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Updates from October, 2008

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  Speakers Corner: CNN's Darius Walker

  Leila Brown 12:36 pm on October 25, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Darius Walker, the New York bureau chief for CNN, fell in love with broadcast journalism when he started his career at his college radio station.

  “I always had a passion for history, geography, and writing,” Walker said, speaking to students in NYABJ’s High School Journalism Workshop at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus.

  Darius followed his passion for journalism after graduating from Northeastern University. He logged tapes at a commercial radio station and eventually worked his way up to a producer position.

  A Boston native and a self-described geek growing up, Darius now overseas a team of 105 people across the Northeast, from Maine to Indiana.  After he left Boston, Darius worked in New York City for ABC News, where he produced television shows including Nightline.

  It wasn’t until Darius moved to Atlanta that he got his  first job in management. He then moved to Washington D.C.  and returned to New York to work for CNN about a year ago.

   “Follow your passion,” Darius told the students.

   

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  Dora's BIG debut!

  Felicia Romain 11:00 am on October 25, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  

  Leila Brown and Marlon Brown contributed to this story

  (Manhattan) At the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Plaza, popular Dora The Explorer debuted on the Wii home video game system to scores of enthusiastic kids.

  Kids and parents were invited for a sneak peek and hands-on play with the game Dora The Explorer: Dora Saves The Snow Princess. The event was such an attraction that passerbys had the opportunity to take photos of kids playing the games and lining up to buy the product. Kids were squealing in delight that they had the chance to take pictures with costumed Dora and Diego characters.

  In addition, every kid was entitled to go home with a gift and an opportunity to win a variety of prizes.

  “We wanted to create a video game that kids would enjoy with their favorite characters from Dora the Explorer. We are very proud of our work and we think that lots of kids will enjoy this game very much,” said Carissa Wendkos, a publisher at 2K games. (More …)

   
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  New Yorkers Turn In Their Guns For Cash

  Tyra Francis 10:15 am on October 25, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  By Tyra Frances, Tiayana Logan,  Edwina Bien-Aime

  (Harlem, New York)  At Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Harlem, New Yorkers turned in their guns for cash and a good cause in the city’s first Cash for Guns program Saturday.

  About 60 people were dropping off their guns at Mt. Carmel for a variety of reasons, including to make the streets safer, pick up some extra money or get rid of an old gun. “There are no age limitations to bringing in an uninsured gun and there are no questions asked,” a police officer said.

  The gun donors received a $200 gift card per gun.

  “I found this program beneficial because it will help the crime rate (decline) in New York City,” said John Defalco, a 43-year-old Long Island resident, noting he learned about the program from Fox News.

  (More …)

   
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  Festival Of Fun and Fear in Prospect Park

  Nadya Stevens 1:19 am on October 25, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: brooklyn (4), festivals, Halloween, Kids, Prospect Park

  

  Cindy Yahya and Kimberley Banjoko contributed to this story

  (Prospect Park, Brooklyn) Known for its scenic views, Prospect Park held a scarier theme Saturday for the upcoming Halloween. Despite the windy weather, the park was lively with The Monster Mash song blasting for its annual Halloween Haunted Walk and Carnival.

  One of the hundreds of parents at the park with their children, Rebecca says that this event is great for kicking off the holiday. “We like Halloween, so we’re down here to give the kids more nature,” she said as she pulled her tot from an open brook in the park. “We enjoy the park.”

  Children dressed as Batman and Princesses walked through the walk where ghouls and goblins bolted from out the blue ready to surprise any little victims brave enough to walk the path. But these spooks were not the typical malevolent ones, they were all volunteers hoping to make the best of everyone’s Halloween this year.

  (More …)

   
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  Speakers Corner: ESPN's Roxanne Jones

  Kimberly Banjoko 11:28 am on October 4, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  As vice president of ESPN Magazine, an author of a new book set for release next year and a top executive at ESPN station, Roxanne Jones may seem to have a charmed career.

  “As an African American female, I have felt that people looked at me thinking; What is she doing here? Even at ESPN,”  Jones said, speaking at NYABJ’s High School Journalism Workshop at Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus.

  But, luck alone didn’t propel Jones’ professional career as a journalist, especially considering where she came from, where she’s been and where she’s headed.

  Jones was raised by a single mother and grew up poor with her two siblings in Philadelphia. 

  “The only people who truly believed in me were a few librarians and my mother,” she said, adding that everyone else asked “Girl, what (you) doing?” (More …)