THE BYLINE- APRIL 2024 ISSUE

April is the month of blossoming and resurgence. It’s also the month to celebrate arts, culture & creativity. Entering a new quarter of the year brings much needed reflection and motivation to us as we continue to carry out the goals we’ve set for ourselves. Journalism is so broad of a field that creativity, authenticity and alignment are the biggest factors in navigating your niche. Measuring success by their own meter, this issue highlights three professionals who have used their journalistic talents in creative ways to excel in a league of their own.  

Celebrate Arts, Culture & Creativity in Atlanta

• Atlanta Dogwood Festival April 12-14th at Piedmont Park
• Atlanta Film Festival begins April 25th
• Inman Park Festival April 27-28th

Enjoy exhibits from local museums and galleries such as The High Museum, Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), The Atlanta History Center, The APEX Museum, ZuCot Gallery, Trap Music Museum, The King Center, Black Art in America, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art & Clark Atlanta Art Museum.

Announcements

• Our next meeting is April 13th at noon at WSB-TV Studios. We can’t wait to see you there!
• Congratulations to the iN Contact team for producing their first show for 2024!
• Thank you to everyone who attended the memorial service for the late Mr. James Washington. Read about his legacy & impact here.
• NABJ Upcoming Events:
  • April 12-13th: NABJ Region 3 Conference, Tulsa, OK
  • April 20th: NABJ Emerging Journalists Media Institute & Investigative Reporting Summit, New York, NY
  • July 31st – Aug 4th: NABJ National Convention, Chicago, IL

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How Ashley Drayton is Paving Her Own Path

By: Dante Miller

When journalists start their careers, it can be difficult for some to find their niche, especially for those who want to avoid the ‘news’ path. But Ashley Drayton knew from a young age what outlets and beats she wanted to work with; magazines and fashion. Instead of waiting for a path to open, she created her own. 

“I was collecting magazines as a child. I read them all the time. I had dreams of being in Teen Vogue. So I already had this childhood attachment to magazines.” 

Because of her attachment, Drayton continuously wondered how she could create magazine publications for her alma mater, Georgia State University, as a student. 

“Georgia State actually did not have a magazine. I was on Twitter, and this page called ‘Her Campus’ popped up on my feed. I was like, ‘Oh, look at this cute pink organization!’ I went to the website and saw ‘Start your own chapter,’ and it started from there. It launched in 2015 and is still a very prevalent organization today. That was my first experience writing for a magazine,” said Drayton. 

After starting ‘Her Campus’ for Georgia State, Drayton’s experience continued to grow, from working with another digital magazine to starting her blog for a time. In 2020, Drayton found herself scrolling through the internet and found a page that piqued her interest. She ran across CNK’s (Chicks n’ Kicks) Instagram page. CNK is a woman-owned digital publication that discusses women in the sneaker industry, which is very male-dominated. 

“I loved that these two women, Channing and Cassidy, have this platform and are using it to tell stories about women who work in the industry.” Despite not having prior experience writing about sneakers, Drayton wanted to jump out of her comfort zone and see what opportunities would follow–and it paid off. 

Since 2021, Drayton has been a freelance writer and editor for CNKDaily.com. In addition to her writing, she is also an assistant manager for Kate Spade New York. 

She says juggling everything can be a lot, but scheduling and open communication are necessary. 

“I write everything down and have everything on my phone, like reminders and deadlines. If I say I am showing up, I make sure that I have the time to and will show up. Sometimes, that means I bring my computer to work to do stuff on my break.”

Drayton said everyone’s path is different and has their own timeline. She encourages people to pave their path if that road is initially closed, whether you’re freelancing, creating a website, or writing a blog.  

“Keep your experience up, so when the time comes when someone asks for your stuff, you’re ready. I’m at a point where my writing is about to pivot into brand writing. I’m trying to combine retail and writing and venture into the copywriting route. As far as a career goes, that’s something I’m interested in, and I don’t think I would have known that if I didn’t work in retail.”

Drayton is still paving her path by combining her interests & expertise into one. She says that this chapter in her career will definitely start from the bottom up, but she looks forward to what her future holds. To follow her writing journey, check out her portfolio here.

Garrett Brown on What Versatility in the Industry Looks Like

By: Da’Zhane Johnson

At a young age, Garrett Brown became an NBA fan and followed the Atlanta Hawks closely. The hobby of watching the sport helped him decide on a career path in media. Today, Brown works as a content manager, mediacaster and on-air podcast host of his show, while managing his day job at Delta Airlines. 

“I’ve always loved watching basketball and the Atlanta Hawks. Now, I am able to cover them every week, which is cool. Like anything there have been some challenges to get to this place, but it’s just a part of the journey.” said Brown. 

The Georgia native spends his weeks managing four different media roles. Two of them are social media management roles. Although these roles require a sacrifice of time, Brown believes his work will cultivate a bigger job for himself. Brown also highlights his hard work and goal-driven mindset can lead to the longevity of his career. 

“When creating ‘TheGB3Show,’ there were challenges, but it was something I wanted to do.I had to put in many hours, but it happened exactly how I envisioned it. Working with my co-host has also taught me a lot,” he said. 

Brown’s development of multiple skill sets reflects how competitive the media industry is today. He shared how outside of content creation for social media, he’s learned producing, writing and sound engineering. When asked about the next chapter of his career, Brown explained he will become more versatile as an on-air talent. 

“I want to do more work with engineering,” he started. “I’m really looking to expand my podcast and role as a mediacaster. Hopefully as more people continue to tune in, I can stream more and more.”

Although versatility is significant, managing multiple skills and roles can be challenging. Nonetheless, Brown stated with time management and organization, anyone can grasp success.  Brown mentioned how he takes time to plan his weeks in advance so that his schedule goes completely smoothly. The key, he highlights, is to not procrastinate at all. 

“If you can, do it early. The earlier the better. You don’t want everything to pile up, so it’s better to get stuff out of the way, he said. “I will block out time just to plan my weeks or game days.” 

Today, it is common to see people in the media tackle various skills. Brown still wants to emphasize the significance of mastering the basic skills as a foundation. Skills like writing, reading and studying the industry are all significant building blocks for undertaking new talents. 

Brown explained further, “Writing, reading and studying the industry will help anyone become more versatile. Writing is especially big at any job. Keeping those skills intact will allow everything else to flow smoother and keep opportunities coming your way.” 

Overall, versatility comes with time and dedication. Brown hopes his peers can continue moving forward in their journeys, without stressing too much about mastering multiple skills. 

To keep up with Brown, follow him on Instagram @iam.gb_ or X @therealgb__

Ebonee Bailey Proves Diverse Interests Can Lead to a Fulfilling Career

By: Aaleah McConnell

If you ever felt stifled by the thought of choosing a single career, then snag a page from the textbook of this Dekalb County teacher, who manages to educate by day and create by night.

Ebonee Bailey is an interrelated co-teacher for the Dekalb County School District and creative director for an Atlanta-based collective called Creatives After Dark. At 27-years-old, Bailey sits at the helm of her classroom from Monday to Friday, providing unique lesson plans and accommodations for children with special needs. 

When school lets out, Bailey spends the evenings coordinating and conducting artist interviews, brainstorming themes for Creatives After Dark events, and designing marketing materials. Not to mention, the occasional freelance article she takes on for various music publications such as Flurry, an Afrocentric media platform that produces a biannual online magazine. 

Bailey, like many people, considers herself a multipotentialite. These individuals take up an interest in various intellectual and creative disciplines but rarely develop their expertise in more than one area of interest. So the question of which career to settle on presents a challenge for many in this group. For it often means sacrificing one passion over another. Or, having to carve out a new path that consolidates each interest into one, hopefully, lucrative career. 

Though Bailey says she loves teaching and appreciates “the acquisition of knowledge,” as she continues down two different career paths, she is no stranger to the anxiety-inducing, tug-and-pull of pursuing multiple creative endeavors. 

In sticking with the artistic theme, Bailey compares her multifaceted nature to the color orange,  because while some may settle for living in the dull, predictable gray – Bailey thrives in the bold, orange glow of her whimsical life. 

“You don’t know what to expect when you get orange, and I feel the same about myself,” Bailey said. “I could be doing my hair, I could be talking to my friends. I could be doing anything and [an idea] will pop up. Once I get that idea, I fixate on it.” 

But Bailey said her roles have quite a bit of overlap. As a fourth-generation educator, Bailey emphasizes educating Black artists, writers and musicians about the culture of mass media as they carve out their own space in Atlanta’s creative scene. 

And Bailey understands that the issue of not knowing how to balance multiple passions has roots in the classroom, she said just as her students need to see their culture represented in the curriculum to achieve academic success, professional artists need to see themselves reflected in the different creative mediums in which they aspire to excel. 

“Getting into this [field], you realize a lot of people are not media trained at all, they just start doing music because it’s something that they love to do,” Bailey said. “The beautiful thing is I’m teaching artists marketing and public relations.” 

“Through Creatives After Dark, I’m building a platform where Black women (and all Black people) are allowed to express themselves professionally,” Bailey said. “Creatives After Dark shines a spotlight on our people in a way that teaches our community to love ourselves, just the way we are.”

Establishing a seat at the proverbial table for Black artists is a goal Bailey clings to with all her might. Though Bailey remains adaptable and open to her synchronistic instincts, she believes focus is key to any creative routine. 

That requires a strong ability to concentrate and manage time wisely on self-guided projects, which is challenging for those who jump from interest to interest. Therefore, Bailey suggests planning a few small tasks to complete each day.  

“I focus on getting three things done every day. It doesn’t matter what those three things are. It’s just, every single day, something different from what I did yesterday,” Bailey said.

Bailey adds that, with structure and self-confidence, multi-talented people inevitably find their glow.

To stay up-to-date with Creatives After Dark, visit their website: creativesafterdark.us, and follow them on Instagram @creativesafterdark. Connect with Ebonee Bailey on Instagram @theefinestebonee. 

This issue of The Byline was edited by Mya Grant, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ), and Mandisa Johnson, Chair of The Byline. 

THE BYLINE – MARCH 2024 ISSUE

Happy Women’s History Month! During the month of March, we shed light on the incredible contributions made by women and look forward to all the accomplishments to celebrate. In this issue of The Byline, we featured three amazing women in different areas of journalism. It’s also worth to note that all articles were written and edited by Black women writers. Throughout history, women have faced many trials and tribulations to get to where we are in society now and we’re still not done. Let’s continue to celebrate, support and protect women this month and beyond!

Announcements:

• The Byline is looking for an Editor/Chair! Please contact Mya at myagrant3716@gmail.com for inquiries and more information.
• Our next chapter meeting is March 9th at noon at WSB-TV Studios. We have an exciting Women’s History Month panel prepared! Come out, network & hear from some of the most influential Black women journalists.
• NABJ Upcoming Events:
  • March 23rd: NABJ Arts & Entertainment Media Institute, Los Angeles, CA
  • April 12-13th: NABJ Region 3 Conference, Tulsa, OK
  • April 20th: NABJ Emerging Journalists Media Institute & Investigative Reporting Summit, New York, NY
  • July 31st – Aug 4th: NABJ National Convention, Chicago, IL

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Madeline Thigpen Talks About Highlighting All Voices

By: Dante Miller

When you’re a Black woman who covers criminal justice, it can be a unique experience. Madeline Thigpen often found herself being the only Black woman while covering her stories and finding the ‘joys’ in her beat can be difficult. 

Thigpen has been Capital B’s criminal justice reporter since August 2022. Balanced reporting is important to her when covering a story—especially stories or people other media outlets might overlook.

“There’s a lot of messed up things happening with the criminal justice system,” said Thigpen. “But there’s also a lot of people doing the work to improve the criminal justice system.” 

A couple of those people doing the work include KaCey Venning, co-founder and executive director of HEY! (Helping Empower Youth), and Justin Ballenger, Morehouse professor and advocate for positive behavioral intervention and support. Thigpen spoke to them for her article “Inside One Black Mom’s Fight Against Expulsion in Fulton County,” a story about the expulsion of Zaire Byrd, who received a long-term suspension after getting into a fight even though he didn’t have a prior disciplinary record.

Before joining Capital B, the New Jersey native worked as an education reporter for The Atlanta Voice through Report for America. Her experience with both beats gave Thigpen a different perspective on how intertwined the education system and the criminal justice systems are.

When covering education and criminal justice, Thigpen looks at the bigger picture. She wants to report the socioeconomic reasons why a student is acting out in class or why an individual might commit a crime. She actively avoids being the reporter who parachutes in and out when covering a story once the article is submitted.

For about a year, Thigpen has been reporting on the infamous development of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, also known as Cop City. She has touched on this with her interviews with NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. 

The development sparked controversy because of its location in one of Atlanta’s ‘Four Lungs’ in the Weelaunee Forest area. Surrounding residents in the predominantly Black community also feel that this will cause further excessive policing. Additionally, much of the land included in the development plans were a part of the abandoned Old Atlanta Prison Farm.

Even though the coverage of Cop City has gained national attention, Thigpen says at the end of the day, it’s a local story. 

“It’s important for local outlets like Capital B and others to be committed to covering everything,” said Thigpen. “Because many stories wouldn’t be public knowledge if it weren’t for local reporters.”

Thigpen also stressed the importance of being a Black woman who works in local journalism. 

“For so long, we have heard only one or two types of voices,” said Thigpen. “All of our voices are important.”

One of the things Thigpen enjoys about working with outlets like Capital B is that she can highlight Black voices.  

 “What I like about being a reporter and writer is that I demystify some of these things for our readers,” said Thigpen. “Capital B is committed to finding and highlighting black voices, especially for black readers.”

Although her hard news stories attribute to her reputation, highlighting stories like Black women who are fire chiefs are considered a win in her book, too. 

Read more of Thigpen’s stories here or keep up with her journey on X (formerly known as Twitter.)

Atlanta Nonprofit Leader is Reframing Narratives One Teen at a Time

By Aaleah McConnell

As Executive Director of VOX ATL, Charaun Cash is not only brainstorming ways to amplify the voices of Atlanta’s youth, but is also reframing what a person in power looks like. This Women’s History Month, we acknowledge Cash for leading the noble mission at VOX ATL, a nonprofit based in Atlanta, spearheaded by a cohort of teens ranging from ages 13 to 19. 

Cash proves that a high-powered executive can be anyone, from anywhere, and can even come packaged as a go-getting Black woman with a cause. The nonprofit, which celebrated its 30th year of operation in 2023, was built on the notion that teens are often misrepresented – being portrayed as aloof and uncaring about the issues impacting their world. So, as executive director of the teen-led organization, Cash is making sure that the next generation of decision-makers have the opportunity to publish multimedia work subverting these narratives.

Cash grew up in Jefferson Township right outside of Dayton, Ohio, where she graduated from a high school class of only 35 people. Growing up in such a tight-knit community provided a wealth of matriarchal figures who inspired her to help others and create change. 

“It takes a village,” said Cash. “I wouldn’t be here without my village of women who have poured into me and have continued to pour into me. They’re the reason I am who I am.”

And now, she is leading a village of young journalists of her own. 

“Honestly, teens already have their voice,” said Cash. “It’s just a matter of them harnessing its power.”

In addition to leading the news organization and raising funds to sustain operation, Cash also works hands-on with the nonprofit’s after-school program. There, she gets the opportunity to mentor teens one-on-one and see them grow as multimedia journalists. Cash says everyday brings with it a new set of challenges but as a first-time executive director, she is happy to take on the responsibility. 

“At Vox, they’ve learned how to harness the power of their voice and make it much louder,” said Cash. “We’re just here as a conduit. For me, that is the most fulfilling aspect of the work that we do.”

But being that it is Women’s History Month, Cash believes it is important to shine a light on the challenges that may come with accepting a leadership position. Cash admits that signing on for the role was nerve racking at first, especially with changes going on in her life as a wife and a mother. 

“I was very nervous about how I would be impacting my family,” said Cash. “Like the cautionary tale of a woman choosing a career over her family and being resented for it.” 

Though she jokes now that the only barrier keeping her from putting VOX ATL on the map as the city’s preferred source of news for teens, by teens, is not being able to duplicate herself. Cash is grateful to have a mother and a husband who provide a support system that helps her lean into the demands of the job without fear or judgment. 

“It’s not that I’m neglecting my family, because I choose to pursue my career,” said Cash. “It’s that I’m helping my family because I choose to pursue my career.”

Cash believes that women should be uplifted by their achievements and accomplishments, no matter how big. Inspiring the next generation is a huge honor and responsibility but nonetheless, rewarding. Cash says she is grateful that she didn’t let fear get in her way and encourages others to step outside of their comfort zones. 

To keep up with what Cash is doing with VOX ATL or become a volunteer on the team, visit VOXATL.org

The Glo-Getter of Paid Media

By: Radhiya Alston

Showing up every day as the best version of yourself is what Candii Woodson-Witchard lives by. As the Media Director of AT&T/Cricket Wireless and Founder of Miss Packlight, her journey has been a perfect example of tapping into your potential and investing in yourself. 

Woodson-Witchard’s journey began during her undergrad at Furman University majoring in communication studies. She envisioned herself working in public relations, sports marketing or radio and interned at multiple marketing firms and radio stations to help with narrowing down a pathway. 

“I thought this would help me lock down what direction I was going to go in,” said Woodson-Witchard. 

After completing her bachelor’s degree program at Furman, Woodson-Witchard went on to earn her master’s degree from Mercer University with a concentration in marketing. At this time, Woodson-Witchard was also working as a marketing intern for the Atlanta Braves before entering her career in radio sales, but she was starting to realize that she needed to make some shifts. 

“Radio was kind of a dying medium,” said Woodson-Witchard. “I knew it was time to make a change.”

Woodson-Witchard decided to shift into digital sales and looked towards media advertisement as her next step. In 2007, she started building her portfolio to pitch to paid media agencies and the rest is history. Since then, she’s had the opportunity to work with brands like Verizon Wireless, Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin Donuts and Georgia-Pacific, helping these brands grow their consumerism through paid advertisements. 

Her career path and experiences were things she didn’t think existed but her background in communications and business helped prepare for it, along with the network she’s developed over the years.

Since 2019, Woodson-Witchard has been the Media Director for AT&T/Cricket Wireless, where she’s responsible for the media planning of the company. She recalls the time she saw the position open and how one of her previous boss and mentor helped and encouraged Woodson-Witchard to apply. 

“It was such a full circle moment,” said Woodson-Witchard. “Going from having her as a boss to now having her as a client.”

Outside of being a media director, Woodson-Witchard is the proud founder of Miss Packlight, a supportive space that empowers women in all aspects of life. The organization started as a blog in 2010 and has grown into a successful community since 2018. 

“I created Miss Packlight to create that space to get real and not present ourselves as if everything is all awesome,” said Woodson-Witchard. 

Miss Packlight’s mission is for women to learn to live in their light, shine in their light and go towards that light. Woodson-Witchard’s goal with Miss Packlight is to create a tight knit community and hold a space for women to feel safe about being vulnerable and showing up as their authentic selves. There’s more in store as Woodson-Witchard is currently working on a new project, a space focused on the wellness and wellbeing of Black women and women of color, She Packlight. 

To follow Woodson-Witchard’s journey and keep up with Miss Packlight, visit her website or follow her on Instagram. 

This issue of The Byline was edited by Mya Grant, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ)

THE BYLINE NOVEMBER 2023 ISSUE

It’s Not My Job, It’s My Passion!

As we head into the holiday season and as the end of the year is just before us, this is a great time to reflect on the past year: successes, losses, challenges, wins, as well as opportunities and goals that we have yet to accomplish. This issue of the Byline features two Atlanta journalists who talk about their careers in journalism. Whether it is in front of the camera or behind the scenes, these two women have followed their passions, leading them to accomplish the successes they have achieved today. It is not just about having a job, it is about knowing who you are, knowing what you want, and knowing what your gifts and talents are. With this realization, anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Let’s get serious about our purpose so that we too can make an impact and inspire others!

Lisa Rayam Speaks on Her Longstanding Journalism Career

(Pictured: Lisa Rayam)

By

Mya Grant

Longevity in the journalism industry is more than the trust you build in your community, the ratings and reads you bring to your station or publication, or the renowned household name long after you’ve retired. Veteran journalist, Lisa Rayam, has enjoyed the course of her career, having the opportunity to continue her passions over the 20 plus years she’s been in journalism.

Raised in Phoenix, AZ, Rayam’s older sister was involved in the speech team at her high school and she wanted to follow in her footsteps. Once Rayam herself made it to high school, she enjoyed studying speech and wanted to see where these studies would take her beyond academics. While exploring her options, she began freelancing for the local Black-owned newspaper, The Arizona Informant, and was secure in her decision that she wanted to pursue journalism once she went to college.

While attending Arizona State University, Rayam believed that print journalism was going to be the route and career she wanted. She interned at another local newspaper and wasn’t completely certain about a career in print journalism but still enjoyed the art of storytelling. By her senior year, Rayam decided to try radio broadcasting through another internship with the campus radio station. This internship reignited her interests in journalism while giving her exactly what she was looking for.

“I like the immediacy of radio,” said Rayam. “I like being on the radio, I like telling stories, four and five on them a day as opposed to one for two and three days, and I just caught the bug.”

After graduation, Rayam was hired at KYCA Radio in Prescott, AZ and began reporting, learning the basics and perfecting her skills as a journalist. While transitioning into her next radio role in the Phoenix area, she noticed many of her peers were working in television, which she too was now interested in.

While still working within the small Arizona market, Rayam obtained her first job in television and continued to learn everything she could about journalism. As her career began to take off, she would go on to work at other smaller stations between Arizona, Florida and Georgia.

“The bug for me started with working at tiny stations,” said Rayam. “Learning all the ropes and kind of moving around to see where I fit in and what I liked best.”

Once she got to Atlanta, Rayam began working as a news anchor at WAGA-TV, also known as FOX 5 Atlanta. From 1994 to 2016, she anchored the 5 p.m. news broadcast and continued reporting on compelling stories. Her favorite aspect of her job was being able to combine everything that she had done and learned in previous roles to help her in this new role. She found her work exciting, thrilling and incomparable to anything else that she had ever done.

“I love breaking news,” said Rayam. “There was nothing like being on set telling a breaking news story and there was nothing like being out on the field conveying a breaking news story.”

Her love for storytelling and the great team of journalists she worked with led her to winning several Emmy awards for breaking news stories and reports. It all came together for Rayam as she made strides in the city and career that she has worked so hard for. She always dreamed of being in Atlanta, a top ten news market in the country and once she got here, she did everything she could to make the best of it. From bumping into Coretta Scott-King in the bathroom to having former mayor, Maynard Jackson, personally welcoming her to the city, Rayam flourished in the city and in her career.

After a 21-year career at FOX 5 Atlanta news, Rayam decided to transition back to broadcast radio. Now at WABE as a senior producer and anchor for NPR’s Morning Edition Atlanta, Rayam is enjoying her longstanding reputation and the endless number of opportunities she comes across to tell compelling stories. Rayam encourages other young journalists to take their time and learn everything there is to know about their career to ensure longevity the same way she has.

Tune in Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. to listen to Rayam’s newest stories and follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter).

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Senior Producer Ericka Wilson Gives Tips for Recent Graduates

(Pictured: Ericka Wilson)

By

Da’Zhane Johnson

Chicago-native Ericka Wilson was a child with a curious and talkative spirit. Wilson recalled her childhood as the start of her career. She watched Black women on television, like Dianne Burns and Oprah, which fueled her passion into her college life.

In college, Wilson studied broadcast journalism and participated in five internships. Her roles included work in public relations, event production and television news. Eventually, these experiences helped narrow her career path into television production.

“At one point I thought I wanted to be a news anchor. But it was my last semester in college where I took a news producing course. This is when I said, ‘this is what I want to do. I want to be behind the scenes directing the narrative of our station,’” she explained.

Wilson is a Morning Senior Producer at Atlanta News First, in Atlanta where she builds the 4:30 a.m. news cast. From deciding reporter assignments to copy editing scripts, her early shifts are planned efficiently. When discussing her early mornings, Wilson reiterated how passion is the driving force for journalists.

“You have to be passionate in order to be a journalist. This isn’t a job where you just get up and go ‘okay let me go in and collect my paycheck,’” she begins. “In order for you to be happy and successful with it, you have to have a passion for it.”

After acknowledging their passion, she said the next step is to begin practicing the craft. Whether it’s writing scripts, rehearsing stand-up shots or reading, the success to a journalist’s career is built on repetition.

“As a journalist, you want to be a reliable source and people want to know that you understand what you’re talking about, so you have to read. Shoot as much content as you can, even if you have to shoot it all in one day,” she said.

There should also be a time of self-reflection as well. Particularly for recent graduates, Wilson explained knowing your strengths and weaknesses leads to opportunities of growth and transparency. When looking for a new job, people should recognize what they want from each opportunity as well. This level of awareness is good for employers too.

“Have at least three things in mind you want from the opportunity. That could be making a certain amount of money or working a certain shift,” Wilson stated. “If you know you’re really good with politics and that’s what you like to write about, you should let your team know this is where you come in strong.”

Lastly, graduates should also be open-minded and make themselves available for opportunities. Wilson implored that people should be willing to relocate. With Atlanta being her fifth market, she’s implemented this tip several times in her career too.

After the new year, Wilson will begin producing a later news cast, but is still grateful to be in the Atlanta market, telling stories to the Black community. Her next career goal is to transition into news management and eventually become a General Manager. She also is interested in running for a Board position with the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) for the 2024 – 2026 term.

To keep up with Wilson’s journey, follow her on LinkedIn and check out her work on Atlanta News First.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ).

THE BYLINE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE

Veteran AJC Reporter Speaks on Upcoming Documentary “The South Got Something to Say”

(Pictured: Ernie Suggs)

By

Da’Zhane Johnson

This year marks the 50th anniversary of hip hop. Although the genre’s birthplace is the Bronx, New York, there is undeniable influence created in the city of Atlanta. The influence left cultural impacts on arts, politics, sports, business and more.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is celebrating the anniversary by highlighting the city’s contributions to the genre and the evolution of the sound. In addition to the numerous exclusive content, the outlet will be releasing a documentary titled “The South Got Something to Say” on Friday, Nov. 3.

“The paper correctly saw that Atlanta plays a huge role in the evolution of hip hop. Atlanta’s hip hop movement is unlike anything the country’s ever seen.” spoke Ernie Suggs, a veteran reporter for the newspaper. “There are different ways to tell stories now, so we decided to make a film.”

The Brooklyn-native has worked for the newspaper for nearly three decades. Suggs spent time covering night cops and city politics, however, his main passion is covering race and culture.

In 2021, Suggs co-curated AJC’s Unapologetically ATL newsletter. The newspaper serves as an agent for Atlanta’s Black residents. Each Thursday, the newsletter emphasizes Black issues and cultural topics. The producers also connect with the community by previously holding events, like a free yoga class.

With Atlanta being his second home, Suggs reported on numerous civil rights leaders, including Coretta Scott King and Representative John Lewis. Just last year he published “The Many Lives of Andrew Young,” where Young’s career is told through words and pictures the work of Ambassador Andrew Young.

“He’s been a congressman, civil rights leader, ambassador, pastor and the Mayor of Atlanta. All that wrapped in one person is phenomenal,” Suggs began. “It was a very meaningful process to write his story. Outside of my work as a newspaper reporter, it’s been the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done.”

With the help of his colleagues, Suggs worked as a writer on the upcoming documentary. There are featured interviews from hip hop icons like Jermaine Dupri and political figures like Senator Raphael Warnock.

The two-hour film is a celebration of history, but there is still a spotlight on newcomers in the game. Atlanta artists like Kalii and Lil Baby are also in the conversation when showing the progression in hip hop’s overall sound. Overall, the newspaper sought to portray the hip hop movement through “homegrown voices,” without any generational gaps.

“There’s an evolution of sound and of Atlanta’s growth, so we felt it was important to tell Mojo’s story. But it’s also important to tell Kalii’s story. We wanted to tell the full encompassing story of Atlanta hip hop that started in 1982,” Suggs said.

The newspaper has not released which platform will house the documentary, however, there is a full-day program on Nov. 2 before the official release. From 9 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST, executives and creators will have an interactive discussion about Atlanta’s present hip-hop scene. Some of the discussions included predicting hip hop’s next 50 years and exhibiting advocacy for rap music.

Following the day, there is a premiere screening at Center Stage Theater and starts at 6 p.m. EST. Afterwards, viewers can participate in a Q&A with all the film’s creators. Tickets for this red carpet are now on sale.

“I don’t know what we can expect in terms of ratings, but we do know that we’ve come up with a really good movie. This is a solid piece of artistic work,” said Suggs. “We’ve put together a living document that tells Atlanta’s story.”

To keep up with more updates on “The South Got Something to Say” and witness more hip-hop related content visit the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s website. Suggs also posts frequently about the film on Instagram and X.

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Emmy Award Winning Journalist Faith Jessie Speaks on Her Journalism Career

(Pictured: Faith Jessie)

By

Tianna Faulkner

Atlanta Newswoman Faith Jessie is not letting her age define her work. The 11 Alive Atlanta news reporter is covering great news stories and is being recognized for it. Jessie who graduated from the University of Southern California in 2014 has proven that hard work pays off regardless of your age. In her short journalism career, she has won three Emmy Awards, all of which she won in one year. Being intentional about the types of stories she covers has opened doors for her and has paved the way for her to obtain notable opportunities throughout her journalism career; and the best is yet to come.

“NABJ is why I am a journalist. I went to the convention in Orlando, Florida in 2012 and it sparked my interest in journalism,” said Jessie. “I was a reporter in the number one news market in the country in New York. It is great to be recognized for my work. I was doing investigative reporting. I was in awe that my peers decided I was worth of an Emmy Award.”

Jessie, has covered a variety of topics, including coverage of the 2020 election, the 2016 Democratic National Convention, protests in Las Vegas following George Floyd’s death, stories about the Black maternal death issue, and the COVID-19 pandemic, to name a few. She says, although she has been recognized for her work, there is more she wants to cover. She said she likes being challenged at work, including the long days she had covering the Trump trial in Atlanta and she is using her platform and access to help people (now in Atlanta).

“I love being here to break down difficult topics for people to learn something new and to know what’s going on in their communities,” said Jessie. “It is nice to be able to educate people on things. It is very fulfilling.”

She advises journalism students and young journalism professionals to join the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) to be a part of student projects, to go to meetings, and to get involved in those spaces. Additionally, she says students and young professionals should get a mentor. Her work has also taken her abroad to Germany, where she has been a part of the Gun Reform German exchange program through the Radio and American Sector Program since 2018. Through this program she learns about gun reform in Germany compared to gun reform in the United States.

“My mentors Rod Carter and Andre Senior helped me do my reel and get my first job out of college. I met them through NABJ,” said Jessie. “I will be hosting a German student as a part of the Radio American Sector Program.”

Prior to working in Atlanta, Jessie has worked in Upstate New York at WICZ-TV, Las Vegas at KSNV-TV, and Long Island, New York at Newsday TV. Atlanta is the first place she has worked where she has family, which she loves. She said Atlanta is a city of Black excellence and that of all the places she has worked, there is a lot of history in Atlanta, including the Civil Rights Movement. Her story is an example for all journalists, young and old, that experience, along with talent, drive, and a great work ethic can lead to success.

“Atlanta is a very large news market and I have really learned about Atlanta as an adult. There is a lot happening here and there is never a shortage of stories to cover,” said Jessie. “I am a journalist at my core, and it is blessing to be here and have the opportunity to cover news.”

Follow Faith Jessie on Instagram @FaithJessie or visit her website Faith Jessie.

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Shumuriel Ratliff Explains the Importance of Professional Relationships

(Pictured: Shumuriel Ratliff)

By

Mya Grant

We all know the popular saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” and it’s proven itself to be true in many ways. Making connections can carry you farther in your career than your skillset and public relations professional, Shumuriel Ratliff, is well versed in building those genuine relationships, as well as benefiting from them.

During her time at Winston-Salem State University, Ratliff went through the majority of undergrad undecided but excelled in areas that required her creativity and writing skills. Her roommate at the time suggested that she try the communications track and see where that took her. Ratliff enjoyed storytelling and being able to exercise her creativity and went on to join the school newspaper.

After graduating college, Ratliff began working as a television reporter. Through her experiences, she was always looking for the next big step for herself and decided that she wanted to transfer into roles along the lines of a communications manager. It wasn’t always easy explaining to prospective employers that the skills she acquired closely aligned with the roles she had applied for.

“It was a hard switch to make because there were so many interviews and just not really being able to tell how I could help back then,” Ratliff said.

Transitioning away from being in front of the camera, Ratliff landed a position behind the camera at CBS46 (currently known as Atlanta News First). At this job, she built a connection with her boss – also, her current mentor – and would continue to make those connections to assist in the progression of her career transition.

“It just got to the point where I was just like ‘Hey, just checking on you, sending good vibes and hope you’re having a good week’,” said Ratliff. “And doing those things – for me just to be considerate – led to me getting out of the business.”

Since stepping away from reporting, Ratliff wasn’t telling stories anymore and she missed that. Creating content allowed her to continue to tell stories and dive into her creativity in many aspects. She started making YouTube videos where she talks about life, career and everything in between. It was initially started as a makeup channel since Ratliff has had much experience doing her makeup while reporting but snowballed into the content she enjoys putting out now.

“That’s just another opportunity for me to still be creative,” said Ratliff. “Whether it be how I shoot it or edit it, just to not let that part of me die because the creative is strong.”

As the current corporate communications manager for Cox Enterprises, a lot of her work revolves around building and maintaining those relationships with clients, coworkers and other correspondents. Ratliff highly encourages other professionals to build organic relationships with who they can and be strategic about it. Always reaching out for a need isn’t the correct way to build those relationships.

Finding people that align with your goals, explaining the reason why you reached out and how they could help, putting in the effort to talk to them regularly and being open to learning from them are some of the most impactful ways to build and maintain strong relationships.

“I think it’s safe to say every role I’ve gotten, especially since leaving TV, has been because I knew somebody or I knew somebody who knew somebody,” said Ratliff.

As journalists, we’re already equipped with the skills needed to fulfill our roles, but our connections and relationships is what drives our careers. Build and maintain those strong connections and see where it takes you.

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Use What You’ve Got: How Nichole Owens’ Journalism Career Made Her a Great Storyteller

(Pictured: Nichole Owens)-Photo Courtesy of The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta

By

Radhiya Alston

Sometimes in life you must know when to pivot. This is a lesson that Nichole Owens has lived by. Owens is the current Storytelling Manager at The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. She has held various positions over the years in media before securing her current role. Owens, a communications guru known for her storytelling, shares how each position she had prepared her for her dream job today.

Owens grew up in a military family, where her father was in the United States Army. Her family lived in Hawaii, North Carolina, and in Germany. After high school, she attended Ithaca College in Ithica, New York, where she studied television and radio broadcasting. Owens explained that with her father was still stationed in Germany and that attending Ithaca College gave her a chance to be close to her father’s side of the family who lived in New York.

“At the time Ithica was known for their communications program, and my dream was to be an international news correspondent,” Owens said. “While at Ithaca, I was a part of the student news cast, where I co-anchored for about a year with David Muir, ABC’s current world news anchor.”

While at Ithica College, Owens also had two internships.  In 1993, she interned at the CNN News Bureau in New York City. She explained that during this internship she wanted to be in the field with the reporters and she spent a lot of time at the assignment desk. Her second internship was in Atlanta at WGST Radio. There she interned with Maria Boynton, the current News Brand Manager and Public Affairs Director for Audacy Atlanta.

“While working at the radio station, I learned the difference between writing for television and radio and I did news gathering, and stacked shows,” Owens said. “In 1994 I graduated from college and got my first job as a video journalist at CNN in Atlanta.”

In that role Owens said part of her responsibilities were pulling scripts and making sure the anchors had scripts. She knew very quickly that this was not what she wanted to do. Owens wanted to write and do more of what she had previously done in her internships. After ten months, she left CNN and moved to Wako, Texas where she was the weekday reporter/line producer for KXXV-TV. In 1997, Owens came back to Atlanta and worked at WSB TV, where she wrote news for Monica Kaufman and John Pruitt during the five, six, and 11 o’clock news.

By 2008, Owens was laid off from her job and began working in sales. She took her severance package and started her own copywriting consulting firm. She explained that through her business, she was able to help companies tell their story and sell their products. Owens ran her business for 13 years before getting hired at The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta.

“As the Storytelling Manager, I am able to amplify voices for those that need to be heard through my storytelling,” Owens said. “I have reimagined my job description from a traditional public relations practitioner to a Storytelling Manager.”

In this position Owens oversees the storytelling strategy of the organization and said her work as a journalist prepared her for her current role which she loves. For more information, visit

The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta.

Members, please look out this month for upcoming information about AABJ’s Candidate Forum where AABJ members interested in running for 2024-2026 AABJ Board positions will speak on their platforms for office.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists’ Vice President of Print.

THE BYLINE-SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE

Summer is over, school is back in session, and fall is just about here. There is a lot going on in the world today: earthquakes, flooding, fires, shootings – one disaster after another. The things that seem to be so important are not so important anymore.

Thankfully in the midst of trials, there is still some good in the world today. In this issue of the Byline, we feature two Black journalists who have had different experiences throughout their careers, yet they love what they are doing as media professionals today and we are excited about it!

How Journalism Shows Up in Other Career Industries with Janita Poe

(Pictured: Janita Poe)

By

Mya Grant

As journalists, we take on many hats and learn many skills that can take us beyond a career in media. Many affluent journalists have non-media related businesses and side jobs and even find a way to use their skills in other industries, like Janita Poe, the current News Manager at the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).

Like many others in college, Poe was trying to figure out what exactly she wanted to do for her career. During high school, she excelled and enjoyed her language and history classes but wasn’t involved in any student media. While attending Florida State University, she closely volunteered with the Black student union organization and became editor of their newspaper. That’s when it sparked her to pursue a career in journalism and continue her education with earning her master’s degree from The University of Georgia and a doctorate from Georgia State University.

Poe’s journalism career began in the early 90s at the Chicago Tribune where she covered the education beat. During her time working there, Poe mainly covered news about the Chicago Public Schools and the political initiatives taking place during a mayoral election.

Upon moving back to Atlanta, Poe tested her editing skills at the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) and became a senior business reporter. Not only did Poe cover business and the CityLife column, she was also given the responsibility of editing stories for the education beat.

“I’ve always had an interest in education and languages and the global world,” said Poe.

Poe’s love for education and global languages grew immaculately during the time she was earning her doctorate’s degree from Georgia State University and celebrating her 60th birthday. While visiting France, she had the opportunity to tutor a young boy in English while being hosted by his family for three months. Poe considers them her adopted family and used that opportunity to expand on what she already loved.

With her main focus being and doctorate’s degree being in global communications, Poe used her skills and knowledge within the education field to participate in many studies around the world on the English language and other language barriers among students and in the education system.

“Education has always been in the mix,” said Poe. “All the way through my PhD studies.”

Even early on in her career at the AJC, Poe wouldn’t take certain opportunities and promotions that would take her away from the education beat. It was more than having a niche, it was Poe finding and actively working towards her passion.

Over the course of her career, Poe has worn many hats and learned many things that would propel her forward into her career at SREB. As news manager, she’s able to use skills she’s picked up along the way that easily transfer over into her day-to-day responsibilities.

“I feel that I have learned so much by being out of one stream,” said Poe. “And being able to jump in different streams and meet people and understand how different segments of society operate… and because of that I’m a better person for it.”

Much of Poe’s work consists of making the public aware of what SREB is about and improving the quality of education in the South. One of Poe’s greatest accomplishments within her newfound role is that she pitched and executed a 75th anniversary digital project for SREB. She continues to excel in her role that closely aligns with her passion as well as volunteering her free time to other organizations across Georgia.

Follow Janita Poe on X (formerly known as Twitter) and learn more information about the Southern Regional Education Board.

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AJC’s Business and Economy Reporter Shares Her Journalism Journey

(Pictured: Mirtha Donastorg)

Photo Credit: Christopher Hollis

By

Radhiya Alston

Sometimes what we think we want to do in life is not where we end up. Mirtha Donastorg, the current Economy and Business Reporter at the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC), shares her story on how she became a journalist. She attended North Carolina State where she earned a degree in biology in 2016. During her junior year, Donastorg decided that journalism was what she wanted to do. In 2014, she started her yearlong stay in Paris, France. While in Paris, she worked at a small magazine named Assistant Magazine. At the magazine, she wrote, edited, did interviews, and assisted on photo shoots.

When Donastorg arrived home from Paris in 2015, she knew that she had to explain to her parents that she was now interested in doing journalism. Her father told her that if this was what she wanted to do, then taking journalism classes at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill would be in her best interest. That is exactly what she did her senior year. She threw herself in to journalism classes and worked at the campus radio station WKNC.

“It was not easy letting my immigrant parents know I now wanted to do journalism,” she said. “I would take my biology classes at North Carolina State, then travel 30 minutes to get to my Audio Journalism class at The University of North Carolina,” she explained.

During Donastorg’s senior year in college, she met the Vice President of CNN who was on her campus recruiting for internships. Although she did not receive an internship, Donastorg secured her first paid job at CNN after she graduated. She worked as a researcher for The Row, which is an editorial standard edition division of CNN. She went through scripts that were to air on any CNN Network. When going through the scripts, Donastorg would fact check, look for accuracy, and fairness before anything went on air.

“It was like being in grad school,” she said. “I learned so much working for The Row.”

After three years at The Row, Donastorg transferred to CNN Digital. Here she worked as an Associate Producer. One of Donastorg’s primary roles was to send out breaking news alerts. She said any alerts that went out between 2019-2021, most likely she was behind it. In 2021 Donastorg left CNN after almost five years to work for The Plug as a corps member with Report for America. The Plug was a small publication, where Donastorg was the Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) Innovation writer and editor. At this publication she helped start and grow the HBCU Innovation beat, where she explored start-up initiatives. Donastorg felt while in this position, it was important to tell the often-uncovered stories of what was going on at HBCU campuses.

In March of 2023, The Plug dissolved. Soon after leaving The Plug, she began working for the AJC. As the Economy and Business Reporter, Donastorg covers stories about Black and minority led businesses and Black wealth. She explained that it is important to her that she is informative and gives readers a deeper understanding of who or what the topic is. She also talked about her professional growth that has taken place in the five months she has been at the AJC. She is grateful for working in a supportive newsroom and having a great editor. For what the future holds, she wouldn’t mind writing a book or doing something on the radio again.  Donastorg’s main focus is to continue to focus on accountability reporting and perfecting her craft. You can find all her articles online at www.AJC.com.

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ATTENTION AABJ MEMBERS!!! Board elections are coming up soon. If you are interested in serving on AABJ’s Board for the 2024-2026 term, visit www.aabj.org for more information or visit AABJ on our social media (Facebook, Instagram) for more details.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ).

THE BYLINE-AUGUST ISSUE 2023

OUR STORIES MATTER!

We all have a story. In the August issue of the Byline, three Atlanta journalists share their stories about their experiences and expertise as Black journalists today. Whether they are a seasoned journalist with years of experience or new to the industry, each story is unique. These three journalists share how their humble beginnings as journalists, along with hard work, determination, professional career goals, and experience has led them to accomplish dreams and led them to the fulfilling journalism careers that they enjoy today. The path to success may be different from one person to the next and that is okay. These stories will inspire you to live your purpose and your journey while remembering to reach back and help others.

Positively Portia: Atlanta Newswoman Portia Bruner Talks About New Talk Show

 (Pictured: Portia Bruner)

By

Tianna Faulkner

Something that she thought was not possible for her before is a reality today. Atlanta newswoman Portia Bruner is the talk show host for Fox 5 Atlanta’s “Portia,” a nationally distributed lifestyle show that initially began as a voice for African American women. The show focuses on a variety of topics, including faith, fitness, finances, family, and health and appeals to all audiences today.

Bruner decided at a young age that she wanted to be a journalist. The Denver, Colorado native wanted to inspire people like Susan Taylor of Essence Magazine did. Bruner initially thought she would be a print journalist. She has worked as a broadcast journalist for over 20 years. Today, she is known in the newsroom as “Positively Portia” because she says her show is a positive show from start to finish, regardless of how hard the topic is. According to Bruner, her show focuses on everyday people, not just celebrities.

“I’ve always been a storyteller and had this idea of telling stories in space,” Bruner explained. “I was the only child growing up and used to line up my dolls and tell them a story. I watched Oprah Winfrey and Phil Donahue and 60 Minutes. Watching the “Oprah Winfrey Show” in high school and college was so cool. To see this woman who looked like me was so inspiring. I knew this is what I wanted to do.”

Bruner is a Howard University graduate whose journalism career began with an internship she had at NBC4-TV in Washington, DC. She was producing news just out of college and said she knew then that a regular 9 to 5 job was not for her. Her beat at the station was consumer news. At 27 years old, Bruner was a co-anchor at WAPT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi. There she covered big stories around public policy, Black activism, and poverty. Bruner has also worked as a consumer reporter at WTKR-TV in Norfolk, Virginia.

“I was a legislative reporter in Jackson, Mississippi. The lawmakers were supportive. It was my training ground to be a journalist. This is where I learned how to become a passionate advocate for people,” Bruner said. “Over the years, I have also learned how to tell the best story you can to whoever you encounter so that all sides are covered and not share your opinions.”

Bruner has been at Fox 5 Atlanta for 20 years. Over the years, she has covered a variety of topics, including breaking news, crime, lifestyle/human interest stories, and government. Her advice to young journalists today is for them to know their “why.” Know why you do what you do, she said. Be sincere and conscious of what is going on in your communities are other tips she shared. When thinking of ideas for her show, she asks herself “what are women talking about?” Bruner says women are talking about their kid’s safety, their husbands, weight control, and whether women still feel sexy with curves, for example. Her stories also focus on children and men too.

(Pictured: Portia Bruner and guests on show “Portia”)

Additionally, in her free time Bruner has also openly talked about her struggles with stuttering and depression, where she has shared that she took time off from work because she said her job was stressful. She said she wants to be clear with the public about things she has gone through, especially when she said God brought her through something.

“I have transitioned from being a news anchor to a talk show host, which has come with some challenges. Now as a talk show host, I am taking sides on issues, which you typically don’t do as a reporter. Now I feel like I am an advocate for the voiceless and it is liberating. I love telling everyone’s stories. Black women come up to me all the time and tell me they love the show and can identify with it. I feel obligated to tell stories in a fair balanced way.”

The show “Portia” began in the fall of 2022 and has been picked up for a second season for Fall 2023. The talk show airs weekdays on Fox 5 Atlanta at 11:00 am and 11:30 am and airs weeknights on Fox Soul.

“If we’re not honest about hard times that we go through, we’re lying to people,” Bruner said. “Share your story so others can learn.”

For more information, visit Portia Bruner.

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Keion Grissom Shares the Benefits of Attending the NABJ Convention and Career Fair

(Pictured: Emmy Award winning journalist Keion Grissom)

By

Mya Grant

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) hosts their national conference and career fair each summer in the United States for Black journalists around the world to attend, network and enjoy. From panels, to workshops, to mixers, there are plenty of opportunities for Black journalists to take advantage of this experience to grow and meet other Black journalists on their career journey, something that Atlanta metro journalist Keion Grissom has learned, enjoyed, and benefited from for years.

Grissom is an Emmy-award winning associate producer for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, formerly known as Turner Sports. As a Morehouse College alumnus, he understood the importance of connection and community. Grissom accredits NABJ, the convention and his former professor/mentor, Ron Thomas, for helping him kick-start his career and land his current role.

He attended his first NABJ conference in 2011 in Philadelphia, PA where he met David Aldridge and many others in the sports realm and gained some great advice.

“Who are you replacing?” Aldridge asked Grissom. “You have to learn around the business.”

“That was the greatest question ever,” says Grissom. “Because it’s not about how you can have the gift of gab or if you’re great at your skill, these guys have contracts!”

Aldridge continued to give Grissom life-changing advice and even introduced him to Tara August and Keith Robinson during the convention. After speaking and networking with them, Grissom returned home from the convention with an internship at Turner Sports, right where he wanted to be. From there, Grissom was able to build his career, move up, and learn everything that he could about his job.

“My grind was whatever person I saw doing a job that I didn’t know how to do, on my off day, I would shadow them,” says Grissom. “Everything I did the previous year, I didn’t want to do the next year.”

Over the course of 11 years, Grissom went from a logger to an editor to a web content producer to now, a production assistant/broadcasting associate where he’s been awarded the 2020-2021 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Special. If you can recall the 2020 NBA All-Star game that took place in Chicago, during the fourth quarter, the scoreboard and the entire arena paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant with purple and gold lights and 24 points added to the winning score to reflect Bryant’s jersey number; that was Grissom’s idea and what won him that Emmy.

“I never saw myself winning an Emmy,” says Grissom. “I just love the job and I love my career to the point that I’m just glad that I’m working and grateful to showcase my ideas.”

Grissom shows his appreciation for gaining these opportunities by giving back and helping other young sports journalists. One of his proudest moments was bringing in a young sports reporter from Morehouse to shadow another sideline reporter and experience a day in the life of what they do.

None of this would have been possible for Grissom without the help of the NABJ Convention and Career Fair and the people he has met there and people he has met and learned from throughout his career. As he continues to attend the NABJ conferences in the future, he always looks forward to the specialized panels, catching up with his mentors and other friends in his field and learning something new that could help him within his career.

Follow Keion Grissom on X (formerly Twitter) @Kid2King.

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The AJC’s New Culture Reporter Talks About Her Career

(Pictured: DeAsia Paige, photo by Natrice Miller)

By

Radhiya Alston

Culture Reporter DeAsia Paige Sutgrey, who goes by DeAsia Paige, sat down to discuss her career as a music and culture writer for The Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC). Various internships and freelance journalism opportunities in her short career led Paige to such a prestigious role at the Atlanta newspaper.

In 2020, Paige graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. During her time in school Paige wrote about arts and culture for the university’s newspaper The University Daily Kansan. In 2018 Paige earned internships at publications such as Vice and The Detroit Free Press. After graduating from the University of Kansas she began freelancing for publications such as Blavity, Elle, NPR Music, Teen Vogue and more.

She would later gain her first full time writing position via Report for America at The Belleville News-Democrat. Whether Paige was interning, freelancing, or working full time for a publication, she knew that writing for music and/or culture beats was what she wanted to do as a journalist.

While working for the Detroit Free Press in 2018, Paige worked as a breaking news intern. The Detroit Free Press was her first opportunity to report regularly about breaking news. She immediately realized this was not something she enjoyed.

“While I did not enjoy the fast-paced and often random nature of breaking news, it was a great experience,” Paige said.

This helped her to learn that no matter the beat, there is always going to be some sort of breaking news for every topic.  From 2019-2020 she spent her time at Blavity where she was granted the opportunity to really learn about the music and culture side of the industry. She explained that it gave her insight on “the type of stories that would garner readers’ interest.” Interviewing celebrities was something she also did while freelancing at Blavity.

“Blavity was my first time writing regularly about Black music and culture for a mainstream publication,” Paige explained.

In October 2022, Paige moved to Atlanta where she earned her current title as Culture Reporter at the AJC. Currently she covers intersections of arts, culture, and underrepresented communities in Atlanta. Being in Atlanta Paige said she has been able to see that the city is “rich” in culture, and there is always something that can be written about.

“It is important to me that my readers receive stories that are fresh,” she said, detailing that she has more experience as a journalist now than she did in 2019 and 2020.

Paige understands that information comes out fast today, especially with social media. Her goal is to give her readers stories that are not seen on every other timeline feed. She said she has gained an abundance of experience in such a short amount of time, and she has learned so much as a reporter.

“One major thing I have learned as a young Black journalist is that the industry can often be extremely strenuous on journalists, so I am trying to prioritize my mental health while still being a great reporter,” Paige said.

Paige’s future is bright, and she has goals and plans to accomplish much more in the years ahead, including work as a producer and or work on a podcast or documentary. Writing an autobiography of Black music artists is something else Paige is hopeful to accomplish in the future.

For more information, follow her on LinkedIn at DeAsia Paige.

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The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists Members Nominated at Atlanta Press Club Awards of Excellence

(Pictured from L to R: Craig Allen Brown, Natalie Mendenhall, Tyrik Wynn)

The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) were present and represented at this months Atlanta Press Club Annual Awards of Excellence ceremony. AABJ President Craig Allen Brown and AABJ members Natalie Mendenhall and Tyrik Wynn were all nominated this year by the Atlanta Press Club for their work in journalism. The Atlanta Press Club’s Awards of Excellence celebrates the best of journalism from the previous year. Awards are given within print, broadcast, and digital categories. For more information about the Atlanta Press Club Awards of Excellence, visit www.atlantapressclub.org.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ).

THE BYLINE-JULY ISSUE 2023

Summer is here and we are excited about it! This is the time of year to go on vacation, meet with friends and family, volunteer, or take time off from work to focus on self care. As journalists, work can be very busy, stressful and even hectic, leaving you wondering if you chose the right career. This issue of the Byline focuses on how to pursue your passions while having a career and avoiding burnout in the workplace.

AP Video Journalist and Producer Sharon Johnson Discusses Her Career and Pursuing Her Passion

Pictured Left, Sharon Johnson

By

Da’Zhane Johnson

In her early high school years, Sharon Johnson pictured herself as an author or a playwright; however, she also wanted a more stable career path. Journalism was the next best thing.

At first, she imagined working for a magazine like Essence Magazine or Ebony Magazine. Johnson’s college courses assisted in finding her passion – broadcast journalism.

“A lot of people pick a major and it doesn’t work out for them, but I’m really blessed,” Johnson stated. “Even though I still loved creative writing, I ended up really having a passion for journalism.”

She began her career at Emerson College and secured numerous intern opportunities. Johnson covered several topics like education, local government, and the economy. These roles helped her gain experience in writing, shooting, and editing packages.

“In our climate, you have to know how to do it all, but it’s so important to become a master of at least one of those things,” she said. “For yourself, you can go proceed with confidence in that arena.”

Johnson explained that mastering one skill is strategic in being confident when interviewing and job hunting.

One of her internships included a role at the Associated Press (AP) in 2015, where she was able to learn valuable skills and connect with mentors for guidance. Her role helped her obtain her current position as a video journalist and producer for the Associated Press.

“I think that role was the sole reason that I work here now,” she said. “I really appreciated the AP brand. I’ve worked for a lot of great places, but they are such a thorough and trusted news organization.”

Johnson even described AP as her saving grace, while sharing her struggles of being a Black woman on television. There were constant negative comments about her weight, voice and hair, which nearly pushed her out of the industry.

She also found herself wanting to tell deeper stories that aligned with her identity more. Depending on the market and demographics, her pitches were completely overlooked, which led to frustration with herself. Johnson went on to give insight on how other journalists can manage these frustrations.

“Someone on the other side is counting on you. Someone is going to benefit from you striving for the truth and representation. On the other side, know when to walk away. You can’t help anyone, if you can’t take care of yourself,” she explained.

Although Johnson’s role is general assignment based, she still has opportunities to collaborate with the race and ethnicity team on various projects. She highlights how AP has given her assignments that she enjoys, including a current project celebrating 50 years of hip-hop.

In the near future, Johnson hopes her journey at the AP leads to the education or investigative team, where she would continue video journalism and producing within these beats. Additionally, she has reconnected with her first career choice and is writing a children’s book, while doing screenwriting classes every Sunday.

To stay up to date with Johnson’s work, follow her @sharon_johnson5 on Twitter.

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Journalist Jill Cox-Cordova Gives Tips on How to Avoid Burnout in the Workplace

Pictured Left, Jill Cox-Cordova

By

Mya Grant

Burnout is the physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress and it’s more prevalent in today’s work settings. Juggling multiple responsibilities between our work and home lives can be taxing and overwhelming but Jill Cox-Cordova believes that exercising boundaries and properly allocating your time is a step in the right direction for avoiding burnout.

Jill Cox-Cordova has been a writer since 1990 and is an editor, writer and podcaster. Over the years, she’s worked for CNN, MSNBC, Atlanta’s ABC affiliate WSB-TV, and many other places when she wasn’t pursuing her freelance career. Her first job was at WLEX-TV in Lexington, KY where she was expected to work six days a week. The weekend producer, who she shadowed and learned firsthand how to produce a show, left to go work for the Oprah Winfrey Show. When the producer left WLEX, she recommended Cox-Cordova take her place since she had been doing the show on the weekend under her direction. It was a lot for young Cox-Cordova.

“So, he had me working six days a week, nonstop,” says Cox-Cordova, looking back at the conversations she had with her boss to discuss finding help or a replacement for her previous role.

She says that her boss’ rebuttal was along the lines of “you should be lucky you even have a job” and doing things like not increasing her pay and denying her PTO requests. Another coworker stepped in and suggested for Cox-Cordova to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the only thing holding her back was the possible backlash she could receive starting out in this industry as a Black female so, she spoke up for herself in a different way.

“With overtime, you had to put a reason as to why,” says Cox-Cordova. “So, I used to just put ‘I did the weekend show’ but after four months of doing that, I put ‘for the fourth month in a row, I’ve been working six days a week because the news director refuses to let me work a normal schedule.’ and I didn’t know if anyone ever read that but the president of the company did read that.”

As a result, the president personally met with her news director and made him give her a raise, retribution pay and allow her to work a regular schedule but by then, Cox-Cordova was aligning herself with her next opportunity and vowed to herself from that point on, she would never let another employer burn her out or overwhelm her.

From that learning experience, Cox-Cordova learned that there are usually two factors that contribute to burnout; the people you work for or the company culture, sometimes even both. By catching those red flags when they first appear and knowing what her response to those situations would be, she equipped herself with the personal fortitude to leave at the hint of burnout or stressful work environments.

“No journalist should feel stuck,” says Cox-Cordova. “Because they have too many skills to be stuck.”

Journalism is an industry where professionals usually start young and because of that, it’s very easy to be overwhelmed early in your career and not be fully aware of what is a healthy work environment and what isn’t. This is where Cox-Cordova feels it is necessary to be knowledgeable about the customs and culture of your desired workplace as well as being aware of your personal morals and boundaries. A few tips she shared are:

1. When you go for an interview, sit and talk to people. They’ll always have people lined up to talk to you but if you’re sitting there observing the culture, you’ll readily know what the culture is like.
2. Read their handbook because then you know your rights as an employee.
3. Before accepting the position, figure out what your “why” is. Are you using this place as a stepping-stone, or do you just want to do something within your field and interests?

While examining your work environment, Cox-Cordova believes that you should also look out for the signs of burnout. Everyone is different which is why paying attention to your mind and body is extremely important. Always be aware of how you’re feeling, why you’re feeling that way and what’s contributing to those feelings and come up with healthy ways to combat stress while also taking time for yourself.

Stress is an unavoidable feeling. The smallest things can easily make us overwhelmed, but we do have the power to avoid burning ourselves out. It’s very important that we put ourselves first and constantly advocate for better situations within our home and work lives. Learn more about Jill Cox-Cordova and her perspectives at https://jillcoxcordova.com/

This issue of the Byline, was edited by Tianna Faulkner, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ).

THE BYLINE-JUNE 2023 ISSUE

CELEBRATING AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN IN MEDIA

Editor in Chief Donnell Suggs Talks Balancing Work/Life Flow

By

Mya Grant 

(Pictured Left: Donnell Suggs with his family)

As we all know, journalism is a busy industry. Pair that with being a parent, Donnell Suggs is constantly on the move. As the Editor in Chief of The Atlanta Voice, reporter at The Gainesville Times, and father of two, busy doesn’t even begin to describe his day. It’s the love for his family, career, and community that fuels him to do all that he does.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Suggs grew up reading the daily newspaper with his father every morning. His father loved the sports section and taught Suggs how to read and everything he needed to know about sports. With their close bond, Suggs also learned how to hustle and talk to people.

As an undergraduate at the New York City College of Technology, Suggs was encouraged to write for the college newspaper where he could expound on his writing and carry his love of sports with him. The newspaper didn’t have a sports or music section so Suggs was welcomed with the opportunity to cover both of those sections and began to learn the journalism industry in a more hands-on fashion.

“The more I wrote, the more I learned,” says Suggs. “But my learning came from literally walking up to people and saying ‘Hi, my name is Donnell Suggs and I’m a reporter for the New Tech Times. Can I ask you a question?’”

After graduating college and interning at VIBE Magazine, Suggs moved to Atlanta in 2006 and immediately came to The Atlanta Voice for a writing opportunity. There, he met former Editor in Chief Dennis Byron, Jr., pitched a story to him on the spot and was hired on the spot. It was that gracious opportunity that opened the doors for Suggs to begin his career as a journalist in Atlanta.

Suggs has been featured in Atlanta Daily World, WABE, Atlanta Magazine, The Atlanta Business Chronicle and so many other publications throughout Georgia and he’s still aiming for more.

“Read other people, you’re not the best in the world…,” says Suggs. “I’m still reading people. I’m still chasing other bylines trying to get something out of everybody.”

Thanks to Black media professionals in Atlanta, Suggs received help along the way and was assured that it was okay to ask for help. In the journalism field, where Black professionals don’t even make up ten percent of the population, it’s important to build those connections and a community you can trust that wants to see you grow and prosper. It is equally as important to lend that hand back when the opportunity presents itself and Suggs ensures to give back to his community in any way possible.

Balancing life and career can be taxing at times, but Suggs has his wife, Chia, and his children, Kayla and Chase, to keep him grounded. Out of all his jobs, being a father is the hardest yet most rewarding job he has ever had. Kayla has recently graduated high school and will continue her education at the University of South Carolina at Beaufort, studying journalism and African American studies, largely inspired by Suggs. Chase loves to write, as well, but has his eyes set on becoming an architect and even has the opportunity to attend a STEM program at the Georgia Institute of Technology this summer. During the school year, Suggs volunteered to serve in the lunchroom at Chase’s school to strengthen that bond between him and his son.

The responsibility of a father falls further outside of the parameters of providing shelter and income. It is now about providing a sense of security for your family. For Suggs, that meant making the necessary decisions and career moves to ensure security and stability for the family that looks up to and looks to him.

Suggs is doing a phenomenal job balancing all his roles and responsibilities as reporter, Editor in Chief, mentor, son, father and husband and we send him a special salute during the upcoming Father’s Day holiday. Follow Suggs on Twitter @suggswriter.

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Journalist and Entrepreneur Tyrik Wynn Breaks Barriers One Year After College

By

Da’Zhane Johnson

(Pictured Left: Tyrik Wynn)

Once releasing the book “Green Is the Thing: Money Management for Kids,” co-author Tyrik Wynn was interviewed by local newsrooms, radio shows and podcasts. The interviews helped Wynn envision the career he has today as an on-air talent.

“The book pretty much got everything jumpstarted,” he explained. “I started reaching out to various news and television stations, seeking for mentorship from my favorite anchors.”

At the age of 14, Wynn was able to shadow several anchors, which only solidified his love for the media. He created a YouTube channel, “Tyrik on the Move,” to help polish his skillset too. The channel provided exposure for local businesses and events. In fact, Wynn’s first paid media job came from reporting an authors’ event for YouTube.

Wynn pivoted the show and began interviewing celebrities as well. From Vivica Fox to Vice President Kamala Harris, he developed a well-rounded show. With the support of his parents, Wynn founded Wynn Productions LLC in 2018. Through the company, he continued reporting and assisted with commercial production for other businesses.

When asked how he managed all this by age 18, Wynn acknowledged his parents. “It definitely pays to have good parents and a good support system. We are a team. They are the people I can talk to about anything. From business decisions to life decisions. It’s been great.”

His enrollment at Georgia State University expanded his skillset even more, which directly benefited his business. Wynn learned how to write scripts, learned how to edit, learned about broadcast reporting in school and by participating in campus outlets, like Panther Report News. Wynn is opening his own studio in Fayetteville this June, making him the youngest studio owner in metro Atlanta.

Since his graduation, he has been hired for two journalism positions: an on-air journalist for the TV-ONE series “Fatal Attraction” and a news anchor for iHeartMedia. Both roles have presented challenges and successful moments, all of which Wynn is grateful for.

“Being a part of “Fatal Attraction” is crazy because crime and blood freaks me out,” he explained. “But it has definitely helped me develop my skillset as a more serious journalist and when I walk in it’s just a breath of fresh air.”

Within only one-year post-graduation, Wynn’s career is developing every day. Nonetheless, he is still hopeful about the future. He hopes to continue these two roles while managing his company. He has new goals for all three endeavors including getting original productions on national T.V. and maybe even obtaining a primetime show on TV-ONE. Through everything, his ultimate goal is to keep making himself, his parents and God proud.

The approach of graduation season led to Wynn leaving some advice for undergraduate students looking for media jobs. He encouraged them to enjoy the moment before getting into the workforce and to start working on portfolios and reels as early as possible.

“It’s an exciting time so have your graduation, then have a celebration with your family and friends. Just put your reel out and people will start to contact you,” he said.

To keep up with Wynn’s next chapter, follow him on Instagram @TyrikWynn.iHeartMedia.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists.

THE BYLINE – APRIL 2023 ISSUE

STARS ON THE RISE: A NEW GENERATION OF ATLANTA JOURNALISTS MAKING THEIR MARK IN THE MEDIA INDUSTRY

The April issue of the Byline features three Atlanta journalists who share their stories of passion and perseverance, transitioning from college to pursuing their professional dreams as Black women in media. Taking risks, getting out of their comfort zones, becoming experts in the industry, and experiencing some successes, these women demonstrate that anything is possible if you work hard, believe in yourself, and go for it.

 (Pictured left, MiAsia Symone)

The Power of Passion: MiAsia Symone is Pursuing Her Journalism Dreams on Her Own Terms

By

Alexia Clark

Started from the bottom and now she’s here! From blogging to her first and worst interview, MiAsia Symone let all of her experiences — good and bad — propel her into a top 10 market! This multimedia journalist is succeeding in a variety of fields— radio, event hosting, social commentary, and more —without letting her doubts get in the way.

Now while her path to success may seem like a straight shot, the multimedia personality notes that her journey is not as easy as it looks. Symone was born and raised in Atlanta and graduated from Georgia State University in 2016. In addition to her work ethic, her attitude and charisma, she has also kicked down doors. Symone takes pride in being personable. It is one of the most essential characteristics that has helped her be successful within her field.

“It gets easier over time, but I still have those doubts in the back of my mind, like am I doing this right? Do they really like this? Am I really doing what I’m supposed to do?” shared Symone.

Symone is a host and board operator at Atlanta’s radio station, Hot 107.9 FM.

Beginning as a freelance journalist, blogger, and host, she has collaborated with several media outlets, companies and interviewed some of the most notable names in hip hop and entertainment.

Her background helped her start her own platform, inspired by her parents who both owned and operated businesses together. She grew up in a middle-class household and seeing her parents work hard for her and her siblings sparked the fire that she embodies.

“I want to continue his [my father’s] legacy. He lived a great life and instilled a lot into me. I’m very knowledgeable because of him so I remember everything he taught me,” said the entertainment radio host.

Symone’s career was boosted by her all-encompassing passion for sports, entertainment, and popular culture. Her work was recently recognized by the Georgia House of Representatives as she was awarded the Citizens of Impact award.

This journalist loves her day-to-day and the ever changing climate of radio. The early mornings and sometimes hectic schedule does not bother her one bit as long as she has a glass of wine to end the day.

“My goal is to always display and show that I’m human too,” Symone said.

Symone is also a brand influencer and has collaborated with notable brands such as FedEx, Netflix, NARS Cosmetics and more. Even though she’s not the biggest fan of social media, she has achieved over 30 thousand followers on Instagram and the number continues to rise.

“If you’re not consistent, nothing gets done, but you have to be consistent. It’s so many days where you just want to lie in bed and not do anything. But if you’re not doing anything, then nothing is moving. People aren’t seeing you, and so we live in a society where if you aren’t posting it, it never happened,” explains Symone.

This emerging talent isn’t going anywhere. Between her nomination for Journalist of the Year by Black Media Honors, hosting and future auntie duties, it seems she has no intention of taking her petal off the gas any time soon.

Whenever her life settles down, she dreams of owning her own winery and learning more about the wine industry. Symone curating an unforgettable experience like no other.

“You know, a glass of wine a day, keeps the doctors away,” she said.

To keep up with this multifaceted personality, checkout her website https://www.miasiasymone.com and follow MiAsia Symone on all social media platforms.

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 (Pictured left, LaShawn Hudson)

Skilled & Striving: LaShawn Hudson’s Journey to Being a Multi-Platform Journalist

By

Mya Grant

Being well versed in your career or passion is something that we all strive for, especially as journalists. The constant desire to be better and expand your skills is a never-ending journey and LaShawn Hudson knows that all too well. As a multi-platform journalist and current producer at WABE-FM radio station in Atlanta, there were many leaps of faith and many desires that led Hudson to where she is today.

As a young girl, she became interested in Essence magazine where she would read the letter from the editor-in-chief and instantly envisioned herself in that space.

“I didn’t make the connection that it was journalism until I was older,” says Hudson. “But I knew that whatever these women in this magazine were doing, that’s what I wanted to do.”

Hudson went on to get a degree in mass communications from Virginia Union University and once she graduated, she faced some of the difficulties that many college graduates face who want to work in journalism, a tough industry to break into. After working a part-time job and interning at the local newspaper, where she would see her bylines all the time, she gave herself the ultimatum of chasing her dreams or being stuck at a job she did not enjoy.

She remembered the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) organization from college and did her research to find a chapter and get involved. Happily stumbling upon the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) and conveniently having family in Atlanta made the decision that much easier for her to move to Atlanta. Taking a leap of faith, Hudson moved to Atlanta from Virginia and started to freelance for the Atlanta Voice Newspaper while transitioning into the city. Once Hudson moved to Atlanta and went to her first AABJ meeting, she knew that she was in the right place and had made the right choice.

“It just felt like home,” says Hudson. “Because I saw people doing the things that I wanted to do and I realized that I needed to be in this environment.”

Through AABJ, she also became a producer for their broadcast television show, iN Contact. This move catapulted Hudson into something greater for her and her career.

Even though she always envisioned herself in print journalism, television production was her way of breaking into the media industry and expanding her skills. Hudson accepted a position with WNEM TV 5 News in Saginaw, Michigan under the producer training program for about a year. As fearful as she was in leaving Atlanta and starting over, she talked herself into going through with it not knowing that it was going to keep progressing into something more.

Once the training program was over, she accepted another producer position in Tulsa, Oklahoma that she held for three years and sharpened her skills even more. Hudson produced the 6 p.m. newscasts and held a supervising producer role that introduced her to learning and leading many things within the station and the stories being aired. She grew as a journalist and brought more skills back with her.

After her position in Tulsa ended, she accepted a position in Charlotte, North Carolina producing their morning show. Unfortunately, she experienced a burnout moment and moved back to Atlanta and took some time out to figure out what she really wanted to do. During that time, she attended an NABJ conference and met someone from NPR that got her interested in that niche of journalism. To top it all off, the skills she acquired from her producer positions were transferable and lined up closely with what she has done and what she wanted to do.

Now, Hudson works in radio as a producer at WABE-FM radio where she writes and produces Atlanta’s most compelling stories. She is enjoying the work she does, the life she’s living and is looking forward to what’s next. Although she’s unsure of where the future will take her, she is sure that life will be interesting, her skills will continue to grow and you just might see her host her own show on NPR.

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 (Pictured left, Maya T. Prabhu)

Maya Prabhu Talks About Her Journalism Career and the 2023 Georgia Legislative Session

By

Madgie Robinson

“I always tell people I came to journalism like really backwards,” said Maya Prabhu, a government reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Born in Queens, New York and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Prabhu moved to Atlanta to attend Spelman College. She was a math major during her first two years of her undergraduate studies, then changed her major to English and in 2004 earned a bachelor’s degree.

When the time came for her to decide her career path, Prabhu decided to pursue journalism. In college, she took the only journalism class the university offered and wrote for the school paper one semester. In her mind, she lacked the experience to work in a newsroom.

“I didn’t feel like I was qualified or prepared to go out into the world and work at a newspaper with one class,” Prabhu said.

Prabhu attended graduate school at the University of Maryland to study journalism and become a music reporter. Without researching the program beforehand, she quickly realized the curriculum was public policy focused.

“If you didn’t want to be like a White House correspondent, they were just like, ‘why are you here?”

After obtaining her master’s degree, Prabhu worked as a journalist, covering municipal governments in Maryland and moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to cover city government. She went on to cover state government for The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina.

“So, a lot of people are passionate about journalism and then go out into the world and become journalists,” Prabhu said. “Whereas, I was like, I’m good at this and I can get paid for it. Then it was after three or four years in the business when the passion came for me.”

In 2017, Prabhu returned to Atlanta to work at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in her current position covering the Georgia Legislature. Her focus includes gambling and abortion legislation, criminal justice, social issues and legislative races.

The General Assembly just ended March 28th, and Prabhu covered a few high-profile bills that many Georgians closely watched.

Here’s a brief update on a few bills that passed and failed before the Legislature adjourned:

Gender-affirming healthcare

Senate Bill 140, a measure that spurred much controversy, would prohibit healthcare providers from offering gender-affirming healthcare to transgender children. Gov. Brian Kemp immediately signed it into law before the last day of the session Georgians under 18 may continue with hormone treatment if they start before the law takes effect on July 1.

Prosecutor oversight

Under House Bill 231, a new state board would be created to punish or remove the state’s district attorneys for an array of violations. The measure, backed by Kemp, cleared both chambers.

Election contribution limits

Lawmakers approved a measure that would prevent county election offices from receiving donations. Republicans promoted the bill after the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg, donated millions of dollars to Dekalb County in 2020.

Mental health

Mental health legislation continued to be top of mind among lawmakers. House Bill 520 would address the shortage of mental health providers in the state and refine how agencies share patient information. However, the measure failed to advance both chambers.

Sports betting

This session marked the fifth-year lawmakers attempted and failed to pass legislation to legalize sports betting. Two versions of the bill failed to move past the Senate floor.

Private vouchers

A measure that would grant an annual subsidy of $6,500 for students to spend on private education or homeschooling fell in the House. Kemp publicly backed the measure.

For more information on the Georgia General Assembly, visit the Georgia General Assembly. Follow Maya Prabhu on Twitter at @MayaTPrabhu.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, Vice President of Print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists.

THE BYLINE-OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE

This issue of the Byline features two talented journalists who have established themselves as experienced political reporters early in their journalism careers.

DESTINED FOR GREATNESS: POLITICAL REPORTER MAYA KING IS MAKING HER MARK

(Pictured above Maya King/courtesy of Maya King)

By

Tianna Faulkner

Maya King is proving in her short career that she is a rising star. Just three years after graduating from Howard University, where she studied print journalism, she has worked for world renowned media companies; NPR, USA Today, Politico, and now the New York Times.

King who was named after poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou grew up in a family of political observers. She herself has always been interested in politics, which is why she covers politics today, specifically politics in the South for the New York Times. Her first job out of college was a political reporting job. Soon after, she had the pleasure of covering the 2020 presidential election and has continued to cover politics to date.

“Covering the 2020 presidential election, I learned everything I could as fast as I could about journalism and writing about politics. Then COVID happened, where everything went online,” said King. “Through that experience, I now had many learning experiences in one which made me a better reporter.”

Today King’s political beat includes covering Georgia politics and high-profile political candidates like U.S Senator Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker. Her expertise has afforded her opportunities to be a guest speaker on political shows like Georgia Public Broadcasting’s “Political Rewind,” where she talks about Georgia politics and the top political stories of the day.  When asked if she would ever consider broadcast journalism, she said she prefers print journalism because she really enjoys writing.

“I was named after Maya Angelou which is the reason why I write,” said King. “I aspire to be like journalist and book author Isabel Wilkerson and would love to be a national print correspondent one day. I really like to write.”

While in college, King was recognized and received an award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for her writing. As she continues to grow professionally, more awards are sure to come. She has always covered politics and is enjoying her writing job at the New York Times. In the future, she sees herself teaching at Howard University, writing books, and continuing to write for the New York Times. The key to her success is keeping her options open.

“The New York Times is a great place to do journalism. There are so many resources and I work alongside so many experts. We handle big stories, their commitment, and the talent we have, also the New York Times is capable of handling the integrity of the stories we feature,” said King. “A lot of what I want to do, the New York Times is helping me to come closer to that to do more in depth reporting.”

What King finds rewarding about her work today is that she talks to so many different people and she learns something new every day and likes to hear people’s stories. Sometimes her work schedule and work hours are very long, which can be challenging. Her advice to current journalism students is to keep going, keep writing, to not turn down opportunities, and to enjoy your time in college when people (professionals) are willing to talk to you.

Speaking of her journalism career, King says it has been quite an adventure covering campaigns, black voters, polling, protests against systemic racism, and the Georgia Senate race.

“My job is unpredictable, but also exciting,” said King. “Things change so much. Politics changes along with the world. You have to stay abreast of things.”

Follow Maya King on Twitter @mayaaking.

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Freelance Journalist Kendall Glynn Speaks “Finding Your Purpose”

(Pictured above Kendall Glynn/courtesy of Kendall Glynn)

By Mya Grant

Like many people in their careers, Kendall Glynn was fortunate to secure his current position as a freelance journalist for Atlanta Civic Circle. One good opportunity led to another and now he’s doing something completely different than what he thought he’d be doing. His passion for writing put him exactly where he needed to be every step of the way throughout his journey.

Kendall Glynn is a graduate of Georgia State University, his first experience in landing into something. Georgia State wasn’t his first choice and — like many students — Glynn didn’t have a clear view of what he wanted to major in.

“I went from English to PoliSci (political science) — not for me,” said Glynn. “Then I said ‘okay, I’ll try Public Policy — not for me — then I went to Film and Film was where I first started to get what I wanted.”

Glynn quickly found the link between what he was doing in his film courses and what he enjoyed doing with English. He was able to find a major and concentration that fit his interests and set him up for the career he wanted.

The last couple of months of his senior year in college were shortened, as well as the opportunities he was afforded through Georgia State University, due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Upon graduation, Glynn felt that he didn’t have a tangible product to show employers and his resume didn’t match up with what he really wanted to do. So, he made an opportunity for himself and began freelancing.

“It went terribly,” said Glynn. “I picked up a couple jobs, but I didn’t really know what I was doing in the freelance market. I was pricing myself way too low and it just wasn’t going well, which is when, later that year, I started my newsletter.”

Glynn started his newsletter as an opportunity to get back in touch with his passion for writing and began to write about topics he cared about. It was also a great way for him to share his writing style, skills, and viewpoints with others. The newsletter and his first try at freelance writing taught him important lessons which he uses today.

“The big thing is you have to figure out how you see your talent,” said Glynn. “Just like every other job in the job market, there’s this gap between coming out [of college] with no experience and what they want for an entry level job, and you have to figure out a way to bridge this gap. And bridging this gap can sometimes take time.”

Working in marketing also helped shape Glynn’s writing and better prepared him to try freelance writing again. Glynn felt that he learned what he needed to confidently freelance his writing, pitch, and apply to companies. This is how he got his freelance job writing for the Atlanta Civic Circle (ACC).

Glynn was initially apprehensive about pitching and accepting a position with Atlanta Civic Circle only because he felt he had overdone his work due to naturally writing longform pieces in his newsletter. To his surprise, the ACC called him back and asked him “So what do you want to do next?”

From there, Glynn landed into his beat writing about labor rights and politics and found his niche. His perspective and experiences in certain workplaces helped him connect with laborers and the small circle of other labor rights writers throughout the country. Glynn’s experiences also go to show that landing into certain positions work out in your favor, even when you’re not completely sure what you want to do.

Follow Kendall Glynn on Twitter at @kendalljglynn or to see Glynn’s articles, visit

Atlanta Civic Circle.

This issue of the Byline was edited by Tianna Faulkner, VP of Print for AABJ.