MY STORIES:

• TRAILS creating paths to success
• For some Utahns with disabilities, religion plays an important role in their lives
• The life and success of Kirsten Morrise

MY BLOG:

Writing for this class wasn’t easy, but I did learn a lot, not only about news writing and how to more accurately reflect my voice and write better, but also about the people with disabilities and their struggles in our community.

Having been born and raised here in Utah you get used to seeing the same things every day, being around the same people and having a good clean atmosphere. I have grown up around people with disabilities my whole life and knew of their struggles, but never had a connection with them and what they go through every day. Now that I have done stories and have gotten to know the disabled community better I see them differently, but in a good way.

When I interviewed Kirsten it hit home more for me.

I grew up with Kirsten but I never really understood her feelings and story, and being able to share that with others was very rewarding.

Writing about her life that I had some part of hit me.
I could have been more understanding and have been a better friend and could have positive part of her life if I didn’t just stand on the sidelines. I’m thankful that I was able to talk with her and better connect.

Because of this experience when I do see someone with disabilities I try to recognize if they need help, or if they even need a friend.

I learned that every one has a story, and everyone is affected with some sort of disability even if it isn’t physical. Having talked to Jeni Sewell Roper who said, “all of us have ‘stuff’ mine is just easier to see,” put my view on people in a whole new way.

We all have some sort of “disability” whether it be insecurities or attitude, but we shouldn’t let that stop us from reaching our full potential, and seeing examples of that with people with disabilities has really motivated me to not let my “disabilities” get in the way.

ABOUT ME:

I am currently attending the University of Utah as a communication student in the track of journalism. My goal is to become a sideline reporter for the NBA or NHL. I enjoy writing and talking to people, getting to know their life and what their goals are.

I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT surrounded by friends and family. I got into sports at an early age playing soccer and tennis. Then I also took a few years of figure skating and still enjoy hitting the ice. In later years I found my love for basketball and became part of my high school team.

Besides sports I love the arts. Having been involved in my high school theater department and music department I was able to land the lead twice in my high school musicals. My freshman, Sophomore and junior year I made it to state theater competition, and I was chosen to represent Highland High as Sterling Scholar in Speech and Drama. Musically I am naturally gifted and sing very well, even without having had voice lessons. I have played the piano since the age of four and I taught myself the guitar. I plan to minor at the University of Utah in either music or theater so I can continue to build on that talent.

My writing developed at a young age, I was able to read by the time I turned four. Writing came easy to me, especially fictional stories that I still love to write on my free time. My love for news came when I was in junior high during the Bush VS Kerry elections, when I realized what the news can do and how it affects people. I always hope to do the right thing and stand up for what I believe is morally right. I believe in sticking to your roots and never letting truth be shoved aside. My loyalty to friends and co-workers is looked upon and I’m able to maintain that loyalty by attending work on time, and putting friends and family first when they need me.

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MY STORIES:

• Utah organizations for people with disabilities see need for financial improvement
• Tax incentives in Utah for hiring people with disabilities may go unnoticed
• Utah’s Disability Law Center, an advocacy instrument for people with disabilities

MY BLOG:

The time I have spent at the University of Utah has allowed me to gather vital knowledge concerning various topics. I have studied instances within different governments that have shaped the world’s political landscape, and have learned about the noticeable disparities associated with race, class and gender.

However, after writing three stories for Voices of Utah, I have learned about an overlooked sector within our society. This sector is people with disabilities, which is also the beat our class covered for Fall 2013.

For my first story, I wanted to learn about the different types of organizations that are available for people with disabilities in Salt Lake City and in Utah. In regards to many nonprofit organizations in Utah that help Utahns with disabilities, I found that there were a lot of financial areas that were in need of improvement. Also, as I have mentioned in my first story, there are many Utahns with disabilities who are entitled to financial assistance and are not receiving any. Consequently, as I began to explore areas that hinder individuals’ capacity to live independent lives. I found that there were employment barriers and legal hurdles that have interfered with the goals of these citizens. This compelled me to write my second and third story concerning these two issues.

Unlike other social issues that I have explored, it seems that a majority of the issues associated with people with disabilities do not result from prejudices within society, but from financial allotments that do not sufficiently cover basic needs that many of us take for granted. Therefore, I have learned that the media have not focused enough attention on issues that pertain to individuals with disabilities. Although it is important for more attention to be focused on people with disabilities, I have learned that individual contributions are just as vital.

Many Utahns with disabilities who have not yet contributed to society are not often searching for handouts. And after speaking with TURN Community Services, I found that a multitude of volunteers are not contributing in a way that makes people with disabilities feel inconsequential, but in a way that helps them live as independently as possible.

After speaking with organizations that help many people with disabilities, like TURN Community Services, I can see that individual efforts collectively limit the amount of noticeable disparities within this demographic. Therefore, I think volunteering and playing a positive role within the community is the first step in limiting social issues, so I will be looking for opportunities that will allow me to volunteer in the future.

In terms of my career, I am currently interested in attending law school. Even though negative connotations exist regarding the role of a lawyer, I would like to study the law to develop positive change for wherever I may reside. And I believe studying and writing about imbalances within our communities, which I have done in this beat, is an important starting point.

ABOUT ME:

I am a 22-year-old student at the University of Utah. I am studying both Political Science with an emphasis in international studies and Communication with an emphasis in journalism.

During spring 2014, I will be interning for Senator Harry Reid in Washington, D.C., which is something that I am very excited to complete. I believe covering stories for Voices of Utah has helped me prepare for the upcoming experience.

I have enjoyed the time I have spent at the University and covering people with disabilities for Voices of Utah. I look forward to the remaining time I have at the U and for whatever the future may hold for me.

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MY STORIES:

• The potential effects of marriage for people with disabilities
• Jeremy Chatelain hasn’t let quadriplegia deter him from his goals
• Marriage equality for people with disabilities

MY BLOG: Having the opportunity to cover people with disabilities this semester has been eye opening and humbling.

I interviewed several individuals and there was a consistent pattern of positivity and making the best of their situation.

There is an old quote that said, “you make plans, and then life happens”. I find this profound because I believe we can get too caught up in the future and making plans that we don’t live in the now and enjoy every second we have.

I will never forget when Carly Fahey said “I see the cerebral palsy as one of the brighter and more fun things about myself. There’s never a dull moment and I keep a really humorous outlook on things.”

This proves that we can either dwell on the struggles or bask in the strength it can bring.

Meeting Jeremy Chatelain and hearing his story is something I will never forget. He truly overcame adversity and has accomplished so many things in his life, including fatherhood and working on his Ph.D.

I never would have learned about the in depth struggles faced by people with disabilities, marriage being one the biggest if not given this opportunity.

I also learned the importance of “good work” and revising, revising, revising. Your first draft will never be perfect but with patience and practice you can learn what to look for and recognize your flaws.

Although I won’t be looking for a career in reporting, I think this class helped to prepare me for a career position in the non-profit sector. I will continue to use my personal journal as an outlet for my creative writing and push myself up the excellence ladder.

ABOUT ME: Education and a college degree is something neither of my parents, nor siblings have had the opportunity to obtain, so for me this has been a key piece in furthering myself. I crave knowledge and thrive on the opportunity to expand past my current boundaries.

Last fall I decided to quit my job and go to school full-time in order to obtain my goals of a college degree, sooner rather than later. I enrolled in 20 credit hours and enjoyed every second of it. With this leap of faith I will be able to graduate in Spring 2014 with a degree in Mass Communication.
My ultimate goal is to apply my talents gained from a well-grounded background of education and experience, in a career position in the nonprofit sector. I want to make a difference and help build the community.

This class has helped prepare me for my future career by juggling multiple deadlines and learning the art of “good work.” Most importantly I have learned the value in revision and editing my writing to provide the most complete and accurate work possible.

I will continue to “Move up the excellence ladder,” in the words of Professor Mangun.

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MY STORIES:

• Disabilities services at University of Utah
• How accessible is Utah’s new Granger High School?
• Para Quad: Wheeling in the mobility of choice

MY BLOG:

What did you learn about yourself?

What I had believed to be unyielding confidence and security in myself quickly vanished when I did my first interview with Chris Burningham at the Center for Disability Services.

I realized that although I may be comfortable talking with people in general, when it comes to interviewing, I have had very little experience. I realized I’m used to talking, and a whole lot of talking at that. Interviewing requires a lot of listening, which is a quality I didn’t realize I lacked.

This class has opened my eyes toward making a change in how I communicate. Not just in speaking, but in making an effort to become a better listener.

How did your reporting increase your understanding of this community?

My enterprise story was the biggest realization I had towards Salt Lake and how citizens who use wheelchairs get around. Para Quad is just down the street from my parents’ business, where I have spent all of my life. Although I was aware of doing business with them, I had never visited the shop or knew what it really did. To see it make a real difference regarding wheelchair mobility is eye-opening and made me realize this city has a lot to offer the varied communities that live here.

What did you learn from your beat?

People with disabilities are very under-represented. Many places help to support them but when it comes to media representation, there is hardly any. I think getting into mainstream TV and movies would help younger kids who have disabilities feel less ostracized.

ABOUT ME:

I was exposed to the professional world at a very young age. As a child, I played at my father’s business, climbing on rolls of cushion foam or letting my imagination run wild while sitting in bus seats that waited to be installed.

As a teen, I was taught some of the many trades my dad used every day to fuel his business toward success. I learned to cut leather and vinyl behind the scenes and to smile and greet customers at the front. The world got smaller as my understanding of business grew and as an adult, the work I did started to make a bigger difference.
I developed skills gained from my education and technological generation to expand our humble New Image Vans. From written invoices and casual walk-in customers, I helped maintain an expansion toward professional clientele within the car dealership and trucking industry.

I grew up watching the very best man do the very best work in the van conversion business. It was the experience gained there and studying Communication at the University of Utah that taught me to harness clarity, honesty and confidence to guide my professional self-presentation.

My personal code of ethics is always to be as transparent as possible. Be honest and open professionally and never forget the success of a business relies on the hearts and minds of the people behind the scenes.

My goal is to use my strengths in communication and understanding to serve and make a difference while staying true to my ethics and opinions.

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MY STORIES:

• Utah becoming the new frontier for booming black-owned businesses
• Transracial adoptions on the rise in Utah families
• Utah baseball diamonds a microcosm of nation’s declining black player population

MY BLOG:

This past semester has been far more rigorous and daunting than I had ever anticipated. I thought that being the casual newspaper reader would prepare me to be able to write and report with the knowledge and skills of an actual journalist. I learned quickly that there is much more to reporting than finding something interesting and spewing out the facts.

Accuracy, good questions, accuracy, good note taking, accuracy, people skills, accuracy, objectivity, accuracy, writing skills and accuracy are just some of the tools I gained or sharpened during this semester. I also learned that editing is far more valuable and crucial than I had ever thought before. In high school, I would spew out my work, giving it one half-hearted glance for minor spelling or punctuational mistakes, and turn it in thinking it was worthy of being published. That bubble was quickly and unceremoniously popped. I now view my work for spelling and grammatical mistakes, improper word usage, word repetition and non-flowing paragraphs, just to name a few.

I have been at the U for almost three years now, and although I lived in Layton, I thought that I knew a lot about the culture of Salt Lake City. To a point, I did know a lot about the culture of Salt Lake City, the white culture. Until this semester, I had never ventured to explore the African-American culture that, while small, is growing in exposure. I learned that many of Salt Lake’s African-American residents come from a variety of backgrounds and are usually from outside of the state. Many of them come to Utah in search of a better job market, better housing situations, and better quality of living than where they come from. I also learned that there are some serious adjustments they have to make to thrive in the plain yogurt bowl known as Utah. The African-Americans who move here vary from the hard-working factory stiff, to the bright-eyed entrepreneur and everything in between. Without this class, I probably never would have met some of these great, hard-working people or been to some of their outstanding new businesses.

Covering this beat made me realize that even in a relatively homogenous place like Utah, there is a variety of vibrant and growing cultures and subcultures just begging to be explored by the willing writer. Sure, I could stick with what I know and continue to write stories on people just like me, but now I want to do more, I want to see new things and meet new people whose values and experiences differ from my own.

ABOUT ME:

Sports are my true passion in life. Playing, watching, analyzing and commentating are what I love to do. Late into puberty, when I realized I wasn’t going to fit the body type of the traditional professional athlete, I gave up on playing for a career, but I knew that sports would still be a part of my professional life. Watching SportsCenter on ESPN nearly four hours a day,  I grew to admire the work of sports analysts like Mike Wilbon, Tony Kornheiser, Hannah Storm, Stuart Scott and Scott Van Pelt. I knew that I wanted to talk and analyze sports for a living, but getting to ESPN is a tall order to fill. Many of these reporters worked their way up from newspapers, to magazines, to blogs, to radio, then up to television. So I decided to begin my climb up the media ladder by committing to the mass communication major here at the U.

I have always been fascinated with words. As a kid I would always ask my parents and teachers what the definitions of words were. Even today, I sometimes challenge myself to use sentences with uncommon or complicated words or vernacular. My love of wordplay and convoluted words naturally led me to writing. Writing is a cruel beast, but attempting to tame the written word is the underlying dream of every writer. My hands get sore, my posterior gets numb and my brain goes dead, but the rush of a good piece is so worth it.

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” — Vince Lombardi

I have the will and determination to climb the steep hill that is becoming a successful journalist. Much like a professional athlete, I don’t like to lose. I take that same mentality into all facets of my life, including my work. I want to be considered one of the best by my peers and by my readers. I want future generations of young sportswriters to look at one of my pieces or quotes and say, “That’s what I want to do. I want to sound like that guy.”

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MY STORIES:

• Salt Lake residents share perspectives on President Obama’s terms 
• Django Unchained— the ‘d’ is silent, but not the critics
• Is the LGBT equality movement the civil rights movement of the 21st century?

MY BLOG:

At the start of the semester I was excited to learn that my class would be beat writing for African Americans in Utah. Being a part of a fellow minority group, I was eager to cover stories about African Americans. It is my personal belief that some of the most interesting stories come from minority communities, and all they need is a reporter willing to cover them.

Once class got rolling, I realized what a challenge this beat would be! African Americans make up a very small percentage of the Utah population, 1.3 percent according to the U.S. Census Bureau, so naturally stories would be more difficult to come by.

Since finding stories about African Americans proved difficult, I found my stories by taking national issues and localizing them. I gathered the opinions of other Utahns to get a feel for popular sentiment.

I covered President Barack Obama’s inauguration, but focused on the reflections of African Americans. I  wanted to know they felt about his first four years and the four years ahead of him.

The other national issues I covered proved quite controversial. I covered the movie “Django Unchained,” which dealt with slavery in the South. Additionally, I wrote about the marriage equality movement and its similarities to the civil rights movement.

Covering this beat has shown me just how diverse Utah is. At first glance Utah may seem fully of cookie-cutter families and lacking diversity. Now I realize Utah has many small, different, ethnic communities. And because these communities are smaller, they need coverage to make their voices heard.

My experiences in this class helped me realize  even though you may not see a story right away, a true writer can find a story in any subject.

ABOUT ME:

I’ve been interested in writing my entire life. Growing up, I always said, “When I grow up I want to be a journalist.” There are a variety of factors that led to this. First, my passion for reading, and second my father.

Throughout elementary school, middle school and high school, I was always reading. Reading for school or reading for fun, I always had my nose in a book. I would finish entire series in a week or less and the bookstore was essentially my candy store.

So after reading and reading, I began to think, I could try this. I could try to write something. Eventually that desire went away, suppressed  by homework and other activities. But at the end of the day I still really wanted to write something.

The second factor that developed my interest in writing was my father. He was always submitting letters to the editor for our local paper, the Orange County Register. He was published quite often. Our home phone number was listed in the phonebook and readers would call our house, praising my dad’s letters and agreeing with his opinions.

As a kid I was amazed that my dad was published in a newspaper.

“How cool, I want to do that,” I thought to myself.

So finally when I was off at college, I realized writing was what I wanted to do. In 2011, I declared myself a communication major, with an emphasis in journalism.

In addition to that major, I also declared myself a political science major.

I’ve always had an interest in politics. Growing up, my family regularly engaged in debates over the dinner table, and I  often watched the news with my dad. Once I began college I became more and more interested in politics, and taking political science classes because I was genuinely fascinated. I’m expecting to graduate winter of 2013.

In the fall of 2012, I moved to Washington, D.C., to intern with News Generation. Living and interning there was one of the most exciting opportunities I’ve had throughout my college career. I gained independence and a better sense of what the professional world is really like.

In the meantime, I’ve been honing my writing skills at the Daily Utah Chronicle. There, I report on a variety of topics and campus events.

Currently, I live in Salt Lake City, and I’m your average “poor college student.” I hope that won’t be for long, though.

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MY STORIES:

• James Jackson III: building a stronger African-American community
• Mahider Ethiopian Restaurant and Market offers a taste from Africa 
•  KUDU: Gifts and decor from Africa helping others from Salt Lake City

MY BLOG:

This semester I gained different experiences focusing on the African-American community in Salt Lake City. One of the experiences that I had was being able to meet a great leader of the African-American community who helps small business owners to find the right sources so they can succeed in the future. His name is James Jackson III. He showed me that working hard and getting the right education you could succeed in life and try to help your community as much as you can.

My second experience gained was trying authentic Ethiopian food for the first time. I stepped in Mahider Ethiopian Restaurant looking to try something unique from Africa, and I found more than just food. I was able to learn one of the main Ethiopian ceremonies, which the main element is coffee and the meanings for the community.

My last and most wonderful experience was getting to know Susan Clissold. She is the owner of a small shop in Salt Lake City that focuses on selling handmade items from African artists and teaching the community about her culture with art. She taught me that having passion for something can help people in other parts of the world and have the satisfaction of doing good for someone.

Reporting increased my understanding in the community. Looking around, finding new places and people led me to find new stories and experiences that I will always have present in my life.

ABOUT ME:

Since I can remember I always had an interest in reading and writing. I enjoy reading novels, being outdoors during the summer and trying new dishes.

Currently I am attending the University of Utah, where I am working on completing my degree in communication with a focus on public relations. After graduating from Kearns High School in 2009, I continued my education at Salt Lake Community College. I completed five semesters and earned an associate of science degree in 2013. During my time at SLCC I gained experience with different communication classes that I took, which helped me decide on my current major. While attending college, I was exposed to different situations that taught me how to develop my education.

I want to focus on helping the Hispanic community. Since I have Hispanic heritage, I have the ability to help minorities and make the community stronger through communication.

I hope one day to become a noted reporter or broadcaster and help the community to be well informed.

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MY STORIES:

• A journey of faith: overcoming racial restrictions in the Mormon Church
• Growing up biracial in Utah
• The rewarding challenges of transracial adoption

MY BLOG:

Focusing on the African-American community in Utah this semester has shown me just how desperately this state is in need of more exposure to diversity and diversity education in schools. During our first in-class interview with James Jackson III, executive director of ACCEL, an interesting question came up. The question was whether or not Jackson felt Utah was a prejudiced place. He responded by saying that he didn’t feel people in Utah were necessarily prejudiced, but he did feel ignorance was an issue. Overall, he felt Utah is friendly, but the lack of diversity causes ignorance. As I worked through interviews and stories in the African-American beat I often found myself thinking the same thing. It’s something I had not considered until I started working this beat. I have personally never witnessed any racism in Utah, although I do hear about it in the news occasionally. Hearing first-hand accounts of racist or ignorant remarks was disheartening. In two out of the three stories I have written, I discovered that high school seems to be a big part of the problem. Since it is difficult to expose people to diversity in a state that serious lacks it, education on diversity is desperately needed. I recall a comment the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. made while we were live tweeting his speech from the University of Utah. He said, “We hate what we should love.” I didn’t think much of it at the time, but the more the semester went on the more that quote sunk in. The more I worked this beat I came to realize that it’s not necessarily hate that people feel, but fear. We fear what we don’t understand. The more we can expose people to differences, the more tolerant I believe we’ll become as a community.

ABOUT ME:

I am a University of Utah graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with an emphasis on journalism and new media. The joke in my family over the years has been you either go into medicine or broadcast news. Medicine was definitely not in my blood, but I’ve been passionate about news as long as I can remember. I love meeting new people and hearing about their lives. I often find myself getting into deep discussions about life with complete strangers. I was recently watching Jane Fonda on Oprah’s “Next Chapter” and she talked about never feeling comfortable in sameness. I have never been able to articulate my feelings completely, but that was exactly what I have always felt. I had my first Oprah “aha” moment. I am the most at ease in difference. I like being exposed to new experiences, new cultures and new people. Journalism is the perfect fit for someone like me. Interviewing people is probably my favorite part of the process. While interning in the social media news division at KSL 5 TV, I found my place in news. I loved being able to interact with viewers and answer questions for them that a story didn’t. New media provides valuable interaction between media outlets and their audiences. I want to be a part of the process that is changing the way journalists report news.

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MY STORIES:

• Bringing diversity to Utah classrooms through the Teacher Recruitment Scholarship Program
• Thelina Smith, Miss Black Utah USA, strives for science education
• The Veteran Support Center provides help  for Black veterans in Utah

MY BLOG:

My most revealing experience of my beat was in an interview with Stanley Ellington for my Black Veterans in Utah story. In our interview, we were discussing inter-racial relations within the military. I brought up the topic of a veteran support group for minorities and asked why he felt it was important. He compared language barriers to culture barriers, and how important it is to be fluent in someone’s culture to truly be able to communicate and understand each other. This, Ellington reasoned, is why minority support groups are important.

Something else I learned about myself this year is I’m not a great multi-tasker or procrastinator. I feel this is something every student at one point in their life is forced to learn the hard way. With a part-time job, school, work and an internship, I feel I spread myself too thin – and unfortunately I feel my school work took the brunt of my shortcomings. However, there are some very valuable lessons I learned this semester.

First and foremost, I enjoy print writing more than I thought I did, and enjoy television journalism a lot less than I thought I would. This has really helped me define my career path. Though both careers are somewhat time consuming, through taking my T.V. journalism class, I’ve learned that I am not someone who can have their career be so time consuming. Although I greatly admire my T.V journalism professor and his work ethic, I know this is outside of my range of possibilities. I find reporting just as fulfilling, yet somehow less frustrating.

ABOUT ME:

I am a junior at the University of Utah majoring in broadcast journalism. While attending the U, I have had opportunities to participate in Newsbreak, a student TV news network on campus, as well as intern for the x96 radio station. I am a writer for The Cultural Hall, a blog about LDS culture and issues.

I’m also a volunteer for the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. I have been involved with the A Million Thanks Organization, which gathers letters of thanks from citizens to deliver to veterans currently serving, in hospitals, or retired.

In the future, I hope to become more involved with the Honor Flight Network, an organization that provides a free trip to WWII veterans who have yet to see their monument in Washington, D.C. Though I do not come from a military family, I am very passionate about veterans and their service.

I was on the first flight out of the United States after 9/11. Though this was a scary time for America, I felt the country pull together during a time of tragedy. This planted the seed of patriotism in me forever, and I will never forget the images of those brave men and women rescuing those who were trapped under the rubble of the Twin Towers.

In my spare time, I love to sing, play my violin, read, take long walks, visit with my grandma, and dote on my dog.

My grandmother and I after Miss South Jordan 2010

I have three sisters and one brother, who is serving an LDS mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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