Fabian Garcia – Founder/Editor-in-Chief
Hello, my name is Fabian Garcia and I am the founder of Turn Off the Bright Lights. I am a 23-year-old journalist who graduated from UC San Diego in 2023 with a BA in Communications. This website was originally created in 2018 as a blog/portfolio for personal work. In 2023, I opened it up for additional writers to share their work; now it’s a shared space for multiple writers and content producers. “Turn off the Bright Lights” has no official meaning. It’s a play on the Interpol album “Turn on the Bright Lights” but you’re welcome to interpret it however you’d like. My Linkedin.
In 2020 I wrote for a small startup called Scriberr News, their website is now defunct but a majority of my work from them has been reuploaded here.
In 2021 I joined my college newspaper The UCSD Guardian, you can read my work there by clicking here.
In 2023, I got an internship at the WGBH, working for The World with Marco Werman, you can see the stories I worked on here.
In 2024, I got an internship with SportRelay writing about Major League Baseball, you can see my work here.
J. Finn Schwartz – Contributor
J. Finn Schwartz is a 2023 UC San Diego graduate who majored in Environmental Systems. Born and raised in San Diego, Finn is now exploring the many career paths possible within conservation. Having begun his career journey conducting aquatic restoration in the High Sierra, Finn received a student award for his research paper on Blue Carbon in San Diego.
Finn is now volunteering with the Coastal Resource Management sector of the Peace Corps Philippines. Outside of work, Finn will most likely be found outdoors admiring the life that surrounds us all.
Kamiah Johnson – Contributor
Kamiah Johnson is a journalist and critic from Los Angeles. Kamiah started her journalism career in high school at The Green & Gold newspaper as a staff writer turned news editor. She then went on to be the Arts & Entertainment co-editor for The UCSD Guardian before graduating with a B.A. in Visual Arts Media. Kamiah is now a freelancer who is passionate about all things film and television.
Hector Arrieta – Contributor
Hector Arrieta is a writer, photographer, and graphic designer from Los Angeles who graduated from UC San Diego in 2023.
Evan Ambrose – Contributor
Evan Lee Ambrose is a filmmaker and critic from San Diego who graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2023.
Raymond Skinner – Photographer
Raymond Skinner is a photographer and filmmaker from San Diego. He is a current undergraduate student at CSU Northridge in the Film Program.
Turn off the Bright Lights 