Through The Eyes of an Intern: Elizah Lourdes Rendorio’s Experience at Converge
Elizah Lourdes Rendorio, a senior in the University of Washington’s (UW) journalism and public interest communications program, has been making a significant impact during her internship at Converge. During a recent interview on The Day With Trae with guest host Omari Salisbury, Rendorio shared insights into her work, motivations behind her journalistic endeavors, and the rewarding experience of focusing on community-centric journalism.
Rendorio, who is studying journalism and minoring in business administration at UW, explained what drew her to Converge.
"You guys are so dedicated to making sure that you're uplifting your communities and giving back to your people," she said, highlighting that while journalism involves holding people accountable, her favorite part is finding new stories about communities that don’t get adequate representation in mainstream media.
One of the most notable pieces Rendorio worked on at Converge was an article detailing the financial challenges faced by Island Soul, a long-standing restaurant in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. The viral story focused on owner Theo Martin whose beloved establishment was at risk of foreclosure.
Rendorio also covered King County's first Crime Survivor Summit, which led to a follow-up article that included an interview with King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci. Through her coverage, Rendorio spoke with victim advocates and a mother of a violent crime victim, learning about the difficulties of navigating the judicial system.
She summed up her main objective while covering the summit: "Making sure that not only are we keeping these elected officials accountable, but showing that voices of the survivors and families of those who were affected by violent crime are in the center,” she said.
More recently, Rendorio sat down with Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez. She recalled Councilmember Juarez’s inspiring advice to young leaders, particularly emphasizing the importance of embracing one's background, a message Rendorio connected with as a first-generation student with immigrant parents herself.
Finally, Rendorio discussed her work covering Converge’s long-running Support Black Business campaign. She spoke with multiple business owners who credited the campaign with helping to increase visibility and credibility in the community, and also give an accessible way to ask for help during difficult financial times, she said.
As her internship nears its end, Rendorio expressed how much she values the work and the environment at Converge, where, as Salisbury noted, "this is always home."
To follow Rendorio’s work, you can find her on LinkedIn or on Instagram at @elizahvrendorio, and look out for her upcoming article on Councilmember Juarez.
Catch The Day With Trae weekdays at 11 a.m. on all Converge streaming platforms.
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