I can’t reiterate enough how valuable interns can be to an organization. Shout out to The San Diego Sun interns Calista Stocker, Joshua Silla and Madison Geering, all from San Diego State University.
In one of our weekly Zoom meeting, we brainstormed how they should approach writing blurbs I assigned them about their on-the-job experiences. By group effort we decided they’d write about what it was like to poll strangers for the new People on the Street stories now running in The Sun.
It’s well known media is an industry on rocky footing, owning challenges that are financial, logistical and political in nature. From that bleak overview, step into the light: Here are three first-person stories from young journalists honing their skills while collecting anecdotal information and contributing to the critical task of breathing life into local news.
CALISTA STOCKER
I hit the ground running with a Person on the Street story when I joined The San Diego Sun intern team in January. I had experience asking questions around my campus for other assignments. However, asking strangers to answer questions in an unfamiliar downtown environment was daunting at first. (Note: A man once asked me to make a phone call for him after he just got out of jail.)
The key to POTS stories is pushing past the inevitable dirty looks. For every 50 “No’s” you’ll get at least one person excited to talk to you. Despite the rejections, I believe POTS stories are the best way to gauge how a community truly feels about a subject. I’ve done two downtown POTS pieces so far (L.A. Fire Reactions and Parking Meter Rate Increases) and have heard life stories and had great conversations with people I would have never met. Everyone has a story to tell and a perspective to unlock – and we as journalists get access to them. You can interview as many figureheads as you want, but that won’t really tell you how issues affect the community at large.
Originally from New Hampshire, I’m now in my third year at San Diego State University majoring in journalism and minoring in sociology. In addition to being a part of The Daily Aztec and on the board of our Society of Professional Journalists chapter, I’m vice president, creative director and a singer in SoundWave SDSU A Cappella.
JOSHUA SILLA
I find it a pleasure to push people on their responses during People On The Street interviews. The best question to follow up with is “Why?” What I find most enjoyable is how it becomes easy to talk to people once you understand the joy of helping people search for their conclusions.
What I’ve learned: People are either definitive about what they know, or need some help verbalizing their thoughts (though you never put words in their mouths). I was on assignment canvassing people about Measure E, the one-cent sales tax on the November 2024 ballot. I had assumptions about how people had voted, but what I found in my reporting was the complete opposite of what I expected.
Most everyone I talked to defined themselves as working middle-class. They voted “No” on Measure E because on a day-to-day basis they couldn’t afford to pay the extra tax. A couple interviewees said they didn’t understand why Measure E failing to pass threatened public amenities; and that the City of San Diego had a poorly allocated budget. I talked to a man who recently transitioned from homelessness who said the same: He shouldn’t have to sacrifice his own finances because the city couldn’t budget its funds.
These answers helped me consider alternatives to pre-supposed narratives. It’s so fun to be surprised. I’m a senior at San Diego State University. Out of my three semesters reporting for The Sun, the days when I’m surprised are the best.
MADISON GEERING
As a San Diego native I often walk the streets of downtown San Diego. It’s a different experience when I’m stopping every passing person to ask for an interview. Working on The San Diego Sun’s People on the Street series has been a welcome challenge and a true test of my skills. As a reporter interacting with strangers, I find that simply being kind and patient is a very effective conversation starter.
The first POTS story I worked on involved recent immigration policies. A sensitive subject, I prioritized approaching people with a nonjudgmental and friendly demeanor. Most people were open to interacting with me, but the moment I mentioned immigration many clammed up, visibly uncomfortable.
During one particular interview, an individual seemed really nervous to share their thoughts. They kept stumbling over their words, asking if they could rephrase. Given the spontaneous nature of POTS, I reassured the individual they could take their time and didn’t have to rush a response.
I believe people are hesitant to interact with the media because there’s a lack of trust in journalists right now. It’s my goal to create a safe environment for locals to accurately share their voices. I’m a recent graduate of San Diego State’s journalism department and an intern/writer for The San Diego Sun. SDSun
