20:01
Yeah, because again, you don’t have to — I mean, they talk about this in the newsroom. One, you don’t need a journalism degree to become a journalist.
Postrel: 20:01 – 20:24
A journalism degree is one of, I don’t want to say useless. It’s because it’s not useless, but I think it’s more like a master’s in journalism is something that you don’t need. I don’t even know if that’s a hot take. I just think…
Garcia: 20:24 – 20:25
A master’s? No, I think so, too.
Rerucha: 20:26 – 20:27
Only if you become a teacher.
Garcia: 20:27 – 20:35
Master’s in journalism, bachelor’s, even associate’s degree in journalism. I feel like that’s also enough but…
Postrel: 20:36 – 20:57
Well, I think because you have, obviously, if you’re getting your master’s, you have a bachelor’s degree and I think that in… Journalism can be such a difficult field to break into and so, I think that what matters more than a master’s degree is work experience.
20:57 – 21:14
And so if you’re getting that master’s degree, you’re missing out on work experience you could be getting. Then, that ultimately matters when it comes down to you and someone else for the job. Are they going to choose someone who has that master’s in journalism or someone who has been working in the field?
21:14 – 21:25
So that’s where you can get a little – but it’s so awesome to have this actual reporting experience from an early age, from college.
Garcia: 21:25 – 21:26
For sure, yeah.
Rerucha: 21:26 – 21:30
Even if you’re not going to go into it, it’s sick.
Postrel: 21:30 – 21:31
Talking to each other, yeah.
Garcia: 21:31 – 21:44
I think also, like I said earlier, it’s very school, school, school, but it’s still, you’re news reporting and you’re getting that experience. And places like Golden Gate Xpress have a good reputation, too.
Rerucha: 21:44 – 21:47
We’re award winners. I’ll brag a little bit.
Garcia: 21:47 – 21:52
Yeah. We know what we’re talking about. We know what we’re doing. It’s not just some randoms.
Rerucha: 21:52 – 21:55
Some randoms writing about the student news.
Postrel: 21:55 – 22:11
Well, it’s been so awesome getting to talk to you guys. We are pretty much out of time. So I just want to end with… Where can we read your pieces? Where can we find you?
Garcia & Rerucha: 22:11 – 22:18
Goldengatexpress.org. Instagram, too. @ggxnews.
Postrel: 22:18 – 22:22
And now we have a face- Well, I mean, you guys don’t have a face, if you’re listening. You have a voice.
Rerucha: 22:22 – 22:23
This is our voice.
Garcia: 22:23 – 22:24
Hey guys.
Postrel: 22:24 – 22:25
That’s who posts.
Rerucha: 22:25 – 22:28
Yeah, that’s who posts.
Garcia: 22:28 – 22:29
And this is who speaks in Spanish.
Postrel: 22:29 – 22:30
GGX, heard it here first.
Outro
Postrel: 22:30 – 22:38
This has been “In the Know,” with J. Po, joined by Melissa and Sophia. Thanks so much and we’ll be back next week.
Rerucha: 22:38 – 22:39
Thank you, J. Po.