Communication freshman Itzel Pedregon has used writing her entire life as a way to express herself, whether it was through school assignments, poetry or articles.
However, she never thought her pastime hobby would land her a job writing for Seventeen Magazine.
Pedregon was in the fourth grade when she first moved to the United States from Colombia. It took time, but eventually she found her place within her new environment. However, there was one obstacle that remained a challenge for her: writing.
“They would ask me to write essays and I would get so frustrated because I couldn’t sound smart,” Pedregon says. “I didn’t know a lot of words and I didn’t have the same vocabulary.”
Before she made the move to the U.S., Pedregon was fond of writing. But in her new school, she found it difficult to convey her emotions due to the language barrier.
Pedregon was able to write formally, utilizing the English rules she learned in school. However, Pedregon says she could not find a way to make her words flow and lacked the vibrant language that could give her writing an extra boost.
After struggling to find her writing style throughout middle school, she decided to try her hand spoken word.
During spoken word Pedregon would stand up on stage and recite what would naturally come to her. She became more comfortable with english the more she performed, and watched others.
“When I started getting into spoken word I started learning slang words and incorporating them into my daily language,” Pedregon says.
Pedregon began working with a friend, Maria Galaz, on a program called Border Town Voices that promoted spoken word to people who may not have the resources to practice the art form. The two met in middle school and formed their friendship over writing and spoken word.
“It’s a way for people to express themselves and let out what they feel instead of keeping it trapped in,” Galaz says.
As Pedregon became more comfortable with her writing, others around her began to take notice. In high school her freshman year mass communication teacher worked with her to better not only her writing, but also her editing and interviewing skills.
Later on, the same teacher placed Pedregon’s writing sample on an online portal for anyone to access. It was not long before publications were contacting her to write for them. She was hesitant at first, claiming the magazines contacting her were not producing the kind of content she was familiar with. However, she eventually agreed to work for various publications, including Seventeen Magazine.
“I put myself in a different mindset,” she says. “I take time and sit and think if I were this person or that person what would I do.”
Pedregon also found a way to incorporate her writing pieces about nail or hair care into her poetry. She says she was surprised to find herself more motivated than ever to keep writing.
Eva Sierra, another friend who worked on Border Town Voices with Pedregon, has seen the change in Pedregon’s writing style over the years. All the experience she has gained through writing at school and writing for publications, has helped her transformed the writing style that means most to her.
“I’ve seen her writing get more identity centric,” Sierra says. “She performs in a way that’s captivating and speaks with you throughout the whole poem."
