Senior York College journalism major, 23-year old Khorri Atkinson, has made strides in the journalism field. He interns at NBC as a web designer and assistant copy editor. He also help found York College Association of Black Journalists, a chapter of National Association of Black Journalists for York journalism students.
VIDEO FILMED AND PRODUCED BY ASHLEY OLIVER
VIDEO FILMED AND PRODUCED BY ASHLEY OLIVER
By Ashley Oliver
Journalistic integrity and professionalism are ideals 23-year old York College journalism major, Khorri Atkinson, sought as a teenager as a means of addressing the inequities in society. Now, he is making strides in the journalism field to help bring transparency for the public's interest.
Atkinson, 23, a Jamaican native and founder of York College Association of York Black Journalists (YCABJ), journalistic passion was molded by his perception of corruption of the Jamaican political establishment and observation of its negative effect on his countrymen.
“[News] in the Caribbean isn’t presented properly. Certain things wouldn’t be broadcasted that the public should know about. [People] who pay their taxes at least deserve to know what’s going on in the country they live in,” said Atkinson in an interview.
Upon arriving York College in 2011, Atkinson foraged for organizations that supported black journalists. When he discovered National Association of Black Journalists, he proposed the idea of having a college chapter for journalism students to one of York’s journalism professors, Claire Serant.
“Just writing for the school’s newspaper wasn’t enough. If I wanted to actually compete with other journalists, I had to get support,” said Atkinson.
Atkinson established YCABJ in the spring of 2012 and was later invited to become a member of the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) directory board. He has attended multiple conventions and workshops for young journalists and networked with journalists from several news organizations.
Networking is an integral part of gaining access to the field of journalism, according to Atkinson. He attributed his internship as a web designer with National Broadcasting Company (NBC) to knowing NBC10 Philadelphia’s Social Media Editor Sarah Glover.
“I started interning at NBC in January through knowing Sarah Glover and staying in contact with her. It’s not enough for you to just know [other journalists]. They have to know who you are, too. Networking gave me a better chance to secure the internship because there are a lot of other people who may have more experience than me that applied,” said Atkinson.
In 2014, Atkinson did a six-week, unpaid internship at Queens Chronicle. There, Atkinson wrote forty articles concerning local politics, while still managing to complete his schoolwork. Atkinson attributes his awareness of local political issues to the internship.
“Local newspapers focus on topics that are not afresh in mainstream media. They’re more aware of issues about their residents, especially the minorities. That’s why I respect them,” he said.
Atkinson advises aspiring journalists to integrate news into social media.
“News organizations use social media to engage readers. You can find out about everything going on in the world using apps like Twitter or Facebook. Everything is about entertainment nowadays so in order to make people read we have to leverage new platforms,” said Atkinson.
Atkinson expressed his concern for the lack of the diversity in the newsrooms. He encourages young, black journalists to become involved with NABJ and market themselves.
“Not enough minority students are getting involved with organizations that can help them. In order to get their start, they have to start somewhere. We are citizens and have the power to make a change. I want to be a part of that change,” he said.