My first pitch wasn’t as strong and structured as it should have been. My mentor seemed unsure about the angle, and I didn’t have the facts to make her see the story I was envisioning. I pushed aside my doubt, looked for new options and pushed myself to clearly show both my mentor and managing editor the beauty and inspiration in Alexia’s story that I saw. This confidence I brought to my pitch is what I brought to the week of the program.
The day of the interview was chaotic, but I assured myself that I came prepared with questions that would result in a great interview. I’ve always been shy in front of the camera so the standup took me a few tries to get down, but again I reminded myself that I was selected for the program and I was capable of more than I thought. In only five days, I’ve grown more out of my comfort zone, strengthened my prior skills, and picked up new skills in recording audio and using Adobe Audition.
Through my experience with Next Generation Radio, I’ve learned that it really does take a small village. If it weren’t for the support of everyone on the team, I wouldn’t have created this project that I’m very proud of. Before being a part of the program, I had been searching for a group of people that would give me that push I needed to work even harder and take another step in the journey of being the journalist I want to be.
