When I first walked into the offices of Watermark Out News, I had no idea how profoundly this place would shape me: professionally, personally and emotionally. Now, as I prepare to leave my role as Editor-in-Chief and embark on a new chapter in New York City, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude, nostalgia and a deep sense of bittersweet pride.
This isn’t just goodbye to a job; it’s farewell to a community that has become my home.
Journalism, at its core, is about people. Over my years at Watermark, I’ve had the extraordinary privilege of amplifying voices that needed to be heard, sharing stories that demanded to be told and chronicling moments — both triumphant and challenging — that defined our community. From covering the Supreme Court’s decision to recognize same-sex marriage across the U.S. to telling the story of the Pulse tragedy while being a member of the very community that was targeted to spotlighting the unsung heroes working tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to every byline, headline and late-night editing session, it was all driven by a singular mission: to serve you.
I have been in awe of the passion of so many community leaders as I sat across from them and asked questions; people like Florida Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani and Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost, to name a few. I have been moved listening to the inspiring stories of local heroes who overcame so much adversity and still continued to fight for what was right in our city, our state and across this country. And I have also fangirled out while getting to talk to some of the most talented celebrities around like Dolly Parton, Ben Platt, Bernadette Peters, Wayne Brady, Leslie Jordan, Michael James Scott, Matthew Lopez, Melissa Etheridge, Jessica Kirson, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, the list goes on and on.
Equal to the work I have done outside these walls is the work I have done fostering new generations of journalists inside these walls. I’ve felt my heart swell with pride as I watched many University of Central Florida students pass through this office, entering as interns and leaving as some of the finest journalists I could ever hope to work with. Seeing how their reporting makes a difference, not only to the community but to them as well, and knowing I had a hand in helping with that is something I will forever be proud of.
Whether we were holding power to account, celebrating cultural milestones or simply giving someone a platform to share their truth, Watermark has never been just a newspaper. It’s been a living, breathing extension of the community it serves.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible team at Watermark. I have one more Editor’s Desk left before I head out June 17 so I will have more to say about each of them in the next one but I want to say that the entire staff pour their hearts into this work every day, so please continue to support them. To those I have had the pleasure of working with here at Watermark who have moved on, know that every one of you has taught me something about life and myself that I continue to hold onto.
I would like to say something to you, the readers. The ones who picked up our papers, clicked on our articles, shared our work and, yes, even wrote in with critiques when we missed the mark or you didn’t agree with our assessment on something. Your engagement, your trust and your unwavering support have been the driving force behind everything we do. Journalism is nothing without an audience that cares and you have reminded me of that every single day.
Leaving isn’t easy. How do you say goodbye to a place that has given you so much? How do you walk away from the humming of a newsroom, the thrill of sharing stories and the profound sense of purpose that comes with serving a community you love?
The truth is, you don’t, not really.
While I may be trading Florida sunshine for New York skyscrapers, Watermark and the people who make it special will stay with me. The lessons I’ve learned here will inform everything I do moving forward. Though I won’t be in the office, I’ll still be cheering from afar, eagerly reading each new issue and marveling at the incredible work this team continues to produce.
So dear readers, I want to simply leave you with this: Thank you. Thank you for trusting me with your stories. Thank you for challenging me to be better. Thank you for making Watermark more than a publication. While my byline will move on, my heart will always remain here in the pages we’ve created together.
