The Tacoma Ledger is the independent weekly collegiate newspaper of the University of Washington Tacoma. All content is generated by Ledger-employed student journalists currently enrolled at UWT. The Ledger strives to adhere to student interests and local news. UWT Administration, student organizations, and students and clubs exercise no editorial control over the publication. Funding is provided through the UW Tacoma Services and Activities Fee and supplemented by advertising revenue.

Our Mission Statement: The Tacoma Ledger is committed to presenting high-quality student news to inform and engage with the University of Washington Tacoma community. We strive to represent student voices while creating a professional environment in which student writers can hone their journalism skills and express themselves.  

EDITORS

Steph Caronna – Editor in Chief

Steph Caronna (they/them) is an Education major in their junior year. Having previously written for the Ledger in News and Arts & Entertainment, they are incredibly excited to contribute even further to informing the UWT community of local issues. They are proudly trans, non-binary and Jewish. Their hobbies and interests include social justice, music, poetry, literature, film and history. They live in Tacoma with their dog, Butters.  

Karla Pastrana – Managing Editor 

Karla Santiago Pastrana (she/her) is a senior who is majoring in Writing Studies and minoring in Latinx Studies. As a first-gen Chicana she strives to help her community in any way she can through community services, advocating, and representation. When she isn’t editing for the Ledger, buried in classwork, or with the community she is writing creatively, drawing, working on cosplay, or running around downtown Seattle.   

Elissa Blankenship – News Editor

Elissa Blankenship is a senior at UWT and is working on her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication. She is a nature writer who writes about hikes with her dogs and life on her farm, whenever she is not researching information about Silkie chickens or networking in animal rescue to rehome a rare dog breed. She looks forward to connecting with students, staff and faculty of UWT and reporting community-centered stories. Elissa also volunteers for the 4-H Dog Project in Pierce County as a leader and works with families to train dogs.  

Celia Williams – Opinion Editor 

Celia Williams (she/her) is 19 and a senior at UWT majoring in Writing Studies, with the goal of transferring to UW Seattle to major in English. She is a story writer and barista when she’s not on campus. As a student, writer, and barista she can almost always be found at Starbucks. She enjoys hiking and reading during her free time and taking her dog with her wherever she goes.

Rachel Meatte – A&E Editor 

Rachel Meatte (she/her) is a senior at UWT majoring in film with an undergraduate in writing. She is passionate about telling meaningful stories that move people. Her goal is to write and direct her own films one day. In her spare time when she’s not juggling work and school, she is helping at the Tacoma Buddhist Temple or walking dogs at the Pierce County Humane Society as a volunteer. She enjoys hiking, playing chess and walking her dogs.  

Daniel Nash – Publications Manager 

Daniel Nash is the staff adviser to the Ledger, as well as the literary journal Tahoma West. He studied Communication at the University of Washington Tacoma, graduating in 2009. As a student, he edited the News section of the Ledger and contributed to two editions of Journalist, a US-Russian global affairs magazine produced by students of UW Tacoma and Moscow State University’s Department of Journalism. He wrote for and edited several Western Washington community newspapers before returning to UW Tacoma in 2017. He lives in Tacoma with his wife. 

 
 

MANAGERS 

Francisco Plaza – Ad Manager 

  
 

Tin Tin Chien – Layout/Content Manager  

Tin Tin Chien is a senior at UWT majoring in Information Technology. She reads a lot of books in her downtime. Along with staying at home as much as possible but would be willing to go out with friends or family. Currently she is focusing on ensuring her schoolwork gets completed on time in order to graduate and along with applying for her Master’s in Library Science.  

NEWS 

Raghvi Baloni – News Reporter 

 Michael Doyle – News Reporter
 

OPINION 
 

Benjamin Fredell – Opinion Columnist 
 

 Jamenson Aleman – Opinion Columnist

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

 

Heidi Ortiz – A&E Columnist  

Heidi (she/her) is a senior at UWT pursuing a master’s in creative writing and a minor in business. She moved to WA from her home country of Puerto Rico to follow her dreams of becoming a professional published writer. She has a passion for fashion, ballet, and the goth subculture. In her free time, you can find her listening to music, writing poetry, playing Baldur’s Gate 3 and cuddling with her cat, Angel. 

Shella Vasquez – A&E Columnist
 
 

DESIGN/ART 
 

Cameron Berrens – Photographer 

Cameron Berrens is a current junior at the University of Washington Tacoma Campus, working on two bachelor’s degrees in computer science and urban studies. Between balancing his full-time class schedule, Cameron enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and ultimate frisbee. While Cameron enjoys taking photos with a digital camera, his real passion comes from shooting images with a film camera. If you spot him out in the open with a funky-looking camera, the probability the camera is made in the 20th century is quite high. Don’t be afraid to talk to him about his film cameras, he will have answers to any wild camera question. 

Cole Martin – Illustrator 

Cole Martin is starting their senior year at UWT, majoring in Arts, Media and Culture’s visual/performing arts track. A former A&E writer at The Ledger, Cole transferred to the Illustrator position to push themselves in their art. They have an interest in all kinds of art mediums, spanning from digital and traditional drawing and painting, felt stitching and amigurumi crochet, 3D modelling with Blender and basic game making in Godot, as well as a lighter interest in playing guitar and keyboard. Interest doesn’t mean proficiency, however, so Cole uses their time at UWT to further these skills wherever they can. 

Mark Kanyer – Content Assistant

Mark Kanyer is a junior at UWT majoring in Marketing who also plans on double majoring in Finance. He enjoys working out, reading, and listening to 60’s-90’s music. He wants to learn all about the stock market and start his own business someday. Mark is also very health-conscious and dedicated to his strict keto diet and workout routine. Typically drinking lots of olive oil and coconut milk and eating lots of dark chocolate.  

Rebecca Leong – Content Assistant