Teri Weaver Profile
On the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima, Teri Weaver followed war veteran Tsuruji Akikusa across miles of black sand back to the cave where he spent days in hiding during and after the major World War II battle between the United States and Japan. It was Akikusa’s first time back to “Hell Island” since the battle, 63 years later, and Weaver witnessed the emotional return of the survivor first hand. Although Akikusa had been rescued from his cave decades ago, mentally he was still trapped in his dungeon, seeking closure and peace like he once longed for hope on Iwo Jima.
Weaver recalled in her story that she wrote for Stars and Stripes, almost 11 years ago, that as she and Akikusa drove past an endless stretch of beach, losing hope that they would ever discover the hidden cave, Akikusa saw something that he recognized.
Weaver wrote, “The van stopped in the middle of the road. Akikusa got out and walked straight to the edge, near a copse of bushes and trees. He began crying.”
As Weaver concluded in her story, for the first time since the war, Akikusa was at peace.
This week, she told her Syracuse University journalism students that this story was one of her favorites. Why? Because, like the story of the Iwo Jima survivor, Weaver wants to write stories that are meaningful.
“The goal is to write stories that matter to people,” she said, “To write stories that people want to read.”
Weaver, 48, is returning back to her roots as a public affairs reporter after two years as the food and restaurant reporter for syracuse.com. With her long history of public policy and political writing, she is excited for the challenge and possibility of her new position.
Weaver began her reporting career in 1997 at The Post-Standard in Syracuse. Since then Weaver has covered Syracuse police and food and restaurants, as well as the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo. She worked for U.S. military news source Stars and Stripes for six years in South Korea and Japan, then found herself back where she spent her graduate school years, and many years since, Syracuse.
In her time as a food and restaurant reporter, Weaver spent a lot of time with some Syracuse residents she’d never have known if not for her job. Weaver says she will miss the close connections she has made with the larger Syracuse community.
“For years, you know, I might know the mayor or the county executive and those people are clearly important,” she said, “But I was missing this whole other community of my neighbors and people who live here, and now I feel like I have a much broader sense of the city and this community who lives here.”
After returning to Syracuse and two years as the food and restaurant reporter, Weaver looks forward to writing about government and politics once again. With Weaver’s new assignment, her goal is to help people by reporting on broken government policies and how to build a better community.
Weaver’s ultimate priority in the journalism field isn’t getting the most clicks on syracuse.com or making the most money. Her true passion lies in improving the lives of the people, all around the world, from a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, to Syracuse, New York.
“I’m mostly looking forward to writing stories that really matter to people and that can help people,” Weaver said, “I think that’s really rewarding.”