Episode 18: Martha Tejeda, Fandom-Fueled Media Scholar con Corazón

In this episode of One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), senior journalism student Leo Heffron sits down with SOJC PhD student Martha Tejeda—an international student from Juarez, Mexico, a media scholar of K-pop and Disney fandoms, and a researcher exploring Mexican youth and narco culture. Martha shares how crossing the border for school at the age of 12 shaped her identity, why studying what you actually love matters in academia, and how she transitioned from teaching middle school to guiding SOJC undergrads as a graduate employee. She also discusses navigating grief and mental health during her PhD, as well as why her dream job might be working for Disney in a nonprofit role. Stay tuned to the end for her one cool story—how a conference trip turned into a first-ever visit to Walt Disney World, bringing her childhood (and adult) Disney dreams full circle. Listen to hear: How Martha turned her fandoms—K-pop, Disney, and more—into serious media research. Why she’s studying Narco culture and fandoms—and what that reveals about youth and media. Her advice on choosing research topics you care about and surviving the pressures of academia. Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/ Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/admissions