I am a 24-year-old single mother, living in Hackney with my five-year-old daughter and my best friend. I work an assortment of odd jobs: currently I am working on the reception desk of a London advertising agency, but I also work in a theatre bar, write theatre reviews and provide ad hoc office support for a number of theatre companies in London (yes, I like theatre!). My varied schedule allows me to manage my time around the things that are important to me. I never miss any of my daughter’s school or extracurricular events, and I also manage to set aside some time to read, write and see plenty of theatre. I love contemporary literature – I’m currently reading The Girls by Emma Cline, which is every bit as brilliant as everyone says it is – and I have recently completed my own first novel, about a teenage girl and her difficult relationship with her depressed mother.
I’ve always been fascinated by politics. When I was a teenager I tried a lot of different ideologies on for size, trying to understand myself and the world from various different perspectives. During this time I read a range of different newspapers which helped me discover my own political views. As a leftie feminist, passionate about social justice, the arts and diversity, the Guardian was the natural favourite. I love the opinion section and the varied viewpoints it offers, which challenge me on a daily basis; I value the insightful thoughts of the Guardian theatre writers above any others, and I always find a range of refreshingly interesting culture articles.
Because I trust the Guardian implicitly, it is the first place I turn when I hear major news breaking. It feels connected to the interests and opinions of its younger readership, which is one of the reasons it appeals to me. My parents don’t often read newspapers, but occasionally I’ll find a tabloid peeking out under a pile of post and reprimand them for it. They protest that these papers are cheaper and more accessible, but as far as I’m concerned you can’t put a price on quality journalism. I’ll take the intelligent, diverse and inclusive reporting of the Guardian over sensationalist stories any day.
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