Multimedia Producer and host of Leah’s Lemonade, Leach H. Henry, virtually came to speak to my Practicum class this past Thursday. As a product of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications, Leah exemplifies what it means to be a successful Howard alumna in the news industry. I loved listening to Leach, not only does she have an amazing personality and sense of humor, but she also has accomplished so much as a multimedia producer.
She dropped several gems that resonated with me! Upon graduating from Howard, Leah wanted to do entertainment news, but did not have an opportunity offered to her right out of school. Although she really wasn’t interested in working in general news, nor did she have producer experience, she ended up taking a job as a producer for a local, Christian radio station. Having a mindset of taking what you need and creating connections through whatever opportunity you may get, even if it isn’t an ideal situation, was something that stood out to me about this part of Leah’s career as a journalist. For instance, when I gradate this May, I’m starting a business journalisms internship at an advertising firm in Philadelphia. Despite this not being my perfect, ideal job after graduation, the people that I’ll be working with are amazing and I’m excited to see what I take away from this opportunity.
On Leah’s Lemonade, Leach often interviews well-known public figures and celebrities. Just to name aa fe, thee has had the opportunity to speak to Saweetie, Flo Rida, Nick Cannon, Cuban Doll and Chico Bean. As I watched some of her interviews, I admired the way she was able to conduct the conversations, make it interesting for her viewers and a comfortable experience for her guests. During her presentation in my Practicum class she reflected on her interview techniques and how preparation was key to a success interview. I loved how she emphasized that being a good researcher is integral to any career in journalism—whether it be entertainment news or public affairs reporting. She explained that the way that she was able to have such an engaging interview with musical artist, Cuban Doll,— who appeared to be standoffish and reversed in many of her previous interviews— was because she did her research and asked genuine, engaging questions about her music. Being that interviewing is something I’m always looking to improve on as a journalist, I appreciated that Leach shared this advice. Ultimately, her presentation showed me that my education at Howard will more than prepare me for the world of journalism after graduation, and to take every job/internship presented to me as an opportunity to excel and network.
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