#LEADSTAND 5: Networking with Integrity
I believe leaders must have an important value that we know as integrity.
In order to reach my goal since high school to be a journalist, I joined the student press of Multimedia Nusantara University. Unexpectedly because of my persistence, I was trusted to be an editor-in-chief of Ultimagz, Student Press of Multimedia Nusantara University from 2012 until 2013.
As an editor-in-chief, this position led me to meet responsible people at the university such as the rector and heads of all faculties on my campus. From this chance, I learn about being assertive and diplomacy in the discussion. I became more confident to lead our student newsroom and built our visions.
During my period of leadership, as a result, I was successfully bringing Ultimagz took the bronze medal of the Indonesia Student Print Media Award held by Serikat Perusahaan Pers (SPS). This achievement brought Ultimagz known nationally among universities and built mutual relationships with other student presses in Indonesia.
Called to be active-progressive in university, I also was a member of the UNESCO Youth Desk and was trusted to be a Social Media Specialist and Public Relations for the Greenpreneurship Challenge project. I met people from other universities with the same mission to start a sustainable paradigm and system in business activity.
Maybe this seems too much, but to broaden my perspective on political and public policy, I was intrigued to join Youth Proactive held by Transparency International Indonesia (TII) after my essay about corruption got appreciation from TII. Then they were recruit me to be a writer for their anti-corruption activity program in 5 cities (2012–2013).
In the end, it followed by the opportunity for me to write my first compilation book essay published by TII in collaboration with the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), and Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 2012. The book was launched in 2013.
To save my networking that can be more impactful after the program finished, I stayed active in Youth Proactive Program as a writer until 2017. I created essays and perspectives on the Youth Proactive website in order to respond to current issues of public policy, economic, and political issues.
During my journey, I learned that strengthening your network is the most challenging responsibility in the media field. I have to manage my image and also I have to be a good example for others. I will do A if I said A, so be consistent.
As a journalist, integrity and trust are the keys to reaching out to sources. Knowing that my networking isn’t enough to elevate my dream career, I wonder to gain capacity in professional organizations. That was also the reason I joined Agenda 18 Catholic Writers Club and Journalist Community in 2012, then I also registered as a member of Alliances of Independent Journalist Jakarta (AJI Jakarta) in 2019.
In Agenda 18 Club, after graduating from the one-month writing program, I was trusted as a program coordinator to create activities such as writing courses, book projects, and book discussions for Catholic youth. Considered a leader in the club, my mission was campaigning for the importance of literacy for youth, especially young people of Catholic. We successfully launched our book essay titled ‘Rumah Kota Kita’ in 2016, about civilization, urbanization, and other demographic problem in DKI Jakarta.
Meanwhile, in AJI Jakarta, I was trusted to manage the collaboration program with external organizations. For example, on October 2020, I became a project officer (PO) for the Report Launch ‘Counting the Costs of Covid-19: Assessing the Impact on Gender and the Achievements of the SDGs in Indonesia’. This event was a collaboration program between UN Women and AJI Jakarta. Through this organization, I got insights into journalism problems in the digital era. AJI Jakarta teach me in responding to various problems in Indonesia equally and independently as a journalist.
I have been building a good network with all of the stakeholders, so there are no obstacles in my duties, and I’ve done my reports and responded very well. As a positive outcome of my competencies, I can survive and be adaptable to many situations, including my specialty in working under pressure has been outstanding in my own reflection.
According to my experiences, I only have a single mission left in contributing to Indonesian development by widening my networks. The way to nail it is by studying abroad take the master’s degree program, especially in the United Kingdom, because I want to expand my perspective globally and keep acting locally.
I want to learn more from the UK as an older and mature nation with a stronger civilization. However, I know there is not many good examples of public policy and development in the UK, but I want to adopt their sensibility and their aye capturing inequalities with regulations.
This is the only way for me to reach my future to be an impactful person as a journalist and lecturer for future generations and leaders in Indonesia.
