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The ability to interview people correctly plays a highly important role for any competent journalist. Sincerely and emotionally, in her lecture, Alysia Steele, an associated professor of journalism, addresses the art of interviewing and mistakes she made while preparing the material for her first book to learn students to avoid them.
First of all, Alysia Steele emphasized the importance of keeping strong family bonds and trying to record and save as many memories about beloved ones as possible. “Go in reviewing your elders, your grandmother, your grandfather, your mom, your dad, record their voices, save their voicemails,” she said (Steele, n.d.). Unfortunately, Alysia did not manage to review her grandmother, a wonderful Southern woman from North Carolina, who lived in Mississippi and raised her (Steele, n.d.).
However, it was very important for her to understand her grandmother, understand why she raised her in the way she did and why they were constantly fighting about everything. That is why she decided to interview other grandmothers, black women, and her contemporaries, to know how they lived in the Jim Crow era, coped with suppression, and raised children. She decided to create her project and publish her first book, “Delta Jewels: In search of my grandmother’s wisdom,” in memory of her grandmother and praising the contribution of black women in history and culture.
Alysia went to Mississippi Delta without knowing anyone there and without having a distinct plan. However, subsequently, he received the contacts of 44 black women who agreed to tell their stories, and the stories of Mrs. Bearden, Mrs. Floyd, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Gresham, Mrs. Myers, and Mrs. Scurlock, and Mrs. Burton were included among others. Talking with these women, listening to their stories, and taking photos for her book, the author identified several essential rules and guidelines for interviewing that may be described as the following:
- Focus on people rather than on prepared questions. Alysia remembered that before interviewing, she prepared questions she would like to ask, including questions concerning basic information, such as name’s spelling, age, the year and month of birth, and the number of children and grandchildren. However, she realized that every person is unique, and every person has his or her unique stories that should be carefully listened to regardless of any plans.
- Listen, be quiet, and let people say what they want to say. Women wanted to tell stories about various things – husbands, children, and grandchildren, segregation, studying, and food. In particular, a lot of women remembered their beloved husbands who had already passed away with tenderness and compassion. In addition, there is nothing wrong or uncomfortable in silence – thus, if a person wants to keep it for a while, he or she has a full right.
- Be impartial. Alysia Steele mentioned that she aimed to keep women’s stories as they are, with their emotions and all peculiar features. That is why she left original grammar and words – she simply wrote as women talked (Steele, n.d.).
- Do not ask important questions. Alysia Steele advised starting a conversation with silly questions to make a person comfortable. “Are you a coffee-drinker or a tea-drinker?” she provided an example (Steele, n.d.). At the same time, she admitted that the most amazing and heart-touching stories frequently start with unimportant questions designed to “break the ice” between people.
At the beginning of her lecture, Alysia Steele mentioned that teachers traditionally do not like to talk about their mistakes. However, as a competent specialist who does not afraid of challenges and teaches their students to be transparent and honest, she talked about black women and their stories and fondly remembered her experience. Steele believed that the whole universe is made of wonderful human stories. Thus, she wanted young journalists to be able to record them to present their beauty and meaningfulness to others.
Reference
Steele, A. (n.d.). Alysia Steele’s presentation for Baylor [Video]. Web.
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