STC Spotlight: Angela Kafka

By Angela Kafka

My journey as a technical communicator began with a love for language. Through both my education and personal interests, I started exploring language and its many forms. I then developed a deep appreciation for writing and literature that departed from traditional understandings of quality and experience. From this new standpoint, I noticed that certain voices were underrepresented in contemporary authorship. I wanted to contribute to publications that operate as a vehicle for bringing these voices to the forefront of conversations in writing and literature. This intention led me to the field of technical communications, specifically the role of an editor.

I currently operate as the Communications Coordinator at an Orlando-based nonprofit, Page 15, and have had the opportunity to serve as Editor-in-Chief for their high school writing anthology. This role has taught me the impact of centering certain experiences and allowed me to understand the ethics of working with marginalized voices. As I move towards a career in editing and publishing, I keep the lessons I have learned from my work close to me. I believe we have a responsibility as communicators to use our language to enact positive change in the spaces we value.

Now, as a graduating senior at the University of Central Florida, I work to prioritize these intentions. I want to continue highlighting stories that challenge the status quo. The field of technical communications has often been associated with instructional, neutral work, but I challenge this assumption. Technical communications is more than what it appears; it encompasses the ability to enact change from its source. That is why I am proud to be a member of the technical communications discipline. We are the authors, editors, and producers of informational content, and through these roles, we can inspire a greater understanding of the multiplicity of human experiences.