journalism

Michelle Obama Inspires a Cooperative Spirit

Let me preface this by saying no matter which way you lean, you can still read this post. I say this because if you have even an inkling of objectivity—no matter your politics—you have to admit Michelle Obama is one classy lady. And this post is about her.

This post is not about politics (to prove my sincerity, I also admire Barbara and Laura Bush).

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk Michelle Obama and her recent open letter.

“Failure is a feeling long before it is an actual result. It’s vulnerability that breeds with self-doubt and then is escalated, often deliberately, by fear.”

In preparation for the release of her memoir, Becoming, the former first lady recently addressed an open letter to the readers of the Chicago Defender, a newspaper heralded as the “national voice for black Americans.” Of course, I admire that she hasn’t forgotten her roots in Chicago’s South Side. And I love that she credits who she is today to her parents, the teachers who taught her, and the neighbors who looked out for her. But what I find most compelling is her message of hope and cooperative spirit in the face of fear and negativity. She encourages hope not just for a select group of people, but for the whole community—a community working together for the good of all.

“It’s why teachers stayed up late grading papers and summer-camp organizers dedicated themselves to kids all across South Shore. And it’s why my parents invested themselves so deeply into my older brother Craig and me. My mother became one of the most active members of the PTA at Bryn Mawr, raising money for new equipment, throwing teacher-appreciation dinners, and lobbying for classes and strategies that would better serve the neighborhood’s children.” —Michelle Obama

Sharing the Cooperative Spirit

Michelle Obama’s open letter is truly inspiring. When we stand up together, we can push aside fear. When we work together for everyone’s benefit, amazing things can happen.

Next Tuesday, November 27, is Giving Tuesday. It’s also the day I open my mailbox for pro-bono applications. Each year Adunate accepts two pro bono projects for greatly reduced or no cost. These are projects I strongly support and believe will positively impact God’s creation, his people, or his ministry.

My interests include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Agriculture & Animals
  • Architecture
  • Arts
  • Children
  • Environment
  • Faith
  • History
  • Humanity
  • Food & Drink
  • Sustainability

If your organization needs creative support in the coming year, click here for an application. Then, to guarantee your project’s success, be sure to click here!

My deadline for submissions is December 31, 2018. I will let applicants know of my decision in January.

Journalism Takes Another Hit: With Many Angles

Etude Atlantis, by John Roloff: artwork on Atlantic City Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ

So what’s your take on this? Last week the Chicago Sun-Times caused an uproar when it laid off its 28 full-time, award-winning photojournalists. According to this Forbes article, the newspaper “plans to get by with freelance photographers, and rely on reporters to snap photographs with smart phones.”

My first thought: Really? Reporters covering the news with a snap of a phone? Obviously, journalism is going the route of every other industry, where staff is expected to be a jack-of-all trades.

My college degree is in journalism. I’ve never gone into newspaper work but I conduct interviews and shoot photography for the copywriting I do. Let’s just say it gets rather klutzy trying to manage it all. But who am I to be talking—copywriting and news journalism are completely different genres, and while my photography is good, I certainly don’t advertise myself as a professional. Knowing this, I can’t help wondering if someone with an iPhone can visually communicate a story the same way a professional photojournalist does?

Here’s an interesting article written not even two years ago about the craft of photojournalism. Coincidentally, it’s put out by the Sun-Times‘ leading rival, the Chicago Tribune (while the Sun-Times has a longer ongoing history, the Tribune is considered the city’s most widely read paper). Author Alex Garcia, a photojournalist himself, says the most important skill in his trade is anticipation. To truly tell the story, a photojournalist must anticipate positioning, anticipate the decisive moment, anticipate the emotion. Wouldn’t you imagine this foresight comes from skill, experience and an attributed focus to the visual aspect of the event at hand?

Apparently, I’m not the only one who wonders about professionalism. The layoffs have rallied protests and cancelled subscriptions almost as fast as a printing press roles off those newspapers. The Tribune’s Garcia calls it idiocy. And he speculates it’s a union-busting move.

Okay, let’s put aside any correlation between unions and firing 28 photojournalists, one of whom is Pulitzer Prize winner John White. Because, even though there’s a great probability the Sun-Times will rehire full time photojournalists in the future—you know, photographers whose experience justifies a much smaller salary—the point I’d like to discuss is that of changing times and the freelance economy.

According to the Forbes article the Sun-Times says “The Sun-Times business is changing rapidly and our audiences are consistently seeking more video content with their news” (I actually prefer still photography, but I suppose one person’s opinion doesn’t constitute a complete market segment). In truth, the whole newspaper industry is changing. Digital editions have replaced print editions. Advertising revenues have plummeted. And major newspapers, including the Sun-Times, have declared bankruptcy. Is it any wonder newspaper groups are looking for new directions in production and management?

And then there’s the freelancing. Maybe this nomadic work style is by choice, like it is for me; or maybe it’s because of seemingly unfortunate circumstances, as this photojournalist-blogger probably feels. In any event, freelancing is the fastest growing sector of our U.S. job economy and many prejudices that once accompanied it are now forced to the wayside. No longer is a freelancer’s work of lesser quality. No longer must we accept less pay. And safety comes with numbers, which means together we can improve the way we work. Maybe freelancing won’t be so bad for these 28 photojournalists?

Oh, there are many angles to this issue!

What do you think? Do you agree with the Sun-Time firing its photojournalists? Where is journalism headed and what about its quality? And lastly, is there life outside the traditional job market?