Cameron Hong

Position
2023 - LOS ANGELES
Bio/Description

Cameron Hong is a junior at La Canada High School in La Canada, California. She co-founded Published Points of View, an organization that provides journalism training for students, to lower the barrier of entry for journalism in marginalized communities, which lack critical education in expressive writing. Cameron secured over $6,000 in grants to organize live journalism workshops across Southern California. She incorporated the wisdom of local teachers and journalists to design an effective curriculum for students, and hosted guest speakers from ABC News and USA Today. As editor-in-chief of Published Points of View's The Outspoken, an international student newspaper, she published her students' op-ed articles to garner thousands of views online. The articles exhibited students' personal perspectives on complex issues, such as critical race theory, police brutality, and inequities in health care. To date, Cameron’s initiative has trained more than two hundred students. Students attended her live workshops from over thirteen schools, spanning six districts. As a student journalist, Cameron understands the invaluable opportunity for self-expression that journalism provides. Because racial minorities constitute only a small fraction of professional newsroom staff, which skews the perspectives portrayed in American media, Cameron has been compelled to challenge the misrepresentation that minorities endure. She believes familiarizing students with op-ed journalism techniques encourages them to recognize the value of their perspectives. Beyond professional journalism, Cameron believes the argumentation and analysis skills involved are essential for students to voice their opinions in discussions about race and discrimination. Above all else, Cameron is a passionate advocate for students and the educational opportunities they deserve. Outside of Published Points of View, she serves as the National Community Projects and Chapter Director at Beyond Resolved, which combats structural inequalities in high school speech and debate. She is also honored to be the Southern California Director of Political Activism at the Junior State of America.