The Emory Wheel’s Managing Editor Brammhi Balarajan (23C) was elected as editor-in-chief of the Wheel on Feb. 5. Balarajan and her incoming executive board will assume their new positions on March 4.
Out of 45 eligible voters, 80% cast ballots. Balarajan ran unopposed, receiving 36 votes and zero votes of “no confidence.”
“I want to make the Wheel a more inclusive and equitable organization,” Balarajan said in remarks after the election. “In the past, we’ve sometimes taken the approach of asking communities to give us comments or information for stories, but not always reporting compassionately or taking the time to actually listen.”
Brammhi Balarajan (23C) will assume the position of editor-in-chief on March 4.
One of Balarajan’s biggest priorities over her upcoming term, she said, is ensuring that different communities on campus receive Wheel coverage with empathy and accuracy. She hopes to increase logistical positions to focus on special projects, recruitment, journalism education and career resources.
Balarajan first started at the Wheel as a columnist covering politics and race. After she became an editor, Balarajan said that she found that mentoring people and watching them grow has been the most meaningful part of her experience.
“I loved writing, I loved telling untold stories and I loved talking about identity,” Balarajan said. “Being editor-in-chief feels like an extension of all of that and a way to give back to an organization that’s given me so much.”
Outgoing Editor-in-Chief Isaiah Poritz (21C), who has worked with Balarajan consistently on the Wheel’s executive board, said that she has gained a lot of experience in management in the past year, putting her in a good spot to push the paper to new heights. He added that Balarajan had a strong platform accented by her experience on the diversity, equity and inclusion task force.
“It’s really dedicated to inclusivity at the Wheel and making sure everyone is welcome, which is something that at times we’ve struggled with,” Poritz said.
The paper has also seen significant expansion over the past years to be more digitally-focused, Balarajan said. With the launch of Gabriella Lewis’ (23C) “Wheel Talk” and Rachel Broun’s (23C) “Within the Margins” podcasts, Balarajan said she is excited to continue expanding the Wheel’s multimedia reach.
“Brammhi is more than just an effective leader,” Broun said. “Her dedication to diversity and mending the relationship between the Wheel and various groups on campus through projects like ‘Within the Margins’ that highlight marginalized voices is commendable.”
Former Managing Editor Ben Thomas (23C), who has worked with Balarajan since his first semester at Emory, echoed her commitment to inclusivity and creating a welcoming environment.
“From the first editorials that we wrote together to our collaboration on last year’s 1963 project, every time that I’ve worked with Brammhi has left me more convinced of the authenticity and strength of her moral compass,” Thomas said.
Opinion Editor Sophia Ling (24C), who has also worked with Balarajan for the last two years, emphasized her leadership and dedication to the Wheel.
Ling added that Balarajan’s background in the Opinion and Arts & Entertainment sections of the Wheel and her spring 2022 news internship at the Georgia Voice have helped her to understand the importance of appreciating everyone on the newspaper.
“She’s genuinely invested in helping people become better editors and better writers and ensuring that everyone who comes to the Wheel is willing to stay and put in the work,” Ling said. “I’m excited to see her lead the Wheel into a place where diversity, equity and inclusion is incorporated in all components of our work, where editors are appreciated for the work they do and where writers can grow with us and stay at the Wheel.”
Ashley Zhu (she/her) (25C) is from Dallas, Texas, majoring in biology and minoring in sociology. She is the vice president of recruitment for the Residence Hall Association, a sophomore advisor for Raoul Hall and a staff writer for the Emory Undergraduate Medical Review. She is involved in cell biology research at the Pallas Lab and is a BIOL 141 Learning Assistant. Zhu enjoys FaceTiming her dog, stalking people's Spotify playlists and listening to classical music in her free time.
