Words cannot explain the fear that ran through my veins as I walked past the offices and cubicles that occupy Suite 500 of 332 South Michigan Avenue. I had decided to arrive 20 minutes early, which did not seem like a bad idea at the moment of planning, but now that I look back at that moment it may have caused more harm than good. As I sat there waiting patiently in the lobby of the Suite reading one of Angela's stories from the October issue of The Chicago Reporter, my mind began to worry about what was about to take place. Sure I had my questions prepared and I had on my lucky pair of Jordans, but at that moment it seemed like I was headed straight for disaster. My heart began to race when I saw Angela enter the glass doors that led into the Suite wearing what looked to be a warm jacket and a smile. After a brief set of introductions we began to head back to Angela's office. Along the way she began to make me aware of all of the organizations and businesses that worked out of Suite 500 along with The Reporter. My heart didn't seem to slow down despite the fact that I was being given a tour by one of the nicest human beings I had ever met. My heart finally began to beat normally as we entered Caputo's office. After we both made ourselves comfortable, and got all of the random chit chat out of the way, I began to conduct the interview.
Q: What do you like most about being an investigative journalist?
AC: Uncovering something that no one else has looked at yet, when you can bring a new angle or a new discovery to an issue or a problem. Its also exciting when you find something to call people out on, when people are saying one thing but the facts display something clearly different... Its pretty exciting.
As Angela finished up with that question a colleague of hers, Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, entered and offered me an Italian Chocolate. From Angela's interaction with Jeff I could tell that The Chicago Reporter was a warm environment and kind of like a family. After a quick conversation with Jeff, I continued with Angela;
Q: Do you have a preference as to what it is you like to write about?
AC: I like writing about exactly what we write about here, issues that no one pays attention to but affects everyone. Here we're able to dig in and investigate issues that relate to a group of people that the mainstream politicians aren't all that concerned with. When people come to Chicago from other places they see this large booming city, but there are sections of the city that are really struggling right now. And when we talk about Chicago being this world class city, I think we're ignoring half of it. That's what I like so much about here (The Reporter), that we report on the reality that gets ignored a lot.
Q: So sort of Reporting on the unseen?
AC: Yeah, and reporting on people and policies that affect them. Through better public policy people won't have to struggle like they are, I mean, of course there are always going to be people that struggle but good public policy can help people to live better.
Q: Are there ever times when you wish you'd gone another route (career wise)?
AC: Not really, if my husband loses his job I might say something different... just kidding. No I love it, but there are days when I get frustrated and I say Ugh I hate this place, right? (She motions towards an intern who is sitting to her right typing on a computer. He laughs and agrees) But I cant imagine what I would do that would be more exciting.
Q: When you came and spoke to our class you said that you were passionate about whatever you write about where ever you write, how is that possible?
AC: It's the way you approach it. When I worked covering a town at my newspaper, I could have been really bored, but I was always trying to find the untold story and also just trying to hold people accountable. Just always digging around for things, and that's why it's exciting because I was able to turn up some good things, break some stories, and ruffle some feathers... It's exciting, painful at times but exciting.
Angela Caputo is an extremely passionate journalist not only about her writing but also the people she writes about. This interview was helpful in many ways to me because this is what I want to someday do and Angela is the perfect person for me to model if I am to be great in this industry. I see her as great role model to up and coming journalists and I would recommend anyone to follow her stories.
DeAnte Lightfoot
Q: What do you like most about being an investigative journalist?
AC: Uncovering something that no one else has looked at yet, when you can bring a new angle or a new discovery to an issue or a problem. Its also exciting when you find something to call people out on, when people are saying one thing but the facts display something clearly different... Its pretty exciting.
As Angela finished up with that question a colleague of hers, Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, entered and offered me an Italian Chocolate. From Angela's interaction with Jeff I could tell that The Chicago Reporter was a warm environment and kind of like a family. After a quick conversation with Jeff, I continued with Angela;
Q: Do you have a preference as to what it is you like to write about?
AC: I like writing about exactly what we write about here, issues that no one pays attention to but affects everyone. Here we're able to dig in and investigate issues that relate to a group of people that the mainstream politicians aren't all that concerned with. When people come to Chicago from other places they see this large booming city, but there are sections of the city that are really struggling right now. And when we talk about Chicago being this world class city, I think we're ignoring half of it. That's what I like so much about here (The Reporter), that we report on the reality that gets ignored a lot.
Q: So sort of Reporting on the unseen?
AC: Yeah, and reporting on people and policies that affect them. Through better public policy people won't have to struggle like they are, I mean, of course there are always going to be people that struggle but good public policy can help people to live better.
Q: Are there ever times when you wish you'd gone another route (career wise)?
AC: Not really, if my husband loses his job I might say something different... just kidding. No I love it, but there are days when I get frustrated and I say Ugh I hate this place, right? (She motions towards an intern who is sitting to her right typing on a computer. He laughs and agrees) But I cant imagine what I would do that would be more exciting.
Q: When you came and spoke to our class you said that you were passionate about whatever you write about where ever you write, how is that possible?
AC: It's the way you approach it. When I worked covering a town at my newspaper, I could have been really bored, but I was always trying to find the untold story and also just trying to hold people accountable. Just always digging around for things, and that's why it's exciting because I was able to turn up some good things, break some stories, and ruffle some feathers... It's exciting, painful at times but exciting.
Angela Caputo is an extremely passionate journalist not only about her writing but also the people she writes about. This interview was helpful in many ways to me because this is what I want to someday do and Angela is the perfect person for me to model if I am to be great in this industry. I see her as great role model to up and coming journalists and I would recommend anyone to follow her stories.
DeAnte Lightfoot
HAHA oh gosh....somebody better put this in english!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this was unintentional, but I really enjoyed it. We should write like this more often.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying its hard to understand? Joz
ReplyDeleteno lol at first it was all in "not english", like written in symbols. it looks like its fixed now
ReplyDelete