Thread by @CECabrera_

Thread: I didn’t go to Harvard. I didn’t go to Columbia J School. I went to Brooklyn College which is a great city school but maybe not what many think it takes to get into the building on 620 8th Avenue. The New York Times building. I didn’t grow up rich. I grew up in the hood.

I grew up in Dyckman. I tripped up throughout life as a kid, teenager and adult. I did some of the things you think I probably wouldn’t if you know me today. I thought I’d play basketball all my life until I tore my ACL. Then I tore my meniscus. Then I had microfracture surgery.

then I tore my ACL again. I had four knee surgeries in 7 years. All those basketball camps that had me on a watchlist didn’t anymore. All those recruitment letters I hoped for never came in. I thought I had no hope. I messed up all through high school after that. Growing up, when

I saw myself on TV, I only saw me dribbling a ball or swinging a bat. That’s all I could envision for myself. I applied to Ivy League schools knowing I was kidding myself with a C average. I had the belief in myself but I wasn’t putting in the work. All of them rejected me.

I had to start over at community college. Westchester Community College. I went back and forth for 2 hours every day on the Bee-Line. I was depressed. I went in with the same belief most have about community colleges. I believed it was a downgrade. I remember visiting my

friend who got accepted into Haverford. His dorm mate met me and asked me where I went to school. I said “NYU” because I was so ashamed. I was disappointed in myself. A decade later that same person asked me why I lied. I said because I wanted to feel like I “belonged.” But

community colleges are so under appreciated and deserve so much respect for what they do for so many. That school changed me. I went in with many of my former high school classmates and we were just “there.” I majored in business because all my friends did and then Professor

Passariello told me I should explore journalism. She told me to work for the school newspaper. To go for internships. I said “why not.” I don’t have anything else and I need to graduate not only for me but for my parents. I finished my 2 years at WCC. I transferred to

Brooklyn College and Professor Moses, Mancini and so many others really pushed me. I saw an internship at the NY Amsterdam News and applied. I got it. They put me on so many different types of coverage as a young reporter. I covered Ferrer vs Bloomberg and so many other news

stories I never thought I would. I remember when I’d go to college journalism conferences it would be me in a sea of whiteness. All these kids had internships at the Times, Daily News, Journal and so many other places. In my head, I was just at a local paper. I saw the pride on

Their faces when they told me where they interned and then I asked them how many articles have you written. They said none. I said 100. At that point, where I was interning didn’t matter because I knew I had more experience and at that point, frankly, was better than them. That

newspaper in Harlem gave me my start. They gave me my confidence. They gave me my experience. They made me realize it’s not where you’re at but what you have done. A year after my internship I won an award from the Independent Press Association which a decade later helped change

a law in NY state. I owe my whole career to Black and Latino media. The Manhattan Times, Amsterdam, Black Enterprise and InteractiveOne to name a few. I know many want to get to the biggest news organizations right away but don’t shy away from growing or working at those places

that serve your communities and really give young journalists the opportunities to work and grow their skills in a way you may not be able to in other places. I learned it all there. Sometimes we think they only need us but we need them to. I grew up to parents from the

Dominican Republic. I learned English at 6. I’ve been doing SEO since 2011. I’m 10 years deep in an industry (SEO) where no one looks like me. And I remember when I stepped in the Times Building in 2016 I had severe imposter syndrome. I didn’t believe. I thought I was an

affirmative action hire. A lot of people of color (not all) walk in with that thought when we enter major media organizations. “Diversity hire.” I thought how am I going to convince white editors to trust my ideas, approaches, headlines and all else. We know how hard it can be

sometimes to be an audience development editor as a person of color. I’ll never forget someone telling me at a point when I had accrued respect and credibility here at the Times: “You need to be a little tougher, Claudio. Take some cues from me.” He was a white man. In my head,

I said if I was you in this office or anywhere else I’d probably never get to where you’re at. You’re afforded behavioral privileges that I’m not. My first few months - I thought whoever was second in line to me in the application process would be here to replace me ASAP.

I thought I would fail. I thought I’d be exposed. I walked in and forgot everything I’ve ever accomplished. I forgot I won awards. Was named a top audience development expert. Grew every place I worked at from a traffic and credibility front. I forgot that I “never had” the Times

on my radar. I just looked at it as a place that wasn’t for me. Why? I don’t know. But they were the ones that reached out to me. I remember when they messaged me on LinkedIn I didn’t think it was to screen me. So much, that I invited my number 2 at CBS at the time to come w me.

I wanted her to experience the place. When we both left that meet she told me: “I don’t think I was supposed to be there. I think they want to hire you.” I said: “Nah.” Two weeks later, they asked me to come in for an interview. I went through 8 interviews. Even one at 7am.

Once I got to the fifth interview, I remember telling my friend: “I know they want to hire me.” I remember I negotiated back and forth when I got the offer and the person that hired me said, a sista, “you will do really well here. I know it.” She was right.

If I left the Times tomorrow, I can 100% say I changed this place so much and in so many ways. I can go on an endless list. And I don’t say that arrogantly, I say that because it’s the truth. So this ain’t a pull yourself up by your bootstraps story because we all aren’t born

with the same pair. I know the playing field isn’t fair. But this is a never forget who you are post. But most importantly, this is me trying to demystify the road. Your road is your road. Pick your stops on what you want not on what you think will get you where you want to be...