#DisabledAndCute Creator Keah Brown On The Importance Of Having Patience As A Young Journalist
Last February, I found my Twitter timeline flooded with tweets featuring the hashtag #DisabledAndCute. Alongside each tweet was a message and picture of each user exuberating an immense amount of self-love. The creator of the viral hashtag and trend is no other than Keah Brown, a writer and journalist who quickly became one of my favorites.
Brown studied journalism at the State University of New York, Fredonia. Although she has now been published in Teen Vogue, Cliche Magazine and more, and has her debut essay collection entitled “The Pretty One” forthcoming from Atria Book, during her college years, she recalls not taking as many career steps as she possibly could have, writing only for her college paper. Overall, her college experience was a great one, though she does “wish we learned more about journalists of color.”
Brown was kind enough to take a few minutes to speak with The Write Advisor on her concerns about becoming a writer, the struggles of this ever-changing industry and advice for those who will soon be entering the workforce.
Q: What were some of your major concerns about becoming a writer?
A: My biggest concerns were that people wouldn’t care about what I have to say and that they wouldn’t read my work. I also worried that no one would be willing to talk to me but a lot of that concern was insecurity in myself, not so much in the job itself.
Q: How did you career take off after graduating from SUNY Fredonia?
A: I struggled for two years afterward to find a position that was remote enough for me to work from home because of travel issues. I was able to survive still without a position for that long only because I had help from my mother. After that stretch of time, I landed two internship positions: one at a magazine titled Throwed Magazine and the other was at Cliché Magazine. I was at Throwed Magazine for six months and Cliché until December of 2017. My professional writing career was launched when I published my first essay on Femsplain.com about being envious of my able-bodied twin sister.
That essay got me the next and so on and so forth. I created an online presence and stayed true to who I was. People seem to gravitate toward it which was really nice and has kept me able to write for dream places.
Q: What advice would you give current college seniors who are nervous about entering the workforce soon?
A: The best advice I can give you is to be patient. It’s OK if you don’t land your dream job right out of the gate. I didn’t and I still ended up being OK in the end. Patience is key but it’s not like it happens in the movies for everyone. Please remember that your path is the path that you’re supposed to be on and try not to look over in somebody else’s lane: Stay in yours and work hard.
Q: What are some ways college students can take career steps while still studying for their degree?
A: Internships! I can’t recommend internships enough, just to get your foot in the door in between classes. If you can’t do an internship, at least join the school paper.
Q: What do you think is the one most important thing college students should know about the world of journalism?
A: They should know that it’s changing and growing. The world of journalism is starting to finally reflect the people in the world that we live in. You have to make sure that you love the job because if you don’t, then what’s the point in pursuing it? Journalism is a tough career but it is a career that is worth it if you love talking to people and learning new things.
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