Bailey Jo Josie said she was supposed to be an artist before she ended up falling in love with journalism.

It was the 2000 film “Almost Famous” that first piqued her interest. The idea of touring the country as a music journalist was enough to inspire her to join the high school newspaper.

Josie’s first role in the newsroom was as a cartoonist. Over time, she branched into writing about movies, music and a guy in her class whose party trick was ripping a phonebook in half. 

After high school, she attended the formerly named Green River Community College in Auburn. Her early course load included painting, drawing and journalism. At The Current she found herself holding almost every possible position in the college-level newsroom from sports editor to advertising manager to beat reporter. Josie relished every experience.

She even met her future husband in the newsroom. It doesn’t get more romantic than a managing editor and a copy editor falling in love. The pair transferred to Western Washington University together and rescued a black cat they named Sakamoto, named after an anime cat. Josie said he is the best assistant she could ask for — as long as she doesn’t disrupt him as he makes her desk his home.

At Western, Josie was drawn to the combination of art and storytelling the visual journalism major offered. 

“It was kinda like when Reese’s cups became a thing, peanut butter chocolate together,” she said. “For me, it was literally like angels singing.”

Senior instructor Joan Connell remembered Josie in Klipsun and her ethics class. 

“She was really high energy, really positive and just that kind of can-do person who is always up for whatever challenge, Connell said. “She just brought a certain kind of enthusiasm — warmth and enthusiasm — she’s just an original.”

Josie’s husband continued his academic pursuits in the Japanese language and culture. When the pair met in 2012, they talked about applying for the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program, a highly prestigious opportunity to teach English abroad. 

When the time came to apply, years later, it was a long application process and an even longer wait to hear if she was accepted. 

On the first day of her internship at the Courier-Herald in Enumclaw, she got the email. A month after graduating in spring 2017, Josie, her newly-wedded husband and Sakamoto were on their way to Japan. 

Although it was a hard decision to step away from the potential future Josie built for herself as a journalist, she saw teaching in Japan as a rare cultural experience and a way to earn enough money to pay off half her student loans.

Despite a love for teaching, Josie knew something else was waiting for her when at the end of the program.

“I was always very conscious of like, I need to really stay in journalistic shape because I can’t be here forever,” she said. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t really do journalism there. Where I lived was way too rural, and also, press laws are really not great there.”

Josie said she stayed more aware of U.S. current events while living in Japan than she did her entire high school and college career. While the pandemic and Trump presidency echoed through the news cycle at home, she was abroad, exchanging global news stories with older community members who attended free English lessons. 

She was vigilant about keeping her writing skills sharp. She became an editor for the exchange program’s magazine and freelanced her movie reviews and cultural commentaries to U.S. outlets. 

What began as a three-year experience stretched into five as the pandemic made traveling — especially with domestic pets — more difficult than ever. Josie was happy to continue teaching in Japan, but when she thought about her future, she saw news writing and the rainy, green Pacific Northwest.

“Once I started thinking about being a real, local reporter, it was like, I wouldn’t want to do that anywhere except in Washington,” she said.

In January 2022, about three months before returning to the U.S., Josie applied for a position as a reporter with Sound Publishing, which owns 43 media outlets in Alaska and Washington. After the hiring and moving process, she was brought on to the team in May. She spent her first summer back in the PNW getting to know her community and prep for relaunching the print edition of Renton Reporter the following October.

It has been a little more than a year since Josie started with Sound Publishing, cementing a place in an industry she always knew was hers. She works to cover facets of her community that are historically misrepresented in the media. Her recent coverage elevated voices during Renton Pride and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Connell said Josie’s open heart and mind are valuable tools when it comes to gaining the trust of readers and sources.

“She has those qualities that make a good journalist and a good teacher,” Connell said. “I think teaching is the same, I mean, you need those same skills.”

Josie sees a future for herself in journalism and plans to continue widening and sharpening her skill set as a journalist.

“‘I’m always trying to better my journalistic ability,” she said. “I don’t think you can ever stop trying to get better, we’re always learning.”

Connell said that attitude is part of what sets Josie apart as a journalist. 

“There are three things that I cannot teach,” Connell said. “Curiosity, empathy and critical thinking. Those are qualities that you have to develop yourself … Bailey Jo had that combination.” 

Japanese culture is still prominent in Josie’s life. Her husband teaches at a family martial arts center. She hopes to travel back and visit some of the people she met — some of whom are in their 80s, others were born right before she left and are now walking and talking. Some of her former students have graduated and are pursuing careers of their own. They check in on each other from time to time over email and social media. 

Despite a love for travel, Josie is not a fan of long flights. She also loves the local news hub she is a part of now and being back in her home state gives her the opportunity to spend time at home with now 10-year-old Sakamoto and watch her nieces and nephews grow up.