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image from maps.google.com / Alyssa Wells
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If you landed an interview with Atlanta Braves superstar Chipper Jones, you’d probably spend a good bit of time preparing your questions. You’d research and read about him until you managed a sound understanding of his career and history.
But instead of writing or filming about Jones, what if your work simply led you to a happening in his small hometown of Pierson, Florida, the so-called Fern Capital of the World? Here, a large population of primarily Mexican fern growers makes a living cutting fern. Just as you’d have investigated Jones’s background, you need to
Feel Out the Locals
Before grabbing your reporter’s notebook and pen, do some quick research on LexisNexis or Google and find recent stories from local newspapers and magazines. Use these materials to get a feel for the sounds, flavors, and sentiments specific to that community’s population. (Keep in mind that this advice applies to all reporters, including those who belong to the same minority community.)
Find the Specifics
During your research, identify these three facets of the local culture to help yourself prepare for interviews:
- special vocabulary
- sensitive issues and concerns
- important sources
For example, a quick archival search inside The Daytona Beach News-Journal – a newspaper for which I worked several years ago and whose scope of coverage includes Pierson – returns stories about farmers concerned about ferneries during a cold spell, and English- and Spanglish-speaking children translating for their strictly Spanish-speaking parents. Other stories offer a glimpse into the area’s history. You could read, for instance, that prior to the influx of Mexican immigrants, an African American population resided on the land.
Introduce Yourself
Your initial research may lead you to calling or e-mailing potential sources to introduce yourself. Generally speaking, key sources in diverse, ethnic communities often tend to serve as:
- religious leaders
- business owners
- social workers
- community activists
- university professors
Keep in mind that your first impression is always very important, regardless of the type of story you are producing. Take a few moments to decide if the source is someone who could potentially lead you to many other sources, and if he or she would prefer a phone call or an e-mail. (If your co-workers have covered the area before, they may be able to help answer the latter question.)
Once you contact your sources, remember to confirm the best way to reach them, and ask for any additional contact information you might need. When describing your project, always explain what you are doing in a clear and honest manner.
Covering minority communities can be a new and exciting experience. Just be sure to learn the slang, establish a good rapport with sources, and keep a professional behavior at all times. (Editor: Alex Horowitz)
