Bold Missions

Today was quite busy for newsgathering. We are all in the process of hunting and gathering for our big civil rights anniversary special that will air on Feb. 1. There is a LOT of time spent making calls, interviewing people, writing, and editing going on all while we march on with gathering not only the news of the day, but several franchise stories--you know, the Pay It Forwards, the Fox on Your Sides, the Made in NC, etc.
Today, Sheeka Strickland and I interviewed Pat Patterson, a man who was arrested for his part in bringing about social and civic change to civil rights in 1960s Greensboro. What a treat it has been to be in the presence of people like Mr. Patterson who summoned great courage at a young age to do something they knew would be VERY unpopular. A bold mission to say the least.

We also were invited into the home of a young man named Justin Hoyle who is a crime victim. Yesterday someone, or some people broke into his house and stole 2 TVs, a Sony Playstation, and a laptop. It is the laptop that has Justin on a mission. See, his brother Jason was an avid graphic designer, and specialized in NASCAR-type graphics. Last year, Jason died of cancer. After that, it bacame Justin's goal in life to follow after his brother in designing graphics. Now, everything that represented his brother's creativity is gone. He said he has made it his life's mission to find the laptop and finish what he started.

That story provided some very creative opportunities for me as a photojournalist and an editor. As I looked around the room we were in, I noticed several things that would make for good visual story-telling, like a sign above the living room that read in bold lettering: "FAITH-DREAM-HOPE"

Words by which to live. Thank you Justin for that, and I hope you find what you are looking for on your very bold mission.