Blog Post 1 – March 2, 2026
We are just over a month into the course, and I can definitely say that I am progressing with my digital skills. There has been a lot of information to absorb, but it has not felt at all overwhelming. I feel I could have done better on my story pitch with more detailed information and visuals. I was really impressed with all my classmates’ pitches and learned quite a bit of new information. All the notes and recommendations I received from Professor Schmitz Weiss were really helpful, and I hope it reflects as my story comes together.
The group discussions in class about assigned readings have allowed me to understand things from different perspectives. I have been experimenting with the Adobe Express app on my free time after we made the short videos with a partner using different shot angles. One of the shots even had a funny accident that I feel wouldn’t have come out the same if it had been scripted. Up next is the social media assignment with Documenters. I am looking forward to the rest of the course to see how much more I can learn.
Screening Circle Reflection – March 15, 2026
One of the things discussed at the JMS Screening Circle that resonated with me the most was the comparison between what it costs to house someone for a year and hold someone in a jail or a hospital. Three days at Harbor View Hospital, three months in King County Jail, and a year of permanent housing all cost the same. As a formerly incarcerated person, it reminds me of how it costs roughly double to house one person in a California prison than it does for tuition in the costliest university in the state.
Most of what I have seen the mainstream media portrays unsheltered people as an affliction on our society. The predicament is normally posed as a problem with the person rather than a failure of our society. Ther have been a few stories that humanize unsheltered people by telling their stories, but the majority have been an outline of negative effects on a community due to an unsheltered population. My experiences have shaped my understanding of unsheltered populations more than media portrayals. I have gone through my own struggles and learned that these types of issues have deeper roots than a person’s moral fortitude.
Comics like Sweeps Kill can work to reveal what some people go through to survive. It can change public perception by highlighting the systemic barriers that can keep a person from overcoming their struggles. It is more than just a person’s ability or will to help themselves. This can lead to public policy changes that decriminalize the efforts unsheltered people go to in order to provide themselves with a place to live and sleep. It can divert resources from enforcement of ordinances to providing aid that will help a person change their life.
I feel journalist can best cover homelessness and the unhoused population by delving into the underlying issues. Showing the human side of people and telling their stories will go a long way to changing how people view the situation. People dealing with homelessness require more than just shelter; they require holistic services that will serve a population dealing with trauma. Questioning public officials on their efforts to combat the problem will keep the issue relevant and hold them accountable to the people they serve because the unsheltered are also their constituents.
Sample Chart 2026
Blog Post – April 6, 2026
I was in a program focusing on the Microsoft Windows suite that included Excel but the material we have gone over in the past few weeks has showed me things I didn’t know how to do. The work with Google Sheets has been interesting and there has been a lot that will serve me well in my academic pursuits and career. The most noteworthy exercises were creating pivot tables to narrow down information depending on the parameters chosen. It taught me to separate the information that is pertinent to what I’m trying to focus on.
Working on my website has been enlightening being that I’m probably behind technologically compared to most students. Working on the Documenters/inewsource assignment has also helped in that aspect. I’ve learned how to edit and cut video clips to create more cohesive digital media. I expect to use the skills I’ve learned in other endeavors.