Monday, August 6, 2012

On the campaign trail

By Delilah Vasquez (Chicago, IL)


I had my first experience as a reporter on the second day of SJP.  The group took a trip to nearby Ewing, New Jersey to listen in on a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.). As the room filled with constituents, I found the courage to interview a few of the attendees.

My first conversation was with an older man who was really cooperative and gave off positive vibes. However, some other people seemed irritated and one man flat out rejected my request to ask him questions. I surprised myself by not being discouraged and I proceeded to speak with other residents.
My reporting experience was enhanced when the congressman addressed the SJP group. Holt started off by advising us as journalists to educate ourselves in history so that we could better understand the present. Eventually, he took our questions. I was pleased when he not only addressed my question, but clearly answered it.

No comments:

Post a Comment