There are mostly men in my column writing class. This realization led me to the idea of finding a successful female columnist that was in the field of arts and culture or one who is/was a great human interest writer. The assignment to find a female columnist who's work I respect and enjoy was difficult to say the least. There are a plethora of talented writers, many of which are successful and have broken the "glass ceiling", in reference to gender.
In all the reading I did searching for a writer that came to my attention, I suddenly remembered why I chose to go into journalism in the first place.
It might seem like a total cliche at this point to write about columnist, Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times, but this well-known writer continues to change the world with inspirational and surprisingly human stories. His page on latimes.com is filled with countless follow-up pieces to a few pressing issues. It seems Lopez cannot delve deep enough in any niche he pursues and will not quit until his work ignites action.
In case, for some strange reason, you are not familiar with Mr. Lopez, he is the writer of a column that focused on the life of Nathanial Anthony Ayers; an incredibly talented and incredibly homeless musician. It was this very column and later novel that inspired the film The Soloist (2009). Jaime Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. played the leading roles in the film.
Lopez began writing with the Los Angeles Times in 2001 after writing for various Time, Inc. publications, including Time, Sports Illustrated, Life and Entertainment Weekly. He recently earned an honorary doctorate degree from San Jose State University
It's not ridiculous to assume that anyone in Lopez' position, a columnist-turned Hollywood film writer would simply take the money and run off to the Bahamas after such unimaginable success. Fortunately, Lopez did not take that route and is still very much a committed columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
Although Steve Lopez is not a female columnist that covers arts and culture, he was the first to inspire me to become part of whatever I was pursuing as opposed to simply observing and reporting. I consider Lopez a literary journalist because of his ability to tell a true story and not only make it seem like a movie, but to actually create a film, both about Lopez and Ayers.
Aside from spending time in "Skid Row" in Downtown Los Angeles with motive to expose an overlooked underground, Lopez covers everything from politics to education to profiles of dying people. Recently, he wrote his experience with a woman who emailed him about her readiness to die. The story seems straight forward enough, but what makes this work exceptional are the lessons learned by Lopez. The story can be read here.
It seems the political activist/human interest route taken by Lopez serves as topics that feed a wide variety of audiences and inspire many to become involved, essentially in changing the world. What good is journalism if it doesn't demand change? As a new columnist, I'm definitely taking notes.
A description of the column
How often it is published
The educational background of the writer
The professional background of the writer
What drew you to want to profile the columnist
What are the attributes of the columnist that you like the most - and perhaps dislike
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Define "Professional Dancer"
It's all about the timing. And the costume, eyelashes and tights. And the ten years of training behind each candidate standing idly in front of a panel of judges with only a number to be identified by. People watching from a distance would probably mistake the event for a beauty pageant, but it's not. It's an NBA dance team auditions.
The Sacramento Kings Dance Team held a grueling, three-day audition this past weekend at Thunder Valley Casino. Over 60 women, some as young as 17, competed for 15 spots on the 2011-2012 team, and although there was a tiny audience, the pressure was on. Some women were cut in the first 20 minutes.
After performing various genres and advanced jazz dance technique, the dancers would smile ear to ear and stand in a straight line, waiting to be judged by seasoned professional dancers, but complete strangers nonetheless. Even veteran dancers have to re-audition yearly, and their spot is never a guarantee.
Why would any reasonably-minded person subject themselves to such blunt judgement? It seems artists will do anything for their art. Including dancing around in a bikini for six hours straight.
It's safe to say that a common perception of professional cheerleaders and dancers are merely pretty faces with bubbly attitudes who are willing to get paid for their image. But their talent is truly beyond that. The minimum requirements to be on an NBA dance team are for the women to be great public speakers, excellent performers, portray an image of fitness and to be committed ambassadors for both the league and the team. As mentioned before, the above is simply the minimum criteria. The judges must also consider ethnicity, height, hair color, etc.
The audition process consisted of dance auditions in three different genres, on-camera interviews, a photo shoot, a live performance and eventually an online poll. In between all these steps are cuts, cuts, cuts. The process of elimination is quick and painful for most, and the cold part is that none of the eliminated candidates will ever know why they were cut. It makes it difficult for them to improve and prepare for the next time around.
Performers in general are incredible risk takers; they create art to show to an audience who rarely realize the vulnerable position they're in and what it took to get there. The creation of choreography, a script, music, and visual art are all expressions of the soul. A professional dancer is simply defined as someone who will pay you to perform. Its incredible how some humans allow other humans to determine their worth.
It's not all bad, though. For a select few, the dream of getting paid for what they enjoy doing and the rarity in that is what gives it its value.
They say it takes ten years to make a dancer, but from the looks of it, it takes three minutes to categorize someone as a professional dancer.
The Sacramento Kings Dance Team held a grueling, three-day audition this past weekend at Thunder Valley Casino. Over 60 women, some as young as 17, competed for 15 spots on the 2011-2012 team, and although there was a tiny audience, the pressure was on. Some women were cut in the first 20 minutes.
After performing various genres and advanced jazz dance technique, the dancers would smile ear to ear and stand in a straight line, waiting to be judged by seasoned professional dancers, but complete strangers nonetheless. Even veteran dancers have to re-audition yearly, and their spot is never a guarantee.
Why would any reasonably-minded person subject themselves to such blunt judgement? It seems artists will do anything for their art. Including dancing around in a bikini for six hours straight.
It's safe to say that a common perception of professional cheerleaders and dancers are merely pretty faces with bubbly attitudes who are willing to get paid for their image. But their talent is truly beyond that. The minimum requirements to be on an NBA dance team are for the women to be great public speakers, excellent performers, portray an image of fitness and to be committed ambassadors for both the league and the team. As mentioned before, the above is simply the minimum criteria. The judges must also consider ethnicity, height, hair color, etc.
The audition process consisted of dance auditions in three different genres, on-camera interviews, a photo shoot, a live performance and eventually an online poll. In between all these steps are cuts, cuts, cuts. The process of elimination is quick and painful for most, and the cold part is that none of the eliminated candidates will ever know why they were cut. It makes it difficult for them to improve and prepare for the next time around.
Performers in general are incredible risk takers; they create art to show to an audience who rarely realize the vulnerable position they're in and what it took to get there. The creation of choreography, a script, music, and visual art are all expressions of the soul. A professional dancer is simply defined as someone who will pay you to perform. Its incredible how some humans allow other humans to determine their worth.
It's not all bad, though. For a select few, the dream of getting paid for what they enjoy doing and the rarity in that is what gives it its value.
They say it takes ten years to make a dancer, but from the looks of it, it takes three minutes to categorize someone as a professional dancer.
Friday, September 9, 2011
College... Why it really is good.
Let's face it. Most of us go or have gone to college because our parents say we should and our high schools encouraged it. We all know the obvious benefits of getting a higher education - gaining the ability to have an intellectual conversation, meeting people and making MORE MONEY. But is that really all college does for young adults?
The answer is absolutely not. People get to know themselves in college, and there is no other institution that teaches you more about your beliefs, values, abilities and limitations. Simply going to class and learning with a room full of strangers and giving your mind to yet another complete stranger to mold is a huge risk. Without college, people take less risks. College provides us with more than an education in the area of our interest. It allows our minds to be challenged. It encourages intellectual growth. Most importantly, college in and of itself is an experience and the opportunities created when you have a degree grow exponentially as you progress through the stages of higher education.
The experience that going to college provides is extremely unique. You are part of a group of young, motivated people with a common goal and interest. You learn together and you grow together. As you get to know more and more people, it really opens your eyes to exactly how diverse our world is. People come from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. You learn that everyone doesn't think the same way you do and not everyone has the same belief system. Sure, this sounds simple enough. Of course people don't think like you, you figured this out in high school, right? This could be true, but very few high school graduates know who they are. I remember graduating high school and thinking I knew everything about everything and everyone. Going to college made me realize that I really have no clue. While coming to this realization sounds frustrating, it was actually quite the opposite. It created a sense of yearning in me. What else don't I know? I need to find out. This is the moment that parents, teachers, and professors hope for. This moment has lit a flame within you to pursue knowledge long after you've graduated from college. This flame of motivation is constantly fanned as you take more classes, write more papers, pass more final exams. You enjoy challenging yourself. You find yourself enjoying learning and realize high school was just there to prepare you for this experience we call college.
So you've graduated college and had this wonderful experience learning about yourself and others. Now what? The number of opportunities for you are abundant. Employers want someone with a degree because it shows that you can be committed, you are intelligent, and you have a desire to learn and grow. Why wouldn't someone want to hire you? You can only get so far with a high school diploma. A college degree will allow you room to advance within the field as you gain more experience. As you advance – more money. We all want to live comfortably and not have any financial hardship. Why not increase your chances of this happening with a degree?
College provides us with more than a piece of paper that says you completed the requirements for this degree. The experience of college itself teaches us more about ourselves and others than what we learn sitting in a classroom. A degree can open so many doors. You just have to take the step. Your future is yours. You are your greatest investment. Why not be the best you can be?
The answer is absolutely not. People get to know themselves in college, and there is no other institution that teaches you more about your beliefs, values, abilities and limitations. Simply going to class and learning with a room full of strangers and giving your mind to yet another complete stranger to mold is a huge risk. Without college, people take less risks. College provides us with more than an education in the area of our interest. It allows our minds to be challenged. It encourages intellectual growth. Most importantly, college in and of itself is an experience and the opportunities created when you have a degree grow exponentially as you progress through the stages of higher education.
The experience that going to college provides is extremely unique. You are part of a group of young, motivated people with a common goal and interest. You learn together and you grow together. As you get to know more and more people, it really opens your eyes to exactly how diverse our world is. People come from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. You learn that everyone doesn't think the same way you do and not everyone has the same belief system. Sure, this sounds simple enough. Of course people don't think like you, you figured this out in high school, right? This could be true, but very few high school graduates know who they are. I remember graduating high school and thinking I knew everything about everything and everyone. Going to college made me realize that I really have no clue. While coming to this realization sounds frustrating, it was actually quite the opposite. It created a sense of yearning in me. What else don't I know? I need to find out. This is the moment that parents, teachers, and professors hope for. This moment has lit a flame within you to pursue knowledge long after you've graduated from college. This flame of motivation is constantly fanned as you take more classes, write more papers, pass more final exams. You enjoy challenging yourself. You find yourself enjoying learning and realize high school was just there to prepare you for this experience we call college.
So you've graduated college and had this wonderful experience learning about yourself and others. Now what? The number of opportunities for you are abundant. Employers want someone with a degree because it shows that you can be committed, you are intelligent, and you have a desire to learn and grow. Why wouldn't someone want to hire you? You can only get so far with a high school diploma. A college degree will allow you room to advance within the field as you gain more experience. As you advance – more money. We all want to live comfortably and not have any financial hardship. Why not increase your chances of this happening with a degree?
College provides us with more than a piece of paper that says you completed the requirements for this degree. The experience of college itself teaches us more about ourselves and others than what we learn sitting in a classroom. A degree can open so many doors. You just have to take the step. Your future is yours. You are your greatest investment. Why not be the best you can be?
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