Give it up for the ladies!

Jacqueline Peraza | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

There has never been a time in my life where I have questioned the resilience and strength of a woman. My biggest role models will always be my mom, Awey Maya and Nana Elvia. Growing up, I mimicked the way they dressed, did their makeup, walked, told stories and treated others. 

I will be 21 years old this month, and I would be lying if I said I do not deeply depend on these women for guidance, stability and inspiration. I absolutely do.

As an adult, I am able to listen to stories I would not have understood as a child and learn about the hardships and difficult times they have gone through in their life. All these stories have made me want to be just like them: strong, charismatic and really, really cool.

I am lucky enough to say that I have a great support system composed of primarily women in my personal life. However, I am also extremely fortunate to say I am surrounded by a powerful group of women in another prominent area of my life: the newsroom.

When I tell others about my job, I never fail to mention that the majority of The Rider staff are women journalists. In a field dominated by our male counterparts, having an almost all-female staff is a feature worth mentioning.

Not only do the ladies produce well-written stories and shoot amazing photographs every single week, but they also come up with creative cartoons and comics, read and edit content, update the public with new information via social media and publish on The Rider’s website for the community to see, daily.

There is no limit to what topics our female journalists write about. We produce content about athletic events, governmental meetings, lifestyle pieces, presidential visits, breaking news, SpaceX, virtual gatherings, the coronavirus pandemic, among other topics.

Being a female journalist comes with struggles that not many could imagine unless put directly into our shoes. From being called nasty names at events to losing interviews to male journalists or having some sources mansplain their answers, The Rider ladies have shown to shine above it all.

Along with their journalistic duties, they juggle other tasks such as pursuing an undergraduate degree, working two jobs, making time for their hobbies and caring for family and friends, all while staying healthy amid a global pandemic. 

I must admit, the work ethic The Rider ladies carry with them at all times is a direct product of the encouragement, guidance and patience we have received under our mentors Michell Godinez and Azenett Cornejo. 

And without the help of administrative assistants Maggie Castillo and Ana Sanchez keeping staff organized and grounded, our fast-paced and always-moving newsroom would be one chaotic workplace.

Alejandra, Arisbeth, Adalia, Brigitte, Danielle, Elizabeth, Estefania, Jacqueline W., Jamejdra, Karina, Monica, Paulina, Roxanna, Sol and Valeria: your hard work, talent and resilience deserves all the recognition in the world and not just on International Women’s Day, but every day of the year. 

Happy International Women’s Day. Give it up for the ladies!