Najifa Farhat: Signing off, with gratitude

After seven months as a staff reporter for Watershed Voice, it’s time for me to sign off.

My student visa and work permit are set to expire, and due to a lack of sponsored opportunities and the excessive cost of a personal visa, I’m not pursuing any further options at this time. So this is goodbye, at least for now.

After originally settling in Montana, this role marked my introduction to Michigan — its towns, pace, and priorities. Covering rural communities came with a set of challenges and insights I hadn’t encountered before, and the experience has been professionally valuable. Through city commission meetings, local events, and everyday stories from across Southwest Michigan, I’ve come to understand the state in a direct and grounded way — by listening, reporting, and writing.

Local journalism is often called a pillar of democracy, but it also acts as a mirror. It reflects who we are, what we value, and what we’re working toward as a community. Reporting on decisions made in town halls, the small moments that shape neighborhoods, the realities of rural life, and the voices behind it all — those were the core of this job.

Thanks to those who shared their stories and to the readers who followed along. Local journalism plays a vital role, and I’m glad to have contributed to that work during my time here.

— Najifa Farhat