Talk to Us
Hope Rasa
Hope Rasa
I’m a third-year student at Western Washington University majoring in journalism-news/editorial. I live in Bellingham, Wash., while attending college full-time and working in the local community.
I’ve enjoyed all the opportunities writing for Whatcom Watch has given me to cover my local community, especially on environmental topics. Through this work, it’s become more clear to me than it already was that our lovely community is held together by a dedicated group of workers, teachers, local government employees and good neighbors.
When I’m not writing for Whatcom Watch, I’m working as the assistant writing director for The Rage Magazine, Western’s fashion, arts and culture magazine. Previously, I also spent time as a writer for The Front, Western’s student newspaper, and Klipsun magazine, another one of Western’s student magazines.
As I near graduation, I can admire how far I’ve come thanks to Western’s journalism program. My mentors and peers have taught me countless lessons, skills and general know-how that I would never have acquired otherwise.
My time with Whatcom Watch so far — another thing I can thank Western’s journalism program for — has been a lovely exercise in long-form local reporting. Local reporting makes you a sort of expert on your community — an expert who also understands that they still have so much to learn. With every article, I’m astounded at the nooks and crannies that I discover in Bellingham and Whatcom County. There are so many stories, and stories within stories, happening all around us that deserve to be told. My work with Whatcom Watch has given me the amazing opportunity to tell some of them.
Having grown up in western Washington is a large part of why I decided to pursue journalism, and why I so enjoy writing for local outlets. I’ve always sensed our community sincerely cares about our earth and our neighbors. Being a journalist, to me, is being a part of that.
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Liam Walsh
Liam Walsh
I’m a senior at Western Washington University studying journalism and Spanish, and am deeply passionate about environmental journalism and maintaining community journalism in Washington.
I was born in Seattle, Washington, to Irish and English immigrant parents. It was during my early life in Seattle where I became interested in politics and journalism.
I’m currently training to hike Mt. Rainier/Mt. Tahoma in June.
“My whole life that mountain was towering over me, whether I was hiking, swimming or driving to school, Mt. Rainier was always off in the distance. It is one of the most gorgeous pieces of nature our state has to offer, and I am beyond excited and grateful for an opportunity to climb the mountain that defines where I grew up.”
At Western Washington University, I began to take journalism classes, and, in my second year, I took a reporting class that solidified my love for the field.
Throughout my short journalism career, I’ve covered a wide range of subjects and communities, including fentanyl addiction, marijuana research, local government, federal grant cuts, airline closures and more.
“My favorite part about the job by far is getting to meet and interact with people I never would have met. I get to hear their stories, struggles and triumphs and tell the rest of the community about them. Selfishly, that is easily the best part of the job. I am a social person, and meeting people from all walks of life is why I want to continue doing journalism for the rest of my life.”
While working for Whatcom Watch, I’ve covered stores including a mine expansion in Sumas, and a proposal to revive a Canadian Lake.
“I’ve enjoyed environmental journalism tremendously and it is something I want to pursue for the rest of my career. I am incredibly lucky to call Whatcom County a second home and I want to continue reporting in this community for as long as possible.”
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Tori Lehman
Tori Lehman
I was born and raised in Longmont, Colorado, about 20 minutes north of Boulder.
To every Washingtonian’s surprise, I have never skied or snowboarded, but I don’t see that as a requirement to adore the Rockies. I spent my summers camping and hiking along the Front Range and my springs tubing down glacier-water rivers.
I saw myself as an environmental scientist and intended to study marine and costal sciences at Western Washington University. To get extra college credits before heading to Western, I took a journalism course at Front Range Community College. I fell in love with newswriting and quickly discovered Western’s environmental journalism degree. I moved to Bellingham and started at Western in the fall of 2022 and plan to graduate in June 2026 with a degree in environmental journalism and a minor in women, gender and sexuality studies.
In my time at Western, I have worked for The Front, the student newspaper, and The Planet, the student environmental magazine. I have worked as The Planet’s managing editor in 2024 and editor-in-chief since June 2025. The Planet was the national winner for best ongoing student magazine by the Society of Professional Journalists and a Pacemaker finalist for the top student collegiate magazine by the Associated Collegiate Press in the 2024 award season. We’ve covered pivotal environmental issues from the closure of Western’s recycle center to the impact of declining snowpack on Mount Baker.
After graduation, I hope to continue working as a journalist locally in Whatcom County. News from journalists who live in the communities they cover is vital to a healthy local democracy, and I aspire to contribute to that. My dream job would be working on ProPublica’s investigative team, where I would cover environmental issues that impact underprivileged communities nationwide. Until then, I plan on starting this investigative work here in Whatcom by covering issues like city programs and community conservation efforts.
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