It was the best week of my professional life. Here’s why.
For seven days, I was in the city that was the center of the sports and pop culture universe. It was easily the highlight of my journalism career.
What a week. The world set its sights on Arizona as Super Bowl LVII and the WM Phoenix Open were held in the Valley this month.
As a digital producer, I was right in the middle of the action and helped with the local coverage of the events. Ever since I started pursuing a career in journalism at ASU, I dreamed about covering a big sports story like this. And it finally happened.
For seven days, I was in the city that was the center of the sports and pop culture universe. It was easily the highlight of my journalism career.
Every day was a different event. From NFL Opening Night on Monday to the WM Phoenix Open Pro-Am on Wednesday, it was non-stop action.
The entire week from start to finish seemed like a non-stop stream of excitement. Rolling around downtown Phoenix and seeing all the sights and sounds was something I’d never experienced before. I haven’t seen an event of this scale before since I became a journalist. And it was all happening in my hometown.
We prepared for these events months ago and it still felt larger than life. Media from all over the world was in Phoenix and the downtown area felt more like New York or Las Vegas. There was just so much to experience.
Personally, one of the bigger highlights for me happened during opening night. As I was rolling around the Footprint Center and interacting with the players, I actually met a couple of other journalists in wheelchairs. I can’t begin to describe how cool it was to see other journalists like me. I always knew I wasn’t the only disabled journalist around, but seeing them in person was something I never thought I’d see.
Everywhere I went, most of the time I was the only disabled person in the room. But now I actually felt like one of the crew and finally belonged.
After seeing the other disabled journalists, they brought up the point of accessibility to the athletes.
For those in wheelchairs, reaching the podiums of the more prominent athletes like Patrick Mahomes or Jalen Hurts was impossible. The crowds and podium height made access to ask questions an issue. If I had Roger Goodell’s ear I would ask him to try and make these events more friendly and accessible to disabled journalists.
Aside from a couple of accessibility issues here and there, the entire week ran without a hitch. All of the events were exciting to attend and amazing to cover. The entire week is a time I will certainly not forget any time soon and I will always be thankful for the opportunity.
What it's like covering the coronavirus
COVID-19. Coronavirus. Social distancing. Welcome to the new normal (for now). I and many others across the state of Arizona are transitioning to a new way of life. Living rooms are now offices, solitary walks around the neighborhood are daily workouts and Zoom meetings are a popular tool for social interaction.
The pandemic has taken hold of the globe's attention and the world watches and scrolls for updates on the fight against COVID-19.
And I am one of those who have the privilege to provide an essential service as a journalist to help keep my community informed during this tumultuous time.
COVID-19. Coronavirus. Social distancing. Welcome to the new normal (for now). I and many others across the state of Arizona are transitioning to a new way of life. Living rooms are now offices, solitary walks around the neighborhood are daily workouts and Zoom meetings are a popular tool for social interaction.
The pandemic has taken hold of the globe's attention and the world watches and scrolls for updates on the fight against COVID-19.
And I am one of those who have the privilege to provide an essential service as a journalist to help keep my community informed during this tumultuous time.
It's an honor to be able to be of service during this time and I will remember this moment for as long as I live. We transitioned to a work-from-home environment and the dynamic of news gathering is adapting to our new environment. Many newsrooms are relatively empty, but the news is far from gone. People like me get up every morning and roll up to our computers and begin checking for updates. My day is filled with checking emails, interacting with co-workers on Zoom, speaking with sources and developing content.
It comes in many forms in today's news-consumption landscape. From articles and videos to social graphics and tweets, I help share information on the coronavirus and tell the story of those affected by the outbreak, Not all of it is bad; for every article about the rising case numbers or updated social distancing requirements, there are those moments of hope. Stories about neighbors helping neighbors and kids sharing positive chalk-written messages help balance the intense reality we're currently living.
So for now, I’ll continue to cover this unprecedented event with pride and a great sense of duty. For as long as it takes.
And for everyone reading this, be sure to continue to wash your hands, keep your (social) distance and stay positive. As the great Harvey Dent said, “It’s always darkest before the dawn."