Vesper Henry | Awesomely Authentic's "Enchanting" New Intern

Merry meet! My name is Vesper Henry, my pronouns are they/them, and I am a demiromantic, queer nonbinary person. I am a fourth year journalism major at the University of Georgia pursuing a minor in political science.

My academic and professional path towards journalism didn’t begin until I was in high school, with the election of Donald Trump. I had spent my whole life thinking I wanted to be an artist, and skilled as I was (and still am), I had to grapple with the fact that art school was a gamble, and I wanted more security

At the same time as the 2016 election ran its messy course, I was also in JROTC and a U.S. History class. That meant I was confronted with the sharp juxtaposition of American idealism and the harsh reality of what the country was becoming… or rather, what it always had been deep down.

It was at that point I realized I wanted to be a journalist.

I’ve had a lifelong aptitude for writing, and a newly ignited passion to hold those in power accountable. Combined these sparked an entirely new career path I had never before considered. As a journalist, I want to elevate marginalized voices, particularly within the queer community, so that they can no longer be ignored.

In terms of my career as a whole, I aspire to be a fact-checking reporter, namely at an organization like Politifact. As social media becomes a dominating force in our lives, misinformation can spread like wildfire. These untruths are a direct threat to the lives and wellbeing of marginalized people, and are often the roots of bigotry.

But in the meantime, as I hurtle toward my graduation this May, I am simply trying to make the most of my senior year given our current circumstances and have it all play out smoothly. I hope to take up another internship to replace my food service job and otherwise expand my skills in journalism and communications, though pretty much anything to get me out of my current job will do.

My major goal in the next year is to have a job after graduation so that I can move out and have my own space to be my awesomely authentic self.

My friends have been my biggest inspiration and motivation, honestly. I know many people would say their families, and while my family has been a driving force, I think the emphasis here is force. The way they motivate me is through my fear of disappointing them. But my friends? My friends have always genuinely believed in me. They’ve lifted me up, encouraged me, helped me navigate who I am as a person and with their guidance I’ve started to become the person I think I was always meant to be.

There is no unconditional love like that of a real found family.

With such a small but incredible group of people behind me, I have no doubt I could help change the world, even a small part of it. Regardless of where I end up, I ultimately hope to help make this world a safer place for my community, and other marginalized folks. Whether that’s directly challenging misinformation or working for queer organizations, I want to do my part to protect this big extended family.

But outside of trying to be a world changing journalist, I am goth and love dressing up and exploring alternative fashion and subcultures. I have also had a lifelong special interest in dragons and avidly collect almost anything related.

Additionally, I am a Hellenic pagan, follower of Hades and early into my path. I love to draw and roleplay (both freeform/play-by-post and ttrpg), and I find a great comfort in music. Some of my favorite artists include Hozier, Will Wood and Mother Mother, though my taste as a whole is all over the place.

When not at school or work, you can find me relaxing at home with my two dogs, Bobo and Ollie, or haunting the local boba shop.

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