Interview with Anastasia Economides

The “Got Greek of the Week” interview with Anastasia Economides: “It’s great, even though I’m one of the youngest employees, and my long name can be a tongue twister for some.”

THE GRADUATE(S) PART ONE — If there is one thing (besides finals) on every college student’s mind at this time of the year. it’s the prospect of finding a job during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. This month, we talk to a few recent graduates who share with us what it looks like from the other side of the fence.

ANASTASIA ECONOMIDES is a recent graduate of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. Here are some excerpts from our “Got Greek of the Week” interview with Anastasia Economides:

Q: In a time when newspapers are scaling back, you managed to land a job at The Star Ledger, which is New Jersey’s biggest newspaper. What’s your job, and what’s it like working there?

A: I’m an online news producer. Basically, I’m responsible for what you see on our breaking news website. I work with editors on reporters’ stories and add elements to make them more than just print-based. It’s great, even though I’m one of the youngest employees, and my long name can be a tongue twister for some. But I’m treated equally among such talented and dedicated journalists.

Q: What got you interested in journalism?

A: Perhaps it had to do with growing up and hearing stories about how my family migrated here and made it through tough times. I’ve learned that some stories are so great but aren’t heard about, unless they were written by someone with authority. I love having that respect and responsibility to weed out what’s good and bad, what’s truthful and what’s not. I also love learning; and in this business, you’re always learning something new about humanity.

Q: Dream job?

A: Write for The New York Times, and eventually become an editor for a big news organization.

Q: Your father was born in Greece and your mother is Hispanic. How have these two cultural backgrounds shaped your outlook on the world?

A: It really makes me believe that love conquers all. My parents came from two different parts of the world, and ended up meeting at a bus stop in Manhattan. My tastes and my interests have been broadened by experiencing two cultures, though I did grow up closer to my Greek side. It has shaped my outlook, and gives me hope that peace can be achieved among different groups of people, and that we are more alike than we think.

Q: What drives you on a day-to-day basis?

A: That would be the other love of my life: Ioannina. That’s the city in Greece where my father is from.  I always think about being one day closer to going back and spending time there sitting by the lake, eating Dodoni cherry ice cream, experiencing sheep traffic, and breathing that fresh mountain air as if I had never breathed before.

Q: Favorite Greek dish?

A: They are all amazing. But if I had to choose, it would be a hearty psito arni me patates sto fourno (lamb and lemon potatoes).

Q: Is there a Greek-related object you own that you really value?

A: My grandmother’s wedding dress from when she got married 70 years ago in Northern Epirus in Greece. I recently wore it during the Greek Independence Day parade here on Fifth Avenue in New York City. It represents so much of where my family came from to where they are today.  I will always cherish it, and hope to pass it down to my daughter someday.