This Women’s History Month at The Observer we want to show our appreciation for the amazing women that make this
newspaper what it is. This quarter, we have had the honor of working with Megan Foster, Charis Jones, Winnie Killingsworth, Devanee Lopez, Raya Miron, Z Morris and Layla Taha.
Winnie Killingsworth is the news editor for The Observer and is currently pursuing her post-baccalaureate in Media and Journalism. She was drawn to journalism due to her love of short-form research projects. Killingsworth was born in Washington but moved around for a while including moving to Florida before coming back to the Evergreen state. She loves fantasy books with dragons, Taylor Swift, traveling and has been a huge cinephile her whole life. “I wore out VHS tapes from watching them so many times,” Killingsworth said. “Thankfully I don’t have to worry about that anymore.” She also has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology.
Layla Taha is a second-year political science student minoring in philosophy and is a news reporter for the paper. Taha has always been passionate about politics. This was sparked as a way to elevate the voices and experiences of her fellow Palestinians after watching how misinformation has been spread about them. “Being a woman in higher education and journalism has affected me greatly,” Taha said. “I would like to say that I am a very passionate person when it comes to politics and things of the sort. I am constantly told that I am too “opinionated”, I have a “big- mouth”, or that I am “bratty”. I am also a Palestinian woman, and because of how outspoken I am on my country’s right to freedom and self-determination on campus, many people – mostly men with authority – view it as distasteful.” Taha is the second oldest of six children and the proud owner of two amazing cats, Nimr and Asad. She enjoys reading philosophy, listening to music and hanging out with friends.
Devanee Lopez is a junior majoring in media and journalism with a minor in sports management. Lopez is a reporter for our sports section at the newspaper and was drawn to journalism by her love of writing. Her favorite part of writing for the paper is getting to interview lots of different people.
Z Morris is one of our amazing graphic designers here at The Observer. “Who Knows, maybe I’ll design this story!” Morris said. She is a junior majoring in graphic design and was drawn to The Observer when the lead designer asked her to join. In their free time, Morris likes to act, crochet, draw and hang out with their friends. “You have to be strong,” Morris said. “There’s lots of stuff in the world trying to hold us back, and the majority of it is out of our control. The one thing we can control is ourselves. Be resilient when you face obstacles and opportunities. And take care of your future self. She deserves a little treat.”
Raya Miron is a junior in sports management with a specialization in communications and is a sports reporter at The Observer. Initially, she started writing for the paper after having it recommended by a professor, but she found that she loved the process of interviewing and writing articles, and wants to pursue it further. She grew up in Renton, Washington and has always had a passion for sports. She has played every sport out there and ended up sticking with volleyball and water polo. “Don’t be afraid to try something out of your comfort zone, because, in the end, you are just as capable as anyone else.”
Megan Foster is a senior majoring in media and journalism and minoring in business. Foster is the copy desk lead and opinion editor for The Observer, as well as the associate editor for PULSE Magazine. Foster has always had a passion for writing and telling stories, finding it easier to express her thoughts in words on a page. “I would like to applaud the women on the CWU campus for their strength and for their journey, whatever it might be,” Foster said. “I want to extend a helpful hand, join in on the cause, and work together to further change. I am proud to be a woman, and to be amongst women like you.”
Charis Jones is a senior majoring in media and journalism and is the sports editor for the paper. Jones has had a passion for writing since she began journaling in grade school. “I found journalism to be a really effective way of expressing big emotions that I struggled to articulate,” Jones said. “Through this platform, I have been able to transform my passion for writing into meaningful storytelling, and sports in particular offers a unique lens through which stories unfold. I now get to write about tales of triumph, defeat, perseverance, and teamwork. But the real satisfaction comes from capturing raw human stories behind the athletic feats.” Jones still enjoys journaling to this day, as well as attending sporting events and coaching kid’s softball and baseball over the summer.
