About

Photo by Lizzie Chen

Joshua Barajas

A bare-chested prelude

I refuse to join the wailing chorus that cries apocalyptic ruin for the dead-tree industry. With so many dwelling on the imminent downfall of newspapers, no true solution to the print industry’s woes is revealed or sought. There is a solution even if it means turning away from the traditional business model and embracing the online format that initially blind-sided journalists. As early as two years ago, an assigned textbook affronted online journalism as if it was something to be feared. But, if the print industry is going through capital-H History right now, I would rather not be a spectator.

Journalism experience

I am currently an undergraduate student in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, where I plan on receiving a B.A. in Journalism in May 2011.

While studying abroad in Prague in 2007, I helped launch The Prague Wanderer, a web magazine produced by New York University students. There, Prague TV picked up my feature of a successful Romany rapper. Back in Austin, I became a writer for Jupiter Index that continued to satiate my love for music. Since early 2010, I have written concert reviews and CD reviews and interviewed various musicians for the online publication.

Late 2009, I began freelancing for Longhorn Life, a supplement to The Daily Texan, the campus newspaper. Through this print-only publication, I was able to secure a tech-column – “Equipped” – and cover a gamut of subjects from sex shops to a beloved, local brewery.

PDF examples of my work

Life of a Sex Shop Manager	‘Citysit’ Manufactures Slience in Urban Din	Spoetzl Brewery Still Shining	Equipped: How the Kindle Stacks Up

Perhaps more valuable was my work with online content. Early 2010, three UT students and I designed a blog – Eating Green in Austin – as part of a multimedia journalism project to inform the community of the benefits of buying and consuming local, sustainably produced food. My main contributions included an article that I co-wrote with a student that highlighted a family farm’s foray into the Slow Food Movement. I also shot and edited an accompanying video that added a visual element to the story.

Video by Joshua Barajas

My most lasting memories of childhood are mental snapshots of roads leading out of town. I’ve moved to so many different states and know more hotels than homes that my nomadic lifestyle has fostered this desire to connect with people even if I wasn’t going to be in the same zip code for another week. My strong sense of adaptability allows me to be resilient in an ever-evolving environment. After dabbling in various high school newspapers and coming from a family of colorful storytellers, I was simply compelled to write.

None of my time has been wasted. My penchant for video art prepared me for the meticulousness video editing requires. Before I transferred to UT, I was a technical writer for Foxconn/Apple for more than a year, which taught me the art of editing and design. I hope to carve a career out of my varied interests. But, more importantly, I want to help old media survive the digital era.

Contact:
barajas.joshua@gmail.com
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