My name is Cathy Cook and I’m excited to be the new general assignment reporter for the Picayune Item. I’m from Albuquerque, New Mexico, land of green chile and hot air balloons. After a 17-hour drive, most of which was meandering across Texas, I found myself here.

A desire to write local news stories and be part of a print newspaper is what brought me to Mississippi. I’m looking forward to becoming a part of this community.

I was born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, so I grew up next to the US-Mexico border. While I’m obligated to love the Rio Grande over all other rivers, I’m in awe at the grandeur of the Mississippi River. After 24 years living in the Chihuahuan desert, I’m overjoyed to be surrounded by water.

I studied English and Women’s Studies at the University of New Mexico. I also worked for my college paper The Daily Lobo, where I covered stories that were important to my little campus community. I’ve done a lot of different kinds of writing, including journalism and poetry. I spent the last year working in the food service industry, writing and traveling for poetry events. I love journalism for the same reason I love poetry: it’s about finding and telling the truth.  I’m passionate about community. I care about those spaces that connect people—concerts, schools, churches, dancehalls—and I care about the layers of connection that create a community, whether those are based in family, culture, or values. 

Journalism keeps that web of people and spaces informed and connected to one another. The people in a town deserve to know what happens in town council meetings or what their school board is deciding. That’s why I want to do this work.

I want to tell stories that are important to whatever community I’m living in, and I’m excited to help keep the people informed.