Meet the Editors: Muna Mire!
Who are you?
My name is Muna Mire, my pronouns are she/her/hers they/them/theirs. I’m a student journalist. Nice to meet you!
Where are you based? Where are you from?
I’m based in Toronto right now which is where I am originally from, so things have sort of come full circle for me.
Whats your favorite thing about the place that you live? What about where you are from?
My favourite thing about Toronto is the culture of the city. It’s constantly surprising me by reinventing itself in really interesting ways.
Where did you go to school (high school and college, if applicable)? What is your experience with educational institutions?
I attended high school with Hira, actually. We went to high school in the Deep South, aka metro Atlanta, aka in the middle of nowhere. Toronto has been quite a change of pace for me. My experience with educational institutions has been … contradictory. I find them profoundly alienating as a woman of color but I am also confronted with the idea that education is really important to the project of bettering myself.
How did you get involved with Youngist?
I knew a friend who was already involved (Hira) and I met Isabelle through her, not even intending to get involved with Youngist but wanting to connect with other cool folks. I knew that Youngist was coming along and when I finally got around to checking it out, I was so impressed that *I* approached Isabelle about getting more involved.
How would you describe the current “online mediascape”? Where do you think young people (15-30) should get their news and analysis?
The current online mediascape is really diverse, so I’m not sure if I can succinctly describe it. I would venture that it is very much about streamlined, niche content these days. Young people seem to get their news and analysis from a few key places (at least young people clued into news and analysis) that are primarily run by older stakeholders. I’m not going to tell anyone where to get their news but I think the idea of young people-powered media is very compelling.
How, if at all, do you think social media can be used as a tool in grassroots organizing?
I’ve seen social media (and Twitter in particular) recently deployed to great success in holding institutions be they governments, corporations, political advocacy or nongovernmental organizations, or even the media, accountable. I also think social media is very useful in promoting fundraising initiatives.
What do you hope to be able to accomplish through Youngist for our first year?
I hope to be able to bring together a well-rounded collective of voices through my editorial work with Youngist. Aside from establishing a global contributor base, I hope to be able to bring my own voice to the table on a number of issues.