Postgrads
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15th May 2026
🎓Postgrads | Episode 17:Carmen Cusido
Welcome to Postgrads — In each episode, we sit down with Columbia Journalism School graduates to explore what comes after the degree — the jobs, the pivots, the dreams, and the unexpected turns.
In today’s episode, we’re joined by Carmen Cusido, a Communication Professional Freelance writer based in New Jersey, as well as a mental health advocate. Cusido will share with us her path through different careers, as well as her long time battles with eating disorders.
Trigger warning:
from 12:43: discussions of severe depression, loss of loved ones, anorexia and other eating disorders
Interviewer: Zhuoya Ma
Guest: Carmen Cusido
Camera: Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Referenced work:
Egg freezing: https://wearemitu.com/wearemitu/culture/opinion-egg-freezing-fertility-post-roe-america/
Severe depression: https://www.newsweek.com/i-tried-take-own-life-when-mom-died-1677628
Eating disorder and Latino culture: https://remezcla.com/features/culture/the-weight-we-carry-unpacking-eating-disorder-sin-verguenza/
YOUTUBE CHAPTERS
00:00 start
00:13 beginning
00:48 upbringing
01:58 different journalism school experience
03:25 Columbia J school - foreign reporting
04:16 preferred beat
05:27 speech writer
06:17 influence of education
09:06 educating the others
10:10 bilingual translating accuracy
11:08 rapid fire question
12:36 eating disorder+depression
21:25 the biggest misconception about mental health
24:33 book writing
26:03 monologue - leave a message to past and future self
26:56 ending
💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.
📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com
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