Dream, one step closer to reality

I am a student in the Aboriginal Media course in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. This exciting two-year program is being sponsored by First Nations Technical Institute and Loyalist College. In June, I participated in an internship program with the Native American Journalists Association. A conference in Tempe, Ariz. It became a journalistic experience I will not forget. Our training week was packed with interviewing, news gathering, and writing. We were instructed by Native journalists from across the United States; producers, news anchors, editors, and photojournalists.

Fox 10 Pheonix/PATTY TALAHONGVA In Production - Linda Post, NAJA intern works in the production room at Channel 8 - Pheonix Ariz. at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.

One of my most memorable experiences was a day spent job-shadowing a news reporter from Phoenix’s ABC station. We travelled to a rural area and followed a story about a shooting which required a live report. There was a tremendous amount of teamwork between our remote location and the television station. The accomplishment is something we all assume is so simple.

The goal of our week-long project was to produce two half-hour news casts. Both were aired on a local Pheonix cable television station and included stories from all the students. It was thrilling to be invited behind the scenes to observe the production process. There’s that teamwork again.

Our project was sponsored by NBC network, CBS network, PBS - channel 8, Pheonix; and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

Certainly, it was an overwhelming experience. But the most treasured learning came through encounters with myself.

When I first heard that I was being accepted as an intern to this project, I remember thinking, No! They’ve made a mistake. It can’t be me. And now I can only wonder why we keep telling ourselves, I’m not good enough.

All I can say is keep your eyes open for every opportunity which will allow you to do what you most enjoy doing.

Every experience moves you one step closer to your dream. In my case, that is to find new avenues to continue telling our stories in our way.

Web Site: http://www.medill.nwu.edu/naja/index1.html

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