#MediaMonday – Caroline Yu
Today’s #MediaMonday comes to us from Caroline Yu, a reporter for Independent Newsmedia whose byline you can usually spot in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley papers.
Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Houston, but I ended up coming out to Phoenix to attend Arizona State University.
How did you get your start in writing? Tell us your story!
Like many other journalists, writing has been a passion of mine since a very young age. I originally set out to be an author of fiction books, but I quickly found out that I did not have the patience to be writing novels full-time. Although I dabbled in my high school’s newspaper, I consider my first “real” foray into professional writing to be at ASU’s Cronkite News.
Tell us about your outlet and what types of pitches you are looking for.
I work as a general news reporter for Independent Newsmedia, which is responsible for the Daily Independent. Within the Daily, we have many hyperlocal publications throughout the Valley. You’ll see most of my bylines in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley papers, but sometimes I do lend a hand to our other papers.
Luckily in my position I have some flexibility in what I cover, but my main beat is education. While I do look for education stories, I write regional pieces from time to time on sustainability, as well as covering things in the entertainment and community spheres.
What are your favorite stories to work on?
Sustainability has been of great interest to me as of late, from advancements in renewable energies to alternative lifestyles that support a greener future. I think it’s important to bring issues of sustainability to light and into the conversation. Aside from that, I love to work on stories that highlight surprising or peculiar things going on. What I love about working at a local publication like ours is that I’m able to cover smaller businesses, people and causes.
What are some of your hobbies?
Over the pandemic, I became quite self-sufficient when it came to my cosmetic needs. One of the things I taught myself was how to do my own nails and nail art. I mostly do them just for myself, but I have made press-on nails for my friends and family in the past. I also consider myself to be a Mario Kart champion, so you’ll oftentimes find me polishing my skills on my Nintendo Switch.
Favorite movie? TV show? Book?
I can’t say I’m the biggest movie person, but if I had to choose it’d be “The Devil Wears Prada” — such a classic. For TV, my favorite show for a while has been “30 Rock.” I can always rewatch that show and it’s my go-to when I don’t know what to watch. As for books, that’s another hard one, but most recently I read this collection of short stories called “The New Adventures of Helen” that I really enjoyed.
What is the best way to reach you?
You can reach me at cyu@iniusa.org.
