Acacia Squires

Acacia Squires covers the General Grant Houses in Manhattan, New York.

She was born in Boulder, Colorado in 1985, as the youngest of three children.In elementary school, Acacia wanted to follow Indiana Jones’ adventure-seeking footsteps and become an archeologist. But everything changed when she discovered her passion for journalism. As an undergraduate at University of California Santa Cruz, she took a documentary class, where students produced broadcast journalism pieces through a sociological lens.While the other 40 students decided to made videos, Acacia was the only one drawn towards radio. She produced two 10-minute radio documentaries on Alzheimer’s and vegetarianism. It was her first experience in journalism, and would later compel her to apply for Columbia’s master’s program.

After graduating with a degree in sociology, Acacia worked for two years at Habitat for Humanity in Los Angeles as the Community Engagement Manager. She conducted outreach to the public by speaking with potential homeowners, recruiting volunteers, and lobbying for housing issues.

Eventually, she moved from California to New York City to work as a real estate agent in low-income areas in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. The stage was set for her to apply to Columbia Journalism School, and start pursuing her dream.

As a broadcast student, Acacia plans to complete a radio master’s project on single fathers in New York City. You can follow her on Twitter @AcaciaSquires