Ivana Bustamante Rojo - Ivana Bustamante Rojo: Journalism Unveiled

My Work

Resume

Blog

Story Project

Final Project

Contact

Hi everybody, welcome to my website!As a bilingual journalist Ivana aims to cover meaningful stories and offer a voice to those who don't always have the privilege to use theirs.Ivana is a contributor to her school's publication, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thedailyaztec.com/">The Daily Aztec</a>, focusing on the Spanish section of the paper. In her stories, she writes from a perspective the Latino community in her school is able to relate to.Always trying to broaden her writing style, Ivana tries to cover arts and culture, opinion, and news.

Ivana Bustamante Rojo: Storytelling to make a change

Ivana Bustamante Rojo is a bilingual journalist and student currently based in San Diego, California. She is a contributor to her school's publication, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thedailyaztec.com/">The Daily Aztec</a>, and works as the social media coordinator for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/nahjsdsu/">National Association of Hispanic Journalists</a> chapter at SDSU.Ivana enjoys exploring other types of writing apart from journalism such as: poems, short stories, and blogs.She is also part of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thelooksdsu.com/">The Look Magazine</a> , SDSU's first student run art, fashion, and design publication. Her previous work involved modeling and she has most recently joined the writing team and taken on some creative director roles.

Ivana Bustamante Rojo 

Bilingual Journalist

About Me 

Westfield UTC mall on Friday, Nov. 21, where Hyuk Kwon and Diana Martinez Lee are currently employed. Photo taken by Ivana Rojo.

Ramen Nagi at Westfield UTC Mall on Friday, Nov. 21, whose workforce currently includes Gen Z employees. Photo by Ivana Rojo.

Photograph: Valery Tenevoy / https://plagness.com/makhnitskiy-2021 / Данил Павлович Махницкий, избирается в Государственную Думу 8-го созыва как кандидат от партии «Новые люди» в 202 одномандатном округе (Новомосковский избирательный округ): Внуковское, Воскресенское, Десёновское, Кокошкино, Марушкинское, Московский, Мосрентген, Рязановское, Сосенское, Филимонковское и Щербинка.

Photograph: Valery Tenevoy / https://plagness.com / June 12, 2019

Recording a new podcast interview with CEOs and Founders of successful online businesses, Scale or Die. This show recently hit Apple's New and Noteworthy for business and technology categories. Watch or listen to the most recent episodes at useproof.com/scaleordie.

Free to use license. Please attribute source back to "useproof.com".

Photograph: Valery Tenevoy / https://plagness.com / July 14, 2019

A series of photos taken during the protests against global warming. TELL THE TRUTH! 

Fan's mourn Kobe Bryant's death at a vigil at Staples Center on January 26th, 2020. 

If you use this image, we’d appreciate a link back to our website www.quotecatalog.com.

Instagram - @andrewtneel | Donations - paypal.me/AndrewNeel

Conducting interviews that capture authentic voices and turning them into powerful narratives.

Interviewing and Storytelling

Providing expert advice on editorial strategy, content development, and audience engagement.

Indonesian beautifull women meeting in the office.

Editorial Consulting

Creative Director   

Bilingual staff reporter at the Daily Aztec

Journalistic Writing and Reporting

Photography

Social Media Manager for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists chapter at SDSU.

Content Creation

Services Offered by Ivana Bustamante Rojo

<h3>Objective:</h3>To report and cover meaningful stories and offer a voice to those who don't always have the privilege to use theirs.<h3>Education:</h3><h4>San Diego State University</h4>(2022- Present)Bachelor's in JournalismMinor in Women StudiesGPA: 3.14; Dean's List (2 semesters)<h3>Experience</h3><h4>The Daily Aztec</h4>Staff Reporter (Nov. 2024 - Current)<ul><li>Writing and reporting stories in Spanish and English</li><li>Contributed 18 articles in Spanish<ul><li>Opinion, arts and culture and news</li></ul></li><li>Photography</li><li>Interviewed two famous singers; Caloncho and Cuco</li></ul><h4>The Look Magazine</h4>Writer/ Creative Director/ Model (Spring 2025 - Current)<ul><li>Have pitched two spreads that were included in Issue 8 and 9</li><li>Provided writing that was included in the print</li><li>Contributed to the magazine's blog</li></ul><h4>NAHJ</h4>Social Media Manager (Spring 2025- Current)<ul><li>In charge of posting all social media content on Instagram</li><li>Create all social media posts and graphics</li><li>Wrote all the captions for each post</li></ul><h3>Languages</h3><ul><li>English (fluent)</li><li>Spanish (fluent)</li></ul><h3>Skills</h3><ul><li>Proficient in Canva</li><li>Google Analytics certified</li><li>AP style writing - English and Spanish</li><li>Proficient in Creative Cloud Pro, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Audition</li><li>Mastery Certification in the English Grammar Usage Mechanics Punctuation Program (EGUMPP)</li></ul>

Ivana Bustamante Rojo - Bilingual Journalist

<h3>Post #1</h3>September 12, 2025Hello everybody, I am very excited to welcome you to my website!As you probably saw already, my name is Ivana Bustamante Rojo and I am a journalist. I am currently in my fourth year at San Diego State University pursuing my bachelors in journalism and minoring in creative editing and publishing. Unlike many other journalists I know, this career path was not the original plan I had in mind when I first applied to college. However, now that I have had some experience pitching stories, interviewing sources and writing articles there is no doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do.As a contributor for the Daily Aztec, specifically the Spanish section of the paper, I often find myself broadening my writing style and developing my skills by covering arts and culture, opinion, news and even contributing some photography skills. I have also recently joined the writing team at "The Look" magazine, where I will explore themes like art and fashion through blog style writing. I also serve as the social media manager for SDSU's National Association of Hispanic Journalists chapter, where I am learning to promote the organization through engaging post on various platforms. By being so involved I am eager to take advantage of the opportunities that will hopefully ensure me a place in the journalism world.<h3>Post #2</h3>October 10, 2025As my website grows and evolves, it is becoming clear that projects like this one will help me in the future. As a journalist showcasing my work will always be a crucial part on the path to success and hopefully finding a job. Honestly, I am really excited that I get to play such a big part in the creation of my website and the more I work on it the more I realize how important little details are.&nbsp;That is honestly one of my favorite parts of the process, moving things around as much as I want to see what I want the end project to look like.I am not usually a fan of AI, but I do believe that this platform allows students like me to learn the basics of website creation. It makes it a lot more accessible for people who do not have experience with web design or the funds to hire a web developer. Even though Solo does build the basic foundation of the site, it still gives users the freedom to get creative and personalize their content. Though I’ve run into some minor issues with the program, they have not been a deterrent to keep using it.&nbsp;By the end of this project I hope all my hard work will be reflected in my final grade.<h3>Post #3</h3>November 7, 2025These past few weeks in class we have focused a lot more on digital storytelling in journalism. By embedding videos, tweets and photos from other platforms directly in my articles I have learned how to make my stories more engaging. I believe it is important to start learning how to utilize social media as a source in stories because of how much UGC there is out in the world. Though it can be intimidating to rely on platforms such as X, Youtube and TikTok for any type of information, there is a certain way to use this material to support your story without your loosing credibility. Additionally, learning how to build our own infographics to make our data more legible and engaging has become a skill that I did no believe I could acquire.Journalism goes beyond WRITING a story, it is the way that we TELL a story that matters. Engagement these days is rare and sometimes readers need something special to hold their attention. So if journalists need to acquire more attention grabbing techniques to keep the public informed, I am excited to take part in the learning process.<h3>Post #4</h3>December 1, 2025As we reach the end of the semester there are a lot of topics we discussed in class that I can confidently say I will apply to my professional career. It is exciting to see how much my journalism journey has evolved from the beginning of the semester to now.This year of learning, has shown me how many areas journalism can really cover such as photography, videos, infographics and audio. All these types of media can play a huge role in how we report stories and can make all the difference between a good story and an outstanding story. Though these individual factors can be tedious to put together they make your story feel well thought out and intentional. For my final projects and assignments in JMS 430, I have started to feel a deeper connection to my stories with the use of multimedia. It seems that my journalistic writing comes to life when I use more than just words, which is something I had been waiting to learn.

<h3>Employers are adapting to the Gen Z workforce</h3>Expectations in work environments are shifting as mental health and a work-life balance start becoming a priority for employeesBy: Ivana Bustamante Rojo&nbsp;Jennifer Aguilar is currently employed as a bilingual producer and fill-in anchor at Telemundo Bakersfield, where her team is in charge of everything and anything you see on the TV during their scheduled programming.&nbsp;Aguilar graduated in 2024 from San Diego State University and has been with the Telemundo network for over a year; she is 23 years old.“The majority of us (employees) are younger, we are Gen Z,” Aguilar said in an interview via Zoom. “So it is pretty cool to see the support and mentorship from the older people who have had experience in the industry.”As a Generation Z employee, she feels fortunate to be in a healthy work environment that guides her professional journey. Aguilar’s superiors, who have been there for over 20 years, usually offer her constructive feedback to help her improve. Their assessment of her has never made her question her work ethic or her right to be in the position she is in.&nbsp;According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Generation%20Z">Merriam Webster</a> dictionary, Generation Z, or Gen Z, refers to anyone born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.&nbsp;In their lifetime, this generation has already lived through significant events in history, such as the launch of the first iPhone, the COVID-19 pandemic and two government shutdowns, including the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/05/nx-s1-5598315/government-shutdown-longest-history">longest one</a> in U.S. history this year.&nbsp;Events such as these have shaped who Gen Z is today and how they function in their everyday lives. One of the biggest impacts that has been discussed by other generations is who Gen Z are as employees.&nbsp;Whether they are working customer service jobs, such as retail and restaurant or more traditional 9-5 office jobs, Gen Z has gained a reputation for prioritizing different needs and expectations from their employers and companies.&nbsp;“Some qualities you see, for the most part, they have a good work ethic, they really want to learn,” said Hyuk Kwon, the area director for Ramen Nagi.“They want to learn more about the business, they’re team-oriented and I think they enjoy the whole socialization aspect of working. Socializing with their teammates and their coworkers.”As someone whose current staff is about 60% college students, he is able to observe Gen Z a little closer in the hiring and training process as well as their overall dedication to the workplace.For the most part, Kwon has noticed a change in the amount of hours employees wish to work. According to Kwon, who has worked in the restaurant industry for 30 years, students he employed in the past would be available to work for three to four shifts. Now that number has decreased to two, maybe three shifts a week.&nbsp;Though some of the reasons for this change in Kwon’s experience have included scheduling conflicts with classes and school‐related activities, another factor now includes a personal day, usually during the weekends.According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/work-in-america/2024/2024-work-in-america-report.pdf">American Psychological Association</a>, workers with high psychological safety feel that their workplace encourages their employees to take care of their mental health. Psychological safety is usually defined as an environment in which employees usually feel comfortable sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment.&nbsp;“If you are not feeling well mentally, your work performance can go down,” Aguilar said after recalling a time at work where she felt burned out and overwhelmed.&nbsp;She believes that having a relationship where you feel safe to communicate your feelings with your employers and people in positions of authority is important. She believes if employees feel their environment is healthy, it will encourage them to show up and work every day.&nbsp;“Making someone comfortable in the workplace, that is the best thing you can do,” Aguilar said.&nbsp;As part of Generation X, Kwon has had to adjust and evolve his work mentality regarding hours worked by his employees. According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far/">Pew Research Center</a>, Gen X individuals were born from 1965 to 1980.&nbsp;He also expressed that the COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of people’s perspective on working physically and mentally, not just in Gen Z but in other generations as well, including his.&nbsp;“You have to evolve the way you talk to your employees, the way you treat them and the way you schedule them too.” Kwon said. “You have to have a more balanced schedule to balance their life and their mental health.”Consequently, prioritizing mental health in the workplace has placed Gen Z in a negative spotlight. Various generalizations in the media have labeled this generation as difficult, lazy and avoidant of any responsibility.&nbsp;Articles such as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/is-gen-z-unemployable-288d2ec9">“Is Gen Z Unemployable,”</a> written by the Wall Street Journal, and popular social media trends such as the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=25ed468a7ca66eef&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1029US1029&amp;udm=7&amp;fbs=AIIjpHxU7SXXniUZfeShr2fp4giZ1Y6MJ25_tmWITc7uy4KIeuYzzFkfneXafNx6OMdA4MRo3L_oOc-1oJ7O1RV73dx3MIyCigtuiU2aDjExIvydX2ZUj2XVZsQPbdW1SFuyVLQjlWx_MuPg0kYHY8P0osqY8j-Yk6Q2jFtIv9OtPkNEEp3nUlOMkt5kGkx-FmPsz7FrbPV8imcu5wF1tOemKRjk5E5T9A&amp;q=the+gen+z+stare&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjNuebg2YSRAxWkPUQIHed-DyYQtKgLegQIEhAB&amp;biw=729&amp;bih=832&amp;dpr=2#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:76c96e72,vid:V7WXZ5S1hsI,st:0">“Gen Z stare”</a> have helped promote the idea that all of Gen Z behave the same.&nbsp;“I feel as though we (Gen X) were just the toys, we just played the role,” said Jason Ott, a regional service manager at Freedom Forever, a residential solar installation company. “You would tell us what to do and we’d go do it. But this generation (Gen Z), are the questioners.”Ott, who oversees the Pacific Northwest including Northern California, has hired and worked with many generations, older and younger. Though his employees are all different, Ott credits Gen Z to be “real go-getters,” equally hardworking and motivated as previous generations.In Ott’s experience, Gen Z usually asks questions out of curiosity and not defiance. Though many employers’ initial reaction is to be combative about this, Ott acknowledges the positive impact this mindset will have.“They’re just interested, they want to know, they want to learn and that’s the cool part,” Ott said.&nbsp;Diana Martinez Lee is a retail supervisor at Marine Layer UTC, she believes her generation wants to be involved with a company that aligns with their values and are outspoken about their needs and wants. Martinez Lee expressed that Gen Z wants to be more than just a tool.&nbsp;“I think that every Gen Z (individual) that I’ve met who works has a different philosophy from other generations about work,” Martinez Lee said.She described Gen Z’s work ethic as a pendulum. If they care about something, they will go above and beyond to meet their goals, but if it’s something that interferes with their principles or values, Gen Z will not stand for that.&nbsp;“I think it is a disservice to themselves (companies) to believe that our generation is going to conform to their ideas of what it means to be a good worker and a hard worker,” Martinez Lee said. “We have seen the other side, and how negatively it impacts them (older generations) to be working long hours, to not be with their families or having a poor work-life balance, and we don’t want the same for ourselves.”

<h3>Synopsis:</h3>This semester I learned a lot about how digital tools can enhance my storytelling and overall make my work more engaging for readers. Since I am not always the most skilled on digital platforms that deal with design, it was refreshing to practice all semester with different projects.I really enjoyed expanding my knowledge using technology in creative ways, such as the infographic assignment. Combining data with art has definitely become a favorite skill that I plan to use for any future reporting. Looking back at all my favorite news platforms, digital storytelling is present in every one of them and now I understand how they were able to hold my attention with subjects that I was not familiar with. I gained a deeper understanding on how thoughtful reporters have to be with the data they chose to display and the manner in which they do it.&nbsp;Not only are they responsible for keeping an audience engaged, but most importantly they have to keep them well informed.&nbsp;<h3>Developing the Story Project:</h3>The most challenging part of this project was choosing the story I wanted to cover. I originally wanted to report on women’s reproductive rights and the challenges they face everyday. However, it was hard for me to gather human sources, so once I didn’t get any responses for interviews, I knew it was time to change story topics.&nbsp;In all honesty I did enjoy writing my second story, because of how much I related to everything I was covering. At first the project did not feel too different from my other journalistic pursuits, however after I finished all my interviews, I realized how much this project would rely on the human sources. Though this was a news story, it was really interesting to see how many facts each individual I interviewed provided from personal experience. This made it easy to choose statistics that did not feel out of place or random.What I liked the most about my project was that I was able to get the perspectives of two Generation X employers and two Generation Z employees, it really helped my story feel well rounded and intentional.&nbsp;<h3>Digital Media experience:</h3>What I enjoyed the most about building a website was purchasing my domain name and pairing it to my official page. Once my name was searchable on the web it truly felt like I was a professional journalist. Though Solo AI did pose a few challenges in terms of flexibility and creativity of the website, it was still fun to navigate the quirks. Even if I change platforms in the future, this exercise has at least taught me how to make a presentable and cohesive website that showcases my work easily and aesthetically.In terms of digital media tools, Google Maps and Google Analytics were the most interesting to learn about. I had no idea how accessible it was to build a map with data you provide to Google, it was extremely eye opening and a skill that will benefit me in the future. Google Analytics was a little more intimidating to navigate, but it was just a matter of reading and paying attention to little details you usually would not think twice about.&nbsp;Data has always been something I am scared to misuse, so I try my best to really understand it, in order to correctly use it. When we had to make infographics with data I was a little worried I would showcase it incorrectly or in a misleading manner. What I quickly learned was that once you play around with ways to display data visually, you start learning how to read it appropriately.My main takeaway from this course and what I enjoyed the most was how much these projects and assignments took me outside my comfort zone. It made me utilize digital tools that I would usually avoid out of fear that I would fail at them.