Sarah Gustavus

Next Stop, London

Sarah Gustavus — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:49:27 +0000

Growing up on a cattle ranch in west Texas, I dreamed of traveling abroad. My grandmother did an around-the-world trip before I was born. The first thing I did every time I visited was go to the shelf where she displayed her international bell collection. I’d ring them and imagine going to the places they represented.

My first trip was to London and Paris in high school, followed by Semester at Sea in college. As I gained confidence navigating differences in language and culture, I pushed myself even further. I backpacked through Southeast Asia and traveled solo in Tanzania. I stayed on an island with a group of fishermen in Belize and watched them skin a shark at night, with only the light of a small flashlight to navigate each cut. I saw a future for myself in public radio during a visit to Bush Radio in Cape Town, South Africa. I’ve traveled to 28 countries – my goal is to get to 30 by the time I turn 30 next year!

I’ve also been working to combine my passions for travel and media. In 2009, I went to Germany on a Fulbright exchange to discuss journalism in the European Union and the United States. The Berlin Capital Program was my first exposure to the stories of Turkish immigrants in Germany. This year, I went to Turkey with a group of New Mexico journalists, which gave me a chance to hear from the other side of Turkish migration. I want to continue learning how to report effectively on complex immigration stories.

In September, I will head to London to pursue a Master’s in Media and Communications at City University. I’m excited about the opportunity to continue to learn about media practices in Europe. I’ve focused on stories about immigrants this year at KUNM and will continue to explore this topic in London, both in the classroom and through independent reporting projects.

I’m grateful for the past three years in New Mexico. The people I met in my reporting inspired me to look deeper at the history behind a current story. My time here has made me a better reporter. I will continue to have a relationship with the station and a connection to New Mexico. Thank you to everyone who has helped me, either personally or professionally, and for the people who have shared their stories with me. It’s been a honor.

Stay tuned for more updates and links to my London projects!

New Mexico: A Different Kind Of Border State

Sarah Gustavus — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:17:45 +0000

New Mexico has flown under the radar for years in the national immigration debate. Maybe it’s the state’s small population of about 2 million residents. It might also be the unique demographics – about 44% of New Mexicans identify as Hispanic or Latino. State and local leaders, especially in northern New Mexico, have adopted policies to protect immigrants from discrimination. New Mexico also currently lets anyone get a driver’s license, regardless of immigration status. But, some immigrants’ rights advocates are raising concerns that federal policies and local politics are hurting the state’s tolerant culture.

I did two stories for KUNM as part of my fellowship with the Institute for Justice and Journalism’s Immigration in the Heartland program.

New Mexico’s Immigration History Shapes Debate Today

Secure Communities Targets Undocumented Immigrants In NM

Las Conchas Wildfire

Sarah Gustavus — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:07:34 +0000

The Las Conchas wildfire in northern New Mexico is now the largest in state history. For several days, it threatened the town of Los Alamos and nearby Los Alamos National Laboratory. I’ve covered the fire for KUNM, NPR and Fronteras (a regional network of southwest public radio stations). Here’s a slideshow of pictures from my reporting in Los Alamos when the fire was still burning on the edge of town.

Click to view slideshow.

After covering the Las Conchas fire from Los Alamos, I also spoke about the fire and the response from the community on KNME-TV’s New Mexico In Focus.