In April, the 2025-26 Inquire Publication Co-Presidents Emilia Macdonald and Lauren Breen hired two team members to take over their roles.
Coni Grajales
Three years ago, I joined Inquire looking for a way to tell stories. I never expected it would become the thing that shaped my university experience. When I started at Queen’s, I was looking for a community where I could challenge myself as a writer. Joining Inquire as a first-year journalist gave me exactly that.
Originally from Mexico City, I moved to Windsor with my family when I was 12 years old. When it came time to choose a university, I was drawn to Queen’s not only for its academic opportunities, but also because I wanted to live in Kingston—a city that has a history and character that stood out to me.
What began as writing articles quickly became an opportunity to ask better questions, collaborate with an incredible team, and tell stories that connected me with the Queen’s and Kingston communities. Over the past three years, Inquire has grown alongside me. I began as a journalist and editor before taking on the role of finance director.
Each position taught me something different, not only about journalism, but also about leadership, teamwork, and what it takes to sustain a student publication driven entirely by passionate student volunteers.
As I enter my final year at Queen’s, completing a double major in Political Studies and History alongside a Certificate in Business, I can confidently say that many of my most meaningful university memories have come from Inquire. The publication has been a constant throughout my degree, giving me opportunities to grow as a writer and build friendships that have made Queen’s feel like home.
These experiences, alongside my role as ASUS Chief Archivist, have reinforced my passion for preserving stories, amplifying student voices, and contributing to a stronger campus community. Now, as the Co-President alongside Emmet, my goal is to build on everything that made Inquire such an important part of my own university experience.
I want every new writer, editor, and member to feel welcomed, supported, and confident enough to grow. More than anything, I hope Inquire continues to be a place where students can develop their skills, share stories that matter, and find the same sense of community that has shaped my time at Queen’s.
If we can leave behind a publication that is stronger, more inclusive, and inspires the next generation of student journalists, then I know we’ll have accomplished something truly meaningful.
Emmet Paradis
Seeing my grandparents’ faces when I handed them a newspaper I had written by hand at eight years old is one of the earliest memories I have of knowing exactly what I wanted to do.
Growing up in Ottawa, whenever they travelled for weeks or months at a time, I documented everything that happened while they were away. I carried a small notebook wherever I went, keeping track of appointments, family news, neighbourhood stories, and whatever else I thought deserved to be remembered.
When my grandparents returned, I’d type everything onto my mom’s hand-me-down computer, edit it as carefully as a child could, print out the pages, and deliver them a newspaper.
The writing wasn’t very good. The reporting wasn’t much better. But that’s where the habit began.
I’ve always felt the need to document everything that happens around me; whether it was those childhood newspapers, the little books I used to write and sell door-to-door for a toonie, or the notebooks that still live in my pocket today: writing has never been something I’ve chosen to do — it’s just how I make sense of what’s happening around me.
Journalism has given that habit a purpose. After graduating from Algonquin College’s Journalism Program in 2023, I knew I wanted to continue telling stories while better understanding the politics that shape them. That led me to Queen’s.
I’m now entering my second year of Political Studies, with a minor in Philosophy, and a Certificate in Law, while serving as the senior news editor at The Queen’s Journal.
Last year, I joined Inquire as a journalist and editor. Now, as co-president alongside Coni, my hope is to help build a publication where students don’t just publish articles — they learn journalism.
Student journalism should be more than a place to see your name in print. It should be a place to ask hard questions, challenge your own assumptions, learn how to report fairly, and become a better writer every time you hit publish.
I want Inquire to be a place where people can learn from me, and I can learn from them. If Coni and I can leave behind a publication that’s stronger than the one we inherited, I believe we’ll have done our job.