by Bellanee Plaza
(Bellanee Plaza is the new Central Florida Bureau Chief at Orlando-based Watermark Out News. The following Bureau Chief’s Desk piece appeared in the July 31, 2025, edition of the newspaper and appears here with permission.)

I have never been a fan of change. As I’ve grown into the person I am today, however, I find myself accepting it with open arms.

Change is what brought me to this moment. It brought me to the role of Central Florida Bureau Chief for Watermark Out News.

I didn’t think five months post-grad I would have a job in the field I studied so hard, yet here I am. I started my journalism journey while in high school taking a random elective titled “Journalism 1,” not knowing it would change my life. I was incredibly lucky to learn from the sweetest and smartest English teacher who taught the journalism classes, as it was one of her interests.

She showed me how words can create impact and how we have more power when we use our thoughts to create. I was shown a new world and I dove in headfirst. I immediately joined the yearbook club to learn all I could about photography and writing.

I became known as the “yearbook girl” since I was everywhere covering all the school events. I knew then that I wanted to study journalism in college. With a pandemic, college became interesting to say the least. I did as much learning as I could from my room but by 2022, I attended my first in-person class since 2020.

To say learning in person was a game changer would be an understatement. I got to meet so many great people and professors at the University of Central Florida, many that pushed me to be in the position I’m in now. I have them to thank for all the knowledge they have passed on.

It was because of UCF that I had the chance to intern with Watermark Out News in 2024. The journalism clubs at the university invite news publications all over Central Florida for an event called Intern Pursuit. This is the most common way students get internships, and I found myself itching to join Watermark Out News since it was the only publication catering to the LGBTQ+ community.

As a lesbian, that meant a lot to me. I have known about my sexuality since I was little; something always felt off when I thought about my attraction to men.

I have always been open about who I am, but getting to know a publication that stood for queerness proved to me that there’s no need to hide.

I wrote my first freelance piece with Watermark Out News after my internship, and it made me realize all the hours I had put into reporting and writing were paying off. I had the chance to make a name for myself, and I took it.

Working with a team that is small but mighty has shown me how important it is to have a passion for telling stories.

Local journalism is important. As a publication that is local, we look to our communities to serve. It is because of our readers that we look to tell stories that are often overlooked. The LGBTQ+ community is faced with so many challenges that need to be shared.

In my new role, I want my community to know I care. I care about how people are being affected. I care about all the local organizations that look to uplift each other. I care.

Journalism is a necessity, especially in this day and age. There has been a sharp national decline of local journalists. In 2002, the U.S. had about 40 journalists per 100,000 residents, according to Rebuild Local News. Today, the national average is 8.2 local journalist equivalents — a drop of about 75%.

I hope to see that number change. The news is never ending but there must be someone to cover it. That’s why local journalism matters. There will always be something impacting someone, but how will anyone know if the story is not being told or shared?

Since joining the team here, I have learned so much from its leadership and I hope to learn more. I want to continue to grow as a journalist and working with my team will only make that achievable.

I look forward to continuing my work as a journalist and serving the community of Central Florida. I hope you will continue to support Watermark Out News and trust us to be your LGBTQ+ news source.

GUEST COMMENTARY
Volume 27
Issue 9