Deep Dive in Five with MLIS+ Fellow Chandni Rathod

After time spent caring for family prompted a shift in professional direction, Chandni Rathod, '27 MLIS, has returned to the (digital) classroom at San José State University with renewed purpose and an eagerness to help others find their platform and inspiration through information sharing.

After earning a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from the University of Central Florida, Rathod built a career in the media - writing for outlets such as Business Insider, New York Family Magazine, Laptop Magazine, and the Orlando Sentinel - before stepping away from the newsroom to marry, raise two children and spend nearly six years focused on home management and family care.

While a full-time mother, she volunteered at her children's school and found herself drawn to the school library, helping organize book displays and assisting kids with discovery. An avid reader since youth, Rathod felt invigorated supporting reluctant readers who felt lost and unable to find books they are excited to read. These experiences encouraged Rathod to return to graduate school for a masters in library and information science at SJSU's iSchool.

Rathod is one of three graduate students participating in the innovative and new MLIS+ Mentored Library Fellowship for Success program in collaboration with the SJSU iSchool and SJSU King Library, where masters students will gain the practical experience and mentorship necessary to thrive in their post-graduate careers, enhance their professional readiness, and bring fresh perspectives and skills to the libraries they serve.

Even more fortuitous, Rathod is leading a speaker panel on February 7th, welcoming many accomplished South Asian journalists and media leaders to the King Library to celebrate the launch of the new digital exhibit documenting the history, impact and future of South Asian community media in the Bay Area.

The panel event offers attendees like journalism faculty, students and community members an opportunity to learn about the role of community journalism, engage directly with storytellers and explore the digital exhibit, which will remain permanently accessible online.

Rathod shared some anticipated themes in this deep dive interview that she hopes emerges on February 7th event with notable names from KQED, NPR, India Currents, MedCity News, Radio Zindagi, Bolly 92.3 FM, Diya TV, and other prominent media outlets.

Since joining the MLIS + program, you have been a valued team member creating the digital exhibit capturing the underrepresented voices, immigrant histories and influences of South Asian community media. What are some of the stories that have inspired you?

Chandi Rathod [CR] : What has inspired me most are the origin stories of South Asian community media outlets that emerged out of necessity, rather than institutional support. Many began as small print publications created by immigrants who recognized critical gaps in representation and local reporting. For example, outlets such as India Currents began as community newspapers documenting immigration challenges, civic participation and cultural life at a time when South Asian voices were largely absent from mainstream media coverage.

I am especially inspired by journalists and editors who sustained this work across decades while navigating financial precarity and major shifts in media formats. In the exhibit, stories from founders and editors describe publishing newspapers late at night after full-time jobs, relying on community advertising to survive, and later having to reinvent their work as print readership declined. Radio outlets such as Radio Zindagi similarly adapted by expanding from traditional broadcast formats to digital platforms and community events in order to remain relevant and accessible.

These stories make clear that journalism is not only about breaking news, but about preserving memory, building trust and creating a record rooted in lived experience. What inspired me most was seeing how these outlets persisted despite structural challenges, driven by a sense of responsibility to document their communities when no one else would.

The journalism industry has been changing rapidly for decades with the internet, social media and now with artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping how we research, write and edit. Tell us what you have learned about the evolution of media formats, from print and radio to digital platforms, and what has changed or endured, and what you think will be the future vehicle for community journalism?

[CR]: Working on this exhibit has made it clear that while formats evolve, the core purpose of community journalism endures. Many South Asian outlets transitioned from print newspapers and magazines to websites, digital newsletters and social media platforms as audience habits shifted. These changes expanded reach, but also introduced new pressures around sustainability, speed and visibility.

What has endured is the importance of trust and accountability. Community journalism succeeds when it remains grounded in lived experience and sustained relationships. Looking ahead, I believe the future of community journalism will be hybrid and engagement-driven, combining digital storytelling with in-person community spaces such as libraries, archives and public forums. AI may support research and accessibility, but it cannot replace human judgment, context or compassion.

Journalism faces ongoing challenges but from your own experience as a journalist and a master student in information studies, what can you share about storytelling, representation, responsibility, within journalism or any career?

[CR]: One of the most important lessons I have learned is that storytelling is never neutral. Decisions about framing, language and whose voices are centered shape public understanding in powerful ways. Representation is not just about inclusion, but about accuracy, context and responsibility.

As an information professional in training, I view storytelling as a form of stewardship. Journalism and information work influence how communities are understood in the present and remembered in the future. That responsibility extends beyond journalism into any field that shapes narratives or access to knowledge. Ethical work requires listening deeply, questioning dominant assumptions and centering lived experience.

What was your pathway to journalism and your current pathway to the information profession? How do you think they will benefit from each other in shaping your future career?

[CR] I think I have always wanted to do work that makes a difference, work that helps someone feel seen, heard or better informed. My pathway to journalism grew out of that impulse. Journalism taught me how to listen closely, report with care and understand how narrative shapes public understanding and access to truth.

My pathway into information studies builds on those same values, but expands the scope from individual stories to systems of knowledge. Information science has deepened my understanding of access, preservation, ethics and digital infrastructure. I see journalists and information professionals as walking the same road, both committed to bringing access to knowledge and truth. Together, these fields can work hand in hand to counter misinformation and disinformation, a goal that feels increasingly urgent. This intersection continues to shape my future career at the crossroads of media, archives, and public engagement.

You will be leading the speaker panel on February 7 featuring notable journalists like Sasha Khokha , reporter and host of The California Report Magazine on KQED and NPR, among other well known media leaders who will share their vision and advise on the future of community journalism. What is your vision for the future of journalism?

[CR]: My vision for the future of journalism is more relational, community-centered and accountable. The future of journalism depends on rebuilding trust through listening, transparency and sustained engagement. Institutions like libraries, community archives and public media can serve as critical conveners and stewards of public knowledge. At a moment when audiences are spread across countless platforms, journalism's strength will come not from speed or scale, but from depth, compassion and a renewed commitment to public service.