To the kids, teens and other young individuals of Newark: Have you ever had a dream you find/found impossible to pursue? Have you always wanted to be on American Idol? Do you want to be the one to discover the cure to cancer? Do you want to be the president of the United States one day?
These are all really big dreams, right? You probably have had people put you down beforehand and tell you that “you can’t do it” or “it’s impossible to accomplish; choose a different profession” or something along those lines.
Well guess what? It’s not impossible!
All those individuals who are putting you down are just bad seeds in your environment who are not looking at the big picture. As cliché as this may sound: Anything is possible. You just have to be the one to drive yourself to do whatever it is that you want to do in life.
At this point you probably think that this is overly repetitive advice that only brings hopes way too high. Well guess what? I’m speaking from experience!
I recall pacing back and forth in my room, hands feeling ever so slightly sweaty, with an adrenaline rush that was about to reach its peak. All I was waiting for was the phone to ring to begin my interview and when it finally did, I was somehow able to ease into the moment and get into the “journalist mindset.”
Ianswered the phone and after exchanging a few words with the publicist, my interview began with someone I never thought I’d find myself speaking with; film director Brian Dannelly.
In mid-April I conducted a 10-minute phone interview with Dannelly on the making of his latest film, “Struck By Lightning,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City less than 24 hours before.
I asked him questions regarding why he pursued the project, what it was like filming a movie in a little over two weeks, the challenges that came with filming and what it was like working with screenwriter/producer/Golden Globe-winning actor Chris Colfer. (Read the article regarding the interview here.)
It was another one of those moments where to this day I cannot believe I was able to pull off.
Dannelly was one of many public figures I’ve had the honor of interviewing within the past year; other people including film director Quentin Lee, actor Booboo Stewart, YouTube singer Clara C and even Bay Area locals such as film director James Z. Feng, mash-up artist DJ Earworm and former Newark mayor David Smith.
While I am a Communication major at CSU East Bay and therefore am learning the way of the journalist, not a lot of college-aged students would actually go out of their way to attempt contacting people such as the ones that I’ve named.
Therefore, it’s mind-boggling in that sense for someone my age to go far out like that. Maybe what is just as mind-boggling is that I was just another graduate from only two years ago and it’s “crazy” what I’ve proved myself to do and accomplish since then.
Notice how I put quotes around the word “crazy” it that last sentence. It may be crazy to some but the reality is, it was something that can be done.
The same or similar outcomes can happen for anyone, regardless of whatever they want to do in life.
As long as you have the right mindset and the right attitude to do so and are more than willing to take on any obstacles that come your way, then the rest will come to you as time goes on. You just got to believe in yourself.
And with that, this is where I send you off with these cliché words of advice: “Just Do It,” “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Never Say Never.”
To read some of the interviews I was referring to, search my name at http://thepioneeronline.com/.
I may be wrong here but I believe the Individual Posting as one of Newark's City Council Members was in fact a Impersonator attempting to muddy that Members name in Public. This has happened before except with Newark's former Mayor Dave Smith. I'm even willing to bet it's the same Individual. Don't get Trolled, it might make you look really bad when the real person reads what you have typed, hence no Justification.