Get involved!

Me and Rachel Huggins (@HugginsRachel) in Philly for NABJ '11! I'm going to use pictures from the trip for posts as often as possible!

Over the past few months, I have made it my business to become more involved with my local NABJ chapter. I am on the executive board for the chapter at my school and I regularly attend events and meetings hosted by the professionals. I have never left an AABJ event dissatisfied and I always encourage other students to come. Sadly, I think this advice tends to fall on deaf ears.

In April, I wrote an article for my school paper urging journalism students to get involved with student media and professional organizations.

Here's an excerpt:

There are probably hundreds of journalism students on campus, yet, when I have asked students if they are involved in student media, I usually get a blank stare. I usually get the same reaction if I ask someone if they are involved in professional organizations like the Atlanta Press Club or the National Association of Black Journalists.

It seems like that message has fallen on deaf ears. Trying to get people to come to meetings and events can be like pulling teeth. I can make the prettiest flier and talk about networking until I am blue in the face but as the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Only a few horses are drinking.

I didn't write this post to complain or make myself look good. I want this platform to promote student involvement in NABJ and other journalism organizations. Students, we literally have hundreds of opportunity at our finger tips and in our backyards and we're not using them as much as we should. The professionals want to help. They like seeing us at events and speaking up at meetings. After all, they were in our place at one point. They know how hard it is for someone to get into the journalism industry, especially as a person of color. But, the can't help us if they don't know us. We need to get involved.

If you have an NABJ chapter at your school, go to the meeting and show up to the events. If not, get some people together and start one. If you need help, let someone know! Reach out to your NABJ family.

If you're ever in Atlanta or we happen to pass by each other at a convention, speak! I won't bite you and I won't side-eye you. I'm sure there are plenty of other members that have the same open door policy.

As yet another saying goes, a close mouth don't get fed.

How you you get and stay involved?

NABJ 2012 Teaser

I don't know about you but I'm ready! 

Link Love: 10 Steps to Being a Better Student Journalist

Check out this guest post by student member Ameena Rasheed on the NABJ Digital blog.

Here's an excerpt:

I was able to attend the 2011 NABJ Multimedia Short Course at Florida A&M University, Sept. 8-11 and it was an exceptional experience. I learned a wealth of information that made me a better journalist and I feel the need to share those skills that I learned with my fellow NABJ students. Here we go!
1. This first tidbit is one that I received from Florida A&M University Professor Dorothy Bland. Expand your network and get involved in a multitude of journalism and professional organizations. From the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), there are a plethora of associations you can join to diversify your network. Try to shy away from keeping your circle of connections “strictly chocolate.”
2. Make sure you not only know current events, but details about historical events in history like 9/11. Don’t forget about government officials (President’s Cabinet and Supreme Court Justices) and international dignitaries. REMEMBER: Spelling counts, so make sure that you know the names of these people backwards and forwards. Many news organizations, like CNN, give current events quizzes to future employees. The last thing that you want to do is end up unemployed because of something like a misspelled name.

My chapter featured on the national site!

Check it out!

Wordless Wednesday: Workin' At the Car Wash!

I Wish I Went to an HBCU

As I entered my senior year of high school, I was excited to start applying to colleges. I was already dreaming of dorm life and couldn't wait to see what it would be like to "be on my own." I didn't have a long list of qualities I wanted in a college but I did know one thing: I didn't want to go to an HBCU.

That wasn't a typo. Before I went to college, I was anti-HBCU. I believed every stereotype that surrounded them. Every school I attended prior to college had a 99.9% Black student population and I thought I needed diversity or what I thought would be diversity. I had a vision in my head of my multicolored friends sitting in the cafeteria talking and laughing. I didn't think I would find diversity at an HBCU. 

Well, as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.

Thank to the internet and MARTA, I have been able to visit the HBCUs in my city and interact with HBCU students across the country. When I hear these students talk about the history and culture of their schools, I feel a sense of longing. When I visited the AUC, I felt like I was home. The students didn't care if I went to GSU. They just wanted to have a good time. I didn't feel like a brown dot getting lost in a multicolored sea. I was around my people. 

Don't get me wrong, my experiences at GSU have mostly been positive but I feel like I would have excelled had I matriculated in more close knit environment. Yes, State has a lot of resources but they are general resources. One size fits all.

This post might come off as a bit idealistic to some but I don't care. I've been thinking about taking classes at Clark or Spelman for a change of scenery, so I might be able to test my theory. Until then, we'll just have to wait and see.

What do you think? Did you choose the right college? Are there things you would change?

Funk

I was not myself yesterday.

I was beating myself up. I was comparing myself to A, B, C and D.

Essentially, I felt like crap.

Normally, I'm a private person. It's hard for me to open up so it took me hours to muster up the courage to type this post. I don't want come off as a sap but I figure typing a post like this might help someone that is experiencing similar feelings.

I am a social media fiend. I use it every day, throughout the day. As I scroll through my news feeds and time lines, I see people raving about their new internship, apartment, kitchen sink and etc. I love seeing people experience the joy that comes with a new accomplishment but sometimes, there's an evil little voice in the back of my head.

"Why don't you have that?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Sometimes, that little voice sounds like a whisper. Sometimes, it sounds like a shriek. It drives me crazy. But I'm hopeful.

I felt this way when I was still on my Road to Philly. But I ended up in Philly and have several unedited pictures to prove it. I did that and I'm going to do more. I'm going to pull myself out of this funk.

There's a light at the end of my tunnel. There's a light at the end of every tunnel.

Sometimes, I just need a reminder.