Today in mixed blessings, raceAhead says good-bye to high school intern Aidan Taylor who did an outstanding job during his month on the race beat.
In addition to contributing to news summaries, he also developed a social media strategy for raceAhead which I’ll be sharing with the team, helped with an internal diversity assessment project, and began work on a short profile which will appear later in the year. I loved working with him, and I’ve included his short exit interview below.
If he is the future, it is truly bright.
Speaking of bright futures, today we welcome Fortune commentary editor Tamara El-Waylly to the raceAhead family, who will be helping to produce the newsletter on a daily basis. (She’s already been hard at work on some special features that we know will delight you.)
Tamara was a huge get for Fortune; she joined us last fall after covering the United Nations for over three years as a reporter for Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s national newspapers. Her multi-cultural background and international upbringing have especially informed her views. “Joining raceAhead means being a part of a force that informs, that questions, and it’s only through such discourse can change occur.”
Aidan says goodbye below:
RaceAhead: Thank you for everything, Aidan! After your experience on the race beat, are you more or less optimistic that the country can make progress on racism and bigotry?
Aidan: You’re welcome! I think I am actually a little more optimistic because before I was unaware of any real progress, but after reading about the different techniques companies are using and the initiatives they are taking, I have more hope even though there is still a long way to go.
RA: Of the material you read, researched or summarized, what surprised you the most? Made you the most angry?
Aidan: I was most surprised/angered by the Nike situation with maternity leave, and also more recently the Ben Carson hearing when he said “oreo” was really shocking. It angered me that someone who obviously isn’t qualified has so much power.
RA: How can business journalists do a better job reaching younger readers?
Aidan: I think using social media more could engage younger readers. For example, an Instagram that posts a daily post or a snapchat that posts different blurbs on its story.
RA: Do you ever see yourself working at a big corporation? If not, what would change your mind?
Aidan: I think if the job is right and the timing is right and it’s something I am passionate about, I would.
RA: What’s next for you?
Aidan: Next year I will be attending New York University in the College of Arts and Sciences. I’m going in Undecided, and I hope to try some new things to find some new interests that I can later turn into a major.
RaceAhead: Thank you for everything, Aidan! After your experience on the race beat, are you more or less optimistic that the country can make progress on racism and bigotry?
Aidan: You’re welcome! I think I am actually a little more optimistic because before I was unaware of any real progress, but after reading about the different techniques companies are using and the initiatives they are taking, I have more hope even though there is still a long way to go.
RA: Of the material you read, researched or summarized, what surprised you the most? Made you the most angry?
Aidan: I was most surprised/angered by the Nike situation with maternity leave, and also more recently the Ben Carson hearing when he said “oreo” was really shocking. It angered me that someone who obviously isn’t qualified has so much power.
RA: How can business journalists do a better job reaching younger readers?
Aidan: I think using social media more could engage younger readers. For example, an Instagram that posts a daily post or a snapchat that posts different blurbs on its story.
RA: Do you ever see yourself working at a big corporation? If not, what would change your mind?
Aidan: I think if the job is right and the timing is right and it’s something I am passionate about, I would.
RA: What’s next for you?
Aidan: Next year I will be attending New York University in the College of Arts and Sciences. I’m going in Undecided, and I hope to try some new things to find some new interests that I can later turn into a major.