Blog Reflection 1
My preparations for the story have been going decent so far. I have narrowed down my focus for the people I want to interview for this story. Initially, I was thinking about contacting people who are a part of local recreation sports leagues or running clubs. However, I think that I can portray my story idea just by interviewing the people from work who I interact with. I have scheduled an interview with the aquatics coordinator at my branch for Thursday, but there is potential that it may happen sooner. I have some questions that I have created for this, but like any other interview, I will let the conversation flow naturally and see what responses I receive. Also, I have contacted the member/exercise instructor who I want to interview. She is out of town until the end of next week, so I'm trying to figure out how her interview will work out. I would like to avoid doing a phone interview with her because she has a very colorful personality and I would rather interview her in person. Worst-case scenario, I will do a phone interview with her and maybe a follow-up interview in person. I think she will have good recommendations for other members I could interview and I would like to get in contact with those other sources as soon as possible. One thing that I have also done, without even realizing that I am doing it, is scoping out locations to take pictures and videos for the multimedia and social media component. I have been noticing things like how the light hits at different parts of the day, and what locations have too much background noise and distractions.
With regard to things I still need to do, I need to continue to brainstorm my infographic. I don't really have an idea of how I want my infographic to look and what I want it to include, but I know that part isn't due until later in the semester. As for my multimedia components, I need to get working on those. I'm pretty set on using photos to aid in telling my story. Additionally, I need to solidify my idea for the social media component. I really like the idea of doing a Q&A type of thing with three or four people. I bought a new phone about two months ago and the lab assignment that we did this past week was the first time that I have gotten to play around with the camera, so I'm very excited to see how my video will look!
Blog Reflection 2
While I didn’t have the chance to attend the Screening Circle, I did review the materials and I think that the thing that resonated with me the most is just how consequential encampment sweeps are. One thing that caught my attention in the book was that the deaths of homeless people under former Mayor Bruce Harrell were higher than ever and there was $38.2 million proposed to spend on encampment sweeps in Seattle in 2023. The comics did a good job of portraying just how disruptive sweeps are to this population. Additionally, seeing this issue portrayed through the use of comics made it feel a lot more personal and emotional.
Having lived in San Diego, a city with a notable homeless problem, my whole life, I feel like the media portrayal of the unhoused population varies by the scale that it is being covered. The local media does a decent job of humanizing them and will often include perspectives from within the population in their stories. I also feel like they just give the facts for what they are and do so while remaining objective. However, I feel like the national media plays into the stereotypes that already exist. They often cover stories about drug use or crime within the community. While these issues do exist, they do so in a way that lacks context about the logistics of their situation. I feel like my understanding of this community has been heavily shaped by proximity and I feel like I have a pretty decent grasp, but I think that the comic could be helpful for those who are only seeing the national media’s portrayal.
I think that a comic book like Sweeps Kill could definitely have an impact on public perception or public policy. Because comics use visuals, it might be a way to engage an audience that doesn’t normally read things about policy. By showing the lived-in experiences of the unhoused population, it challenges the typical stereotypes of this population. This allows this audience to have an empathy and understanding that they might not have had otherwise. When people understand the human cost of the policies that currently stand, they may be able to support different solutions.
Overall, I think that the materials highlight the important role that journalists play in covering the homeless population. Instead of only focusing on the most sensationalistic, hard news aspects of homelessness, journalists should also try to cover stories that include the voices of the people who are actually experiencing homelessness. There should be a goal to humanize these communities, rather than stigmatize them, which is what the media has done for so long. By focusing on empathy and understanding, journalists would have the power to help the public have a better understanding of the unhoused situation. This would also lead to more thoughtful discussions about possible solutions.
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