Anushka Scudder
Student




Bio
Having lived across India, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, New York, and Florida, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing a rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and perspectives. This global upbringing has not only shaped my worldview but has also fueled my passion for storytelling, communication, and digital media. I thrive in dynamic, multicultural environments, where I can leverage my adaptability and cross-cultural awareness to craft compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
Currently, I am pursuing a degree in Communication Studies and Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing at Northeastern University. My academic and professional journey has been driven by a deep curiosity for consumer behavior, media trends, and brand storytelling. Through my experiences in brand partnerships, social media management, and consumer affairs—gained from internships at Minute Media, FreedaPrint, and the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs—I’ve honed my ability to analyze market trends, develop strategic content, and engage audiences through innovative digital campaigns.
Beyond my professional interests, I am deeply committed to fostering inclusive communities. As the founder of the Desi SWANA Student Affinity Group and co-leader of Students of Color Matter, I have worked to create spaces where underrepresented voices can be heard, celebrated, and empowered. My passion for representation extends into my digital work, where I strive to amplify narratives that challenge stereotypes and inspire meaningful conversations.
As a writer and digital strategist, my goal is to bridge the gap between culture and commerce, crafting content that not only informs but also connects. Whether through social media, brand storytelling, or digital journalism, I aim to create impactful narratives that engage, educate, and inspire.
My Projects

Intersectionality Project
The project I created that won Jameela Jamil's "I Weigh" Scholarship


My College Essay
My college essay that got me into my top university and reached 22k+ likes on TikTok
Things I love About Boston


I absolutely love how accessible the city is and how I can take transportation everywhere

This was taken at a square-dancing event! I like how Boston has new, fun things to do
The scenery in Boston, especially the fens is my favorite.

Enhancing Storytelling with Interactive Media Technology: The Case of the Royal Wedding Livestream
In today’s digital age, media technology is redefining how we consume and interact with content. One striking example is the integration of interactive annotation tools during live streaming, as demonstrated during the Royal Wedding Livestream. This innovative approach not only provided viewers with real-time engagement but also enhanced the storytelling experience through rich, context-specific annotations.
The Technology Behind the Experience
The Royal Wedding Livestream utilized annotation tools designed for real-time integration with live broadcasts. These tools allowed viewers to interact with the stream by clicking on rich, dynamic layers of information embedded within the video. This included text, images, and even video snippets that provided context about key figures, moments, and events during the wedding.
By integrating this technology, the livestream went beyond passive viewing. Viewers could actively explore annotations about notable guests like Serena Williams or Chelsy Davy, gaining insight into their connections with the royal family. For instance, annotations highlighted that Serena Williams and Meghan Markle bonded over playing on the same celebrity flag football team in 2014, adding a layer of personalization to the event.
The Power of Interactive Storytelling
This technology fundamentally transforms storytelling. Unlike traditional media formats, where viewers are passive recipients of information, interactive annotations engage audiences by providing them with the ability to dive deeper into specific aspects of the story as it unfolds. This real-time integration creates a dynamic narrative experience, combining factual depth with audience engagement.
For media professionals, this is an exciting evolution. Interactive tools enable seamless storytelling, opening possibilities for deeper connections with viewers. Events like the Royal Wedding are not just watched; they are explored, understood, and experienced in a richer, more engaging manner.
Why This Technology Excites Media Professionals
As a media enthusiast, I am particularly inspired by the potential of this technology to transform digital storytelling. The use of annotations in real-time fosters a more immersive experience for audiences, enhancing both engagement and information retention. Key benefits include:
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Interactive Storytelling: The ability to provide layered information allows for deeper audience engagement. Viewers can interact with the story, exploring additional context as it unfolds.
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Real-Time Integration: The seamless combination of live content with annotations offers opportunities for real-time reporting, enhancing understanding as events happen.
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Audience Engagement: By enabling audiences to interact with content, the technology personalizes the viewing experience, making it more memorable and impactful.
The Future of Media Reporting
Looking ahead, this technology holds immense potential for revolutionizing news reporting and live event coverage. Here are three ways I envision leveraging these tools in future reporting:
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Enriching Live Events: For live events like elections, international summits, or breaking news, interactive annotations can provide immediate, context-rich information to help viewers navigate complex situations.
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Interactive Educational Content: In educational contexts, annotations can be used to clarify technical terms, provide historical context, or link to in-depth reports, creating a more informed audience.
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Viewer Collaboration: By enabling viewers to suggest annotations or questions in real time, the reporting process becomes more collaborative, fostering a sense of community and inclusion.
Conclusion
The Royal Wedding Livestream exemplifies how interactive annotation tools can elevate storytelling, transforming traditional broadcasts into interactive, immersive experiences. For media professionals, this technology is a powerful tool to create engaging, personalized content that resonates with diverse audiences. As we continue to explore and innovate in digital journalism, technologies like these will undoubtedly shape the future of storytelling.
The New York Times. (n.d.). Annotating the royal wedding livestream. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://rd.nytimes.com/projects/annotating-the-royal-wedding-livestream/
Unequal Air: How Pollution in New York City Differs by Borough and Neighborhood
By: Anushka Scudder
Introduction
New York City is no stranger to environmental challenges, but not all five boroughs experience them equally. Recent air quality data from 2020 to 2022 shows that neighborhoods across the city face vastly different levels of pollution. While some areas enjoy relatively clean air, others, like Sunset Park in Brooklyn, consistently rank among the worst. With growing concerns about environmental justice and the health effects of pollution, understanding these disparities is more important than ever.
The Borough Divide: Who Breathes Easier?
Data collected between 2020 and 2022 reveals clear borough-level trends in air quality. Manhattan, with its dense infrastructure and traffic, might be assumed to have the worst air. However, analysis shows the Bronx and Brooklyn consistently reported higher average pollutant levels. In fact, the mean air quality index (AQI) in the Bronx was 17% higher than in Manhattan across the three-year period. This may be due to industrial activity, fewer green spaces, and denser housing near pollution sources.
Chart 1: Air Quality Shifts by Borough
An interactive chart shows borough-level air quality changes over time, allowing readers to hover and see differences year by year.
Neighborhood Disparities: Spotlight on Sunset Park
When zooming into the neighborhood level, the disparity becomes even starker. Sunset Park in Brooklyn recorded the highest air quality index during the period, suggesting persistent pollution issues. In contrast, neighborhoods like Forest Hills and Riverdale consistently showed lower AQI values. The difference between Sunset Park and the cleanest neighborhoods was nearly 30%, a significant margin with potential public health implications.
Chart 2: Which NYC Neighborhoods Breathe Easier?
These disparities often align with socioeconomic patterns. Sunset Park has a higher percentage of low-income households and industrial zoning. Limited access to green space and proximity to major roadways may further worsen air conditions. The pattern echoes broader national findings that disadvantaged communities often face higher environmental burdens.
Are We Even Monitoring Equally?
A look at data coverage reveals another important concern: where we choose to measure. A bar chart of air quality data points shows a gap in monitoring consistency across boroughs. Manhattan and Brooklyn have the most data points, while Staten Island and the Bronx are underrepresented. This imbalance can skew perceptions of pollution and potentially delay interventions in communities that need them most.
Chart 3: Where Air Quality Gets Measured — And Where It Doesn’t
Using a pivot table, I calculated the average number of annual records per borough. Manhattan averaged over 1,200 data points annually, while the Bronx had fewer than 800. In a city that prides itself on data transparency, this disparity in environmental monitoring calls for urgent correction.
Data Insights and Analysis
To highlight the severity of air quality disparities, I ran a borough-level comparison using mean AQI values. The Bronx’s average AQI was 17% higher than Manhattan’s, and Sunset Park's neighborhood AQI was 30% higher than Riverdale's. I also created a correlation matrix to explore whether neighborhood AQI correlated with socioeconomic variables (e.g., median income, green space per capita). The strongest negative correlation appeared between green space and AQI (r = -0.68), suggesting more green areas are associated with cleaner air.
The chart combining borough and year-level AQI (Chart 1) was created interactively in DataWrapper and includes filters and hover functions for user exploration.
Conclusion
While all New Yorkers deserve clean air, the data makes clear that pollution remains an uneven burden. The differences in borough and neighborhood air quality are significant, and so are the implications for health and equity. Increased monitoring in underserved areas and targeted environmental policy could help level the playing field. For now, the numbers tell a simple story: where you live in New York may determine how well you breathe.
Methods
This analysis used public air quality monitoring data from NYC Open Data (2020–2022). We aggregated air quality index (AQI) values by borough and neighborhood and used pivot tables to calculate yearly averages. One visualization includes an interactive DataWrapper map with borough-level filters. Correlation analysis was performed using Python's pandas and seaborn libraries to compare AQI levels with external demographic indicators.
Data Source
NYC Open Data Portal - https://data.cityofnewyork.us/


