Nicole Lester: The Interview

Image from Full Sail Online Student Profile

Nicole Lester's voice exudes a natural self-confidence, evident during the first few words of our phone interview. "I'm a 6'1" black woman, I'm not easily intimidated", says the Tallahassee, FL native with calm assertiveness. Nicole, 38, currently lives in D.C. with her husband of 13 years, her oldest son, 16, their 12-year old son and 4-year old daughter.

When I asked her if she ever developed an insecurity growing up from being tall, she quickly assured me, "no, I never developed insecurities because my whole family is tall and my friends were tall. The shortest member in my family is 5'6. I grew up in a time where designers made clothes longer to accommodate me." 

Although Nicole is the kind of person who stands tall, figuratively and literally speaking, she does fear 2 things in life, "I fear drowning, I’m from Florida but I don't swim." What does she fear from life in general? "Fear of failing maybe," Lester adds after brief thought.

As a child, Nicole wanted to be a nurse but as she grew older she began hating needles and liking politics instead. In college, she wanted to become an attorney. She obtained a degree in Pre-Law/Political Science. After working in politics for a few years, Nicole enjoyed the client representation aspect of the field the most. 

What does she hope to achieve with a Master's in New Media Journalism? "I want to be a publicist.  I worked in politics and enjoyed representing people but it’s hard in politics. Even with great intentions, it's hard to do your job with all the external influences at play." She acknowledges the importance of representing public figures. "There is a proper way of representing, marketing and building the image of an individual," she concludes. 

She mentioned how celebrities like Chris Brown are in dire need of a good Publicist. Speaking of singer Chris Brown, I asked Nicole what type of music she enjoys listening to. "A lot of R&B and reggae. I’m usually a mellow person, that’s why I listen to a lot of RnB. But when I’m working out or working around the house, I like some reggae," she says.  

Nicole considers her uncle to be the greatest influence in her life, "He was extremely motivated and driven. He left a small town and became successful. A good Christian man and a role model.” She also shared with me her secret to happiness, " the secret is being myself and being true to me, paying attention to my feelings, my image."

Build Your Own Brand and Become a Freelance Journalist

Image by Google Images

Building a network is the most important aspect in any journalist's career. This field has taken to an ever increasing new media platform. It is not enough to have education along with excellent writing and presentation skills. While it is undoubtedly imperative to have passion for topics you will be writing about, you must have an audience. Networking starts by raising your profile online forming connections in Linked in, Twitter and Facebook. Take initiative to connect with other bloggers and journalists with a sizable following by commenting on their blogs and articles.

Image by Google Images

Create Facebook and Twitter accounts and link your Twitter feed to your Facebook page.  You can now link your blog's RSS feeds to your status updates. This will allow you to post and share stories with your followers as well as connect with other journalists and their networks and see what groups they like and/or join. Facebook is a great way to promote your blog and getting to know your readers. I consider Facebook to be a more valuable personal platform than Twitter for this reason.

Twitter and Facebook users vary in the way they share and read information. Vadim Lavrusik from Mashable.com, reports that based on a 3-month study from this site, users on Twitter are more likely to share an article than read it versus on Facebook, which users are more prone to click on article than share.

Despite its exclusive popularity among celebrities when it first debuted, Twitter has grown to users among all target markets. It has proven to be very easy to use and a great search tool to find topics that are trending. According to American blogger and Evangelist Robert Scoble, Twitter reported a major earthquake in Mexico City several minutes before the USGS did. 

When looking and applying for jobs as a Freelance Journalist, Linkedin is a good site to research companies and its' employees. It is useful can also strengthen relationships with colleagues. You can also find new contacts in journalism from groups such as Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Society of Professional Journalists, Online Reporters and Editors and Journalistics.

Once you have built your online network, journalists must pitch their ideas to editors. You can get inspiration from other journalists stories, which is why it is important to constantly read other blogs, newspaper and magazine articles. However, when starting out as a Freelance Journalist, the challenge is to pit yourself. Using personal experiences put a unique perspective on your ideas that can help you stand out.

Ultimately, write stories about topics you are passionate about and/or have expertise on. Editors look for the following in pitches: strength, uniqueness and how well and/or concise the idea is expressed. A good resource to pitch editors is writersmarket.com. You can find places to sell your writing, manage submissions, see the latest industry news and get an idea of how much to charge for your work. It is also helpful to join a Freelance writer forum online such as absolutewrite.com to get tips from others about your writing and how to infiltrate your niche market.

Despite the market competition and its challenges, working as a Freelance Journalist can afford you great freedom and flexibility in your work schedule. While it is a tough gig, with the right connections and skills you can enjoy profitability and doing what you really love.

Sources
http://blog.journalistics.com/2011/five-linkedin-tips-to-boost-or-start-your-journalism-career/
Author Ruth Harper. Reviewed 4-1-11.
http://www.ehow.com/how_3391562_become-freelance-journalist.html
Reviewed 4-2-11.
http://scobleizer.com/2007/04/12/mexico-city-earthquake-reported-on-twitter-first/
Author Robert Scoble. Reviewed 4-1-11

A Fiction Novel's Harrowing Look at Relationships Between White Slave-Owners and their Black Concubines

Besides American Oral Histories and a few documented stories on the American legacy of Slavery, mystery surrounds the actual nature of relationships between some White Masters and the Black Women they owned. We know there was a sizable "mulatto" population from children of white slave owners and slave women. Author Dolen Perkins-Valdez explores such relationships in her compelling debut novel Wench.

Wench tells the story of 4 slave women in 1951 who form a friendship while staying with their slave masters at a Ohio Resort name Tawana. Tawana was a real resort in history where many wealthy plantation owners would take their black slave concubines to get away from plantation life. Perkins-Valdez examines the dynamics of such relationships, which are depicted as abusive to varying degrees. As an avid history fan myself, the novel left me analyzing if genuinely caring relationships could have existed.

Wench does not give a clear answer. I certainly believe there must have been loving relationships that weren't depicted in this novel. Despite the power imbalance such relationships carried and the race/class politics of the times, many slave owners manumitted the slave women and children they fathered. Some even lived as a husband and wife after granting freedom. It would only be part of human nature to develop such emotional bonds under certain circumstances.

Wench is a brave and well researched effort with complex characters and realistic scenarios. It's a controversial and important topic in which many people don't like to delve into. This gap in history will never be filled. Regardless, this novel is one beautifully written, engaging and heartbreaking tale about conflicting human emotions and friendship under bondage.

Non-Profit Job Center Aids Immigrants Despite Town Protesters

I bought a condo in Jupiter, Fl 3 years ago. Every saturday while running local errands, I would notice the sight of local picketers holding up signs protesting just outside the town's El Sol Neighborhood Resource Center. The center primarily assists Hispanic immigrants in getting work; most of them are from Guatemala and undocumented. Clients regularly come to the center looking for workers to do jobs in their homes and small businesses. The jobs are usually in landscaping, painting and other handyman work.

Located in the high profile intersection of Military Trail and Indiantown Rd, El Sol is the only non-profit center in Palm Beach County to provide such services. Currently, there are around 100 volunteers and around 125 workers. The center stands next to the Police Department and Jupiter's Town Hall Center. The facility offers English education, sewing, computers, some legal counseling and recreational activities. Workers are also provided a small breakfast and lunch daily. Although a health clinic was recently closed, the center is currently working with local hospitals and local charities on a healthcare plan. Its funding comes from local businesses, churches and other charitable agencies.



El Sol was established in 2008. It was a solution for the increase in Jupiter migrants who went around town soliciting for work.

It is also a source of anger and indignation among some local citizens who have long argued the center hurts the chances of actual American citizens finding low-skill work. Others are concerned with paying taxes to support these immigrants; many who rely on bicycles for transportation. Many families are seen walking along Indiantown Rd for miles.


According to Attorney Jill Hanson, former president of El Sol, the center provides work to approximately 25-30% of workers on a daily basis. "We haven't seen the protesters since the recent election, there hasn't been any significant problems", says Hanson "maybe a few issues in regards to local police racial profiling". One of El-Sol's workers, Roberto, 39, came from Guatemala 8 years ago, leaving behind his immediate family. He has been finding work consistently at El Sol for the past 2 years, "It depends, sometimes I work 3 times a week and maybe even every day of the week, so it's working out for me thankfully" he says, "I don't see the protesters anymore, they never really bothered me. I think they got tired of standing out there."

DiPaolo, Bill (June 6, 2010). Documentary to Feature Jupiter's El Sol Center, Guatemalan Town. Retrieved from http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/documentary-to-feature-jupiters-el-sol-center-guatemalan-163032.html

(June 5, 2008). Sun Sentinel image "Marion Bonsignore holds her sign and the American flag in protest against illegal immigrants in front of the El Sol Center in Jupiter". http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/protesters-in-jupiter-target-center-that-helps-immigrant-laborers/

Hiring Hall online. Image retrieved on 3-20-2011.  http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7GmYcrdcHJM/0.jpg  

Cancer Cases

This graph illustrates that chances of developing Cancer directly correlates with age in most instances. There is a slight increase of cancer cases from year 1999 until 2005 in the age range of 45-54. However, the most significant increase from Cancer cases in this time period is age bracket 55-64.



From the Google Chart Data sets I was able to also look at Cancer cases per type or site. The most prominent cases are Lung and Bronchus with a significant increase of 9.5% from year 1999 to 2005. Despite the spike of Prostate cancer cases in the early 2000s, cases have remained consistent in this time period. Colon Cancer remains a steady threat. Based on the data of both charts, the leaders in Cancer are Lung/Bronchus, Prostate, Breast and Colon. According to the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), the following is recommended:

Cervical Cancer - No later than 21
Mammograms - Age 40
Prostate Cancer - Age 45
Colorectal Cancer/Polyps and other tests that primarily find Cancer - Age 50

If you don't know it Google it!

I find it jarring that at this day and age many people don't know how useful the Google tool is. I've been under the impression that this was common knowledge. The "Google IS your best friend!" cliche proves to be true. This search engine has become my go-to most trusted source when it comes to ANYTHING inquisitive minds of an "urbane nature" would like to know. As ridiculous and pathetically unfortunate as it may sound, Google is more reliable than any living being on the planet. 

I saw a Facebook post from a Novel author stating there was article about the novel in the Washington Post. She urged her followers to get the paper without taking to consideration that the same article could be electronically found online through my best friend. I typed the key words of her name in quotation marks on the search bar of Google, clicked on news, sorted by date and VOILA! I was able to share the article on her FB page. 

When I come to think of it, I don't remember the last time I got the paper. The effectiveness of this miracle engine is so satisfying that it will lead you to believe you're succeeding at everything in life. Ok, I'm exaggerating but just try it and click here. :-)