This photo is of Nancy Pelosi's Thursday visit to Denver to talk about public health care reform (taken by my co-worker, Jason). I have the blonde ponytail standing behind the row of tapers. This summer I interned as a writer and reporter for The Colorado Statesman, a weekly nonpartisan newspaper in Denver. The legislature ended May 7, exactly five days before I started working. So instead of covering the assembly, I covered things like announcements and signings of laws, speeches at the Capitol, conference calls from Sen. Udall, and protests for or against Obama-care. I learned a lot from this experience about writing for politics and how to interview people confidently.I enjoy learning about politics and understanding them better. The summer after I graduated from high school (2005) I interned for then U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass of the 2nd district of New Hampshire. I took his constituents on tours of the U.S. Capitol, wrote letters to the constituents on Bass's behalf, answered phones and sorted mail. I loved being in the center of all the action. I really love seeing how our democracy works and watching elected politicians try and represent their districts. So my next step, after figuring out that I liked politics, was figuring out how to make sure people had access to the correct information in order to come up with accurate opinions about their issues. I decided that what I wanted to do was study the ways of the media and learn how to help make its political message as clear and honest as possible.
Working for The Statesman was a perfect opportunity to do that. I learned how to be as objective as I can be, take myself out of the article, and write an article that's relevant, interesting and informative. It's disheartening to see newspapers dying all over the country. Online news is a different breed. But what will never change is the requirement of honest news to be a watchdog on the government and a service to the citizens.
On the side bar are links to some of the articles I wrote this summer for The Statesman. Check 'em out.
-lucy
