BP: I think it is certainly a challenge at times. It is also sort of an edge. As a person of color in this nation, minority journalists more than likely have experienced some hardship. It can give you a level of empathy. When you travel abroad, that is not a new dynamic and you’re used to being a minority. Most of the world is brown, so you may not share in the same language and same culture but you experience the same color.
DI: You have covered stories such as 9/11, the war in Afghanistan and Hurricane Katrina. But which story is the most fulfilling to you?
BP: I think the most significant story was 9/11. It fundamentally changed our nation and the seriousness I now take in my work. A significant story not in the book is the tsunami in Indonesia. We told a story about a young woman who died and the loved ones who stood around her at a hospital as she took her last breath. I felt like out of all the foreign stories that was the best story and making it matter to the people at home (in America). She just finished college and was becoming a school teacher. Like every family they are proud of a college graduate. Doctors let her go to a side room and let the family say goodbye to her. The family grows close. That is a human experience.
DI: What was the best part in writing the book?
BP: Being able to speak with my own voice. I’m very respectful of the editorial process. It was nice to be in a situation where I could write it the way I want to write it. I like the level of independence in writing a book. There are a lot of broadcast journalists who like to be seen on television, but I like to write and happen to be on television.
DI: Are there a few notes you would pass on to any young people looking to be journalists, especially in today’s rough job market in the news business?
BP: As long as children love to hear bedtime stories, there will always be a place for journalists. People still like to be told a story. One of the things still vital is a free press. It is exciting work. I know in this age of cable and blogging, you have to find the format to give your opinion. Who cares about your opinion? There is room for people who just want to tell the facts. Just give me the facts and let people decide for themselves. If you want to impact the lives of people, there are few professions that do that better than journalism.
