Christina ChkarboulRochester Democrat and Chronicle
As I cruised along I-490, fresh off three hours on the road, I saw the Rochester skyline roll into view for the first time — and with it, the possibilities of the summer ahead.
I’m Christina, a student at the University of Southern California and an aspiring journalist. I’ll be in Rochester for the next two-and-a-half months as an intern for the Democrat and Chronicle, where I’ll be working with the neighborhoods reporting and investigative teams.
A suburb just north of Toronto, Richmond Hill, is where I call home. I couldn’t be more excited to be across the pond — Lake Ontario, that is — to learn about Rochester and contribute reporting to the D&C.
In the short three days I’ve been in Rochester, I’ve had nothing but warm encounters — with neighbors, community advocates, strangers at dinner, my editors and fellow D&C reporters — that have made me feel incredibly welcome here.
I’ve been hitting up all the coffee shops I pass on my drives around the city, getting to know Rochester one iced vanilla latte at a time. From a table marker at the Founders Cafe on Fitzhugh Street, I learned about the life and legacy of longtime U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter. Through the floor-to-ceiling paintings on display at Cafe Sasso on Park Avenue, I got a look into the works of local artists.
Valuing the vital work of a free press with Ukraine in mind
I’ve looked up to journalists for as long as I can remember.
My parents, originally from Ukraine, moved to southern Ontario in the late ’90s, fleeing an increasingly repressive and authoritarian regime in Moscow. I grew up on TV news, much of it alternative Russian-language programming that countered Vladimir Putin’s regime and fought for accountability. I saw how vital a free and engaged press was to keeping opposition and discussion alive.
USC’s student-run newspaper, the Daily Trojan, offered me the chance to try reporting the summer before my freshman year of college. Beyond exercising my writing muscle and finding a group of wonderfully nerdy and passionate student journalists, working on the paper became the single best way for me to get acquainted with the school and Los Angeles.
Moving from a quiet, familiar town to the heart of South Central L.A. at 17 was a huge adjustment — though the clear, sunny skies were a change I quickly got on board with. Through the homesickness and imposter syndrome I felt, the connections I made and the stories I was able to tell about the people and places around me became a lifeline.
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USC, where I study Earth science, global studies and journalism, has long been the subject of scandal and controversy — from the “Operation Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal to the former gynecologist whose alleged sexual abuse of his patients at the student health center went unchecked for nearly 30 years.
The school made international news again this spring, when USC canceled its valedictorian’s speech over safety concerns after pro-Israel groups found anti-Zionist content in the student’s Instagram bio. Soon after, USC students joined college protesters across the country calling on the university to divest from companies involved in Israel’s war in Gaza.
Our student newsroom jumped into action, and a small team of writers, photographers and editors reported live updates on the 11-day encampment. I helped shoot photos and cover what was happening on campus. It was a rewarding, yet demanding experience. By the end of the semester, I was so tired I spent two weeks trying as hard as I could not to check newsroom messages or think about the news.
Chkarboul: Ready to find out about Rochester festival season
Despite the rush and urgency of breaking news, which can definitely be exhilarating to cover, I’m excited to be working on a more paced, long-term project with the D&C this summer. Getting to focus on reporting without being torn in a hundred different directions — like class or the three other jobs I was working this past semester — will be a welcome change.
It’ll also give me time to explore Rochester.
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One of my favorite things about Toronto are the food festivals every summer, and I’ve heard that Rochester is known for playing host to many festivals. Street food culture is also huge in L.A. — I’m a fiend for a good chicken taco — so I’m looking forward to trying new cuisines at the Rochester Public Market’s food truck rodeo soon.
I’ll be writing about housing, codes enforcement and quality of life in Rochester this summer — how the city works and doesn’t work for its residents — so please let me know if you have any thoughts on what I should be looking at. I’m also hoping to explore the lakes and forests of northwestern New York, so hit me up with trail recommendations around the city.
— Christina Chkarboul is a summer intern at the Democrat and Chronicle and a student journalist at USC, where she focuses on Earth science, global studies and journalism. Contact her at cchkarboul@gannett.com with story tips related to code enforcement, housing and renters.
