News-y

Last year in mid-February, I was what one might call a cub reporter for Carolina Week – UNC’s student news TV broadcast. I was really nervous in every pitch meeting, and while I turned content for every weekly show, I never anchored or reported live.

In late February of 2019, I pitched that we cover the dedication of a future monument site on Franklin Street where nine African American men staged a sit-in in 1960. I was told to “grab a VO or a VOSOT” (shoot video and maybe a short interview) for the next show. I had no idea what to expect. I had interviewed the Chapel Hill Mayor before about town plans, I had attended council meetings and I had even covered Silent Sam Protests. But this story was different. I learned a lot that day covering the Chapel Hill 9 memorial site dedication. The memory of the sit-in was something with historical gravity that I was lucky to be exposed to covering as a 20 year-old. I arrived to an already crowded sidewalk with reporters from WRAL, ABC 11 and most importantly Carolina Connection. I spent about 6 hours covering the dedication event that day. It began at 4pm and involved speakers, a march down the street to a church service, dance performances, more speakers and finally a reception. I say most importantly Carolina Connection because that day I met my friend Annabeth Poe, another student journalist. We struggled through late reporting on a school night together and bonded over being student journalists. I also met photographer Luke Notestine and reporter Ken Smith from WRAL (their story of that night was great) who were kind enough to ask the small girl with the small camera what she was shooting for and gave me their business cards. When I said I was shooting for Carolina Week, we were able to talk about how my professor, Lynn Owens, used to work at WRAL and is married to current WRAL reporter, Adam Owens. I spent a long time at that event to provide a 30 second VOSOT video for our show. I did get to interview David Mason Jr., one of of the original Chapel Hill 9, which was an amazing experience.

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Last week I went live from Franklin street for Carolina Week, previewing the monument that will be unveiled today at 4p.m. permanently commemorating the Chapel Hill 9. In a full circle moment, Annabeth Poe, now working on Carolina Week too, was with me manning the camera and on the phone with the studio. She was on the phone with the studio so she could cue me when to start since my IFB wasn’t working. While I was standing on Franklin Street with Annabeth in the place we had met as reporters a year ago, I felt something. People in cars waved as they drove by and walkers stopped to ask me what was going on. I loved it, and I’m proud of my performance as well. Check it out (it’s the top story!)

Working on this story reminded me why I do what I do. Why I do things like…spend a Tuesday night in the library until 2am editing a VOSOT about the new Student Body President, when the info came in at 1am, for the top story the next morning, only to be bumped lower in the A block by breaking news about a judge’s decision in a Silent Sam lawsuit. I do that because I love news. There will be hard days, long days and tough days. But I love meeting new people every day and delivering a story to people who have also had a long day and want to be informed. I can’t wait to do this every day!*

*please hire me 🙂