Mikayla Melo

My Recent Work

Legislation and the Effects on Transgender Communities in Central New York

Hate crimes and negative attitudes towards transgender individuals continue to increase, resulting from new legislation across the nation and harmful rhetoric in the media. This environment has mental and physical consequences for the community, specifically transgender youth.

According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, there are almost 400 active bills targeting transgender individuals across 49 states at this moment, including two in New York. Out of these bills, about 85 have passed and been
The NewsHouse •

Community honors MLK at annual SU event

Thousands of people from all walks of life – college students, older city residents, elementary school children – gathered in the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday to honor the work of Martin Luther King Jr.

The 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration was the largest campus event honoring the civil rights leader in the country, according to emcee Iris St. Meran, a local broadcast journalist. More than 2,000 tickets for the event – which included a banquet, art exhibition and series of performa
Infodemic •

True crime or fake news? Some shows cross the line

The title sequence begins with the unmistakable flashing of red and blue lights. The theme song “Bad Boys” plays in the background as different shots of police cars anticipate the episode. Then, a quick snippet of a forceful arrest. The suspect: a young Black man.

For the whole minute that the opening sequence plays, most of the short scenes exhibit a predominantly white police force arresting Black youth. Then, the sequence ends with the all-too-familiar declaration: “Cops is filmed on location
The NewsHouse •

'Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story' offers controversial depiction of infamous serial killer

The Netflix series has left viewers conflicted about whether to praise or criticize the attention surrounding the killer.

Yet another serial killer drama hits the scene—and many viewers are over it. In an attempt to create an entertaining yet moral series about the notorious murderer Jeffrey Dahmer, creator Ryan Murphy still manages to cause conflict. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is the most recent addition in a series of media adaptations about the killer, and audiences have mixed reactio
The NewsHouse •

"Outer Banks" Season 3 follows same tired formula

Netflix’s acclaimed show Outer Banks returned for a third season, though viewers are seemingly disappointed.

Season 3 began with the Pogues, the working class teenagers, and their newest member Cleo (Carlacia Grant), stranded on a deserted island after escaping Ward Cameron’s (Charles Esten) boat. In the first episode, it is revealed that they have been on the island for about a month, though the group appears remarkably clean and healthy. Their time on the island quickly comes to an end as the
The NewsHouse •

Katy Tur discusses democracy, fairness and the job of journalists in 2022

“Maybe,” Tur replied. She outlined what partisan means in this political climate and explained that often journalists will be called biased and partisan just for calling out what is truth and conspiracy. Tur also discussed the challenge of being a journalist at a time when so much of the country denies demonstrable truth.

Throughout the interview, Tur stressed the importance of honesty and fairness, along with media literacy. Knowing the difference between opinion and fact is vital, and it is t
The NewsHouse •

Stacey Mindich shares her journey from Newhouse to Broadway

Stacey Mindich, the lead producer of Dear Evan Hansen and a former journalist, sat down for a conversation on Sept. 3o with Aileen Gallagher, chair of the magazine, news and digital journalism department at the Newhouse School.

Mindich began the conversation with advice on pitching a successful story, emphasizing how it is not about the writer or their self-interest but about the story that needs telling.

“Take the ‘I am, I want, I do,’ out of it,” Mindich said. “It’s not your story.”

She ela
The NewsHouse •

Jennette McCurdy's 'I'm Glad My Mom Died' offers a raw look into abuse, eating disorders and recovery

“Age is no excuse… How could I not have known better? What a stupid idiot,” McCurdy said in her memoir.

This anecdote marked the beginning of a long and draining future of trying to gain her mother’s approval.

Transitioning into the start of her acting career, McCurdy describes how she hated acting, but continued with it in order to prevent the immense guilt that Debra would place on her. Her mother wanted the future for McCurdy that she herself never had, and she forced it upon her daughter.
The NewsHouse •

Breaking down the borg phenomenon

If you’ve been taking advantage of the beautiful weather in Syracuse over the past few weeks, you have most likely seen a borg– the gallon jugs written on with Sharpie and containing various brightly-colored liquids. A “Black Out Rage Gallon.” Borgs have been around since 2019, and thanks to social media, they have become a college phenomenon. TikTok influencers and American college students alike have popularized the borg and made the drink an integral part of college culture. But why are they