Don Brubaker’s 2022 in Review

Wow, what a year. To describe my 2022 at the Indy, look no further than the timeless adage: “Time flies when you’re hired as a web content manager in Q3.” We’re all familiar with that one, right?

While it’s true that I joined the team rather recently (in August of this year), I was eager to jump into the fray of journalism, and to that end, the Independent has not disappointed.

One of my favorite weekly tasks is drafting a few of our niche newsletters. Namely, Leslie Dinaberg’s ON Culture, Joe Woodard’s ON the Beat, and Matt Kettmann’s Fully Belly Files, all of which I would highly encourage you to subscribe to. Never before have I felt so confidently in-the-know about goings-ons in S.B., from what to see on the theatrical stage to who‘s playing music to where one can find the best new eats in town (Matt, please bring me along on an assignment sometime for photos or something … please).

Somehow, I’ve managed to quickly fulfill my millennial obligation — nay, responsibility, of overextending myself and taking on extracurriculars in the name of creative passion. Tale as old as time, amiright?

In this case, my personal interests in photography and videography have found a convenient home at the Indy. While I’ve enjoyed the work-from-home lifestyle that web content management provides, I’ve hopped out into the field more than a few times this year to join our news reporters in covering stories.

A few favorites:

• A burrito week taste test with Ryan P. Cruz. Nuff said.

• @ChicanoCultureSB‘s Annual Mural Ride — combining my love for storytelling, culture, and bikes!

• At Election Night 2022 (with Ryan and rock star photog Ingrid Bostrom) I truly felt like a member of the press for perhaps the first time as I talked shop with folks from other publications and rubbed elbows with local politicians.

• Newcomer Callie Fausey and I covered a faculty solidarity rally during the ongoing UC Academic Workers’ Strike.

I have big ideas for content in 2023, so keep an eye out!

Finally, I’d like to give an enormous shoutout to my co-manager, Caitlin “Cat” Kelley. Cat showed me the ropes of web content management with effectiveness and quite a lot of patience, and for that I’m truly grateful. I still remember fondly when Cat and I created a mock Instagram post during my training week. The subject? My favorite kind of pizza. The result? An accidentally absurd new spelling of jalapeño and quite a few chuckles along the way. Webteam 5evr.