A Continuing Conversation: My Internship Experience

Am I in the right place?

That was my initial thought when I walked into Capstrat on the first day of my internship. Dressed in a business suit and armed with a calendar, folder and notepad, I felt like I was ready for anything.

That was until someone sped past me on a scooter.

I'm not sure if I expected pale gray walls with long, rectangular boardroom tables and bland, uptight people -- but one thing's for sure: Capstrat has been anything but bland. The office just breeds creativity. I never imagined that I would take part in a "brainstorm session" that encouraged us to think creatively while listening to music and drawing on the table and walls.

I felt as if I had stepped into an alternate universe where not only did people actually enjoy each other's company, but they also seemed to enjoy working. This attitude quickly rubbed off on me.

I anticipated learning a lot this summer and so I was prepared to do more listening than speaking. Indeed, I learned much, but one of the best lessons was to stop whispering and join the conversation.

It's been a whirlwind of meetings, projects, research, writing, great food (yes, I had to emphasize that) and awesome people. But I didn't expect so much encouragement to provide my own feedback and share my talents and ideas. Capstrat wanted to learn as much from me as I from it – a conversation that would lead to my personal progress. It's this conversation that I will cherish most about my time here.

Yet, thanks to social media, I know that the conversation is far from over.

That's all social media is -- one big conversation to which we all can contribute. With so many people talking, progress is inevitable...that's the best part about it. On my last day here, as I look around at the friendly faces that have become so familiar, I don't really feel like I'm leaving Capstrat. I've become a part of something much bigger than myself and I'll be honored to help keep the conversation going. To everyone at Capstrat: thanks for inviting me in!

Watch Your Mouth!

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sergeant James Crowley got drunk last Thursday night during their "Beer Summit" and danced the night away to Vice President Biden's raunchy karaoke rendition of "Baby Got Back." After forgetting to reflect on the state of race relations in America, an intoxicated Sergeant Crowley later arrested both President Obama and Dr. Gates for disorderly conduct. Can you say, "Here we go again?"

(DISCLAIMER: The statement above is completely false and is not intended to defame the character of any aforementioned parties or groups).

Obviously, I was joking. I had to add that disclaimer, just in case. It's easy to get carried away when participating in social media, isn't it? Many social networking sites, especially Twitter, allow us to feel creative, expressive and free to say whatever we want. It's easy to think, "who's really paying attention to my rambling?" Well, somebody is, and that somebody may consider your free-tweeting to be offensive or even libelous. That's when it gets messy.

Chicagoan Amanda Bonnen is being sued for $50,000 by Horizon Group Management, a realty group that owned her former apartment. Why? Because of a 90-character statement that she made on Twitter to a friend. The Wall Street Journal's blog reported that Bonnen tweeted:

"Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it's okay."

Frustrated with a slow response to her complaints of a nasty growth in her apartment, Bonnen used Twitter as many of us do- to vent. Though Bonnen had barely posted 60 messages on Twitter and had only 17 followers, Horizon claimed that Bonnen's tweet was published "throughout the world" and severely damaged its good name.

Behind the safety of our desks and protected by the shield of our computer screen, it can be easy to feel that we can say whatever we want; but can you deal with the consequences?

Most can't.

Honesty Box, one of the many diverse applications on Facebook, allows you to send an anonymous messages to your "friends." Some may use it to send cute little compliments like "You're a star, keep shining!" Others may use it to truly tell you how they feel ("Your breath stinks and so does yo mama's").

Juicycampus.com was one of the most popular websites used by college students during this past year. With over 160,000 visitors at the peak of its success, Juicycampus ranked above many college websites.

Euphemistically self-described as an "enabler of online anonymous free speech on college campuses," the site served as a virtual bathroom wall for some of the most degrading and hateful fodder around. While many reputations were ruined, others dealt with paranoia and fear that they would be the subject of the next loud buzz around campus. The website has now been shut down due to a lack of funding, but it definitely left an indelible impression on fragile young minds (and some faculty, too).

What would happen if Honesty Box suddenly crashed and revealed the senders of all the previously anonymous messages? You might not get sued, but there could be repercussions.

While Horizon Realty will probably not win the lawsuit against its former tenant, it's important to remember to watch your mouth...some would love to do more than wash it out with soap.

Wanna Be Discovered?

Have you ever wondered how many unknown geniuses came before Einstein? Or how many Elvis Presley's out-danced and out-sang the star in the privacy of their own homes? How many explorers "discovered" America before Columbus?

The truth of the matter is, there have been many "greats" that came before the people that we regard as legends. These individuals were never "discovered" or properly recognized for their talents or contributions; they somehow got lost in the crowd and probably ended up wistfully shaking their heads at the news while thinking, "I thought of that years ago."

These unsung heroes were not recognized because of a lack of resources or outlets to share what they possessed, whether it be talent or information. In the end, self-promotion through effective communication and exposure is what led to the reverence that many such as Einstein, Elvis and Columbus receive today.

Luckily, social media is opening up a brand new, accessible venue for individuals to share what they've got. Last week, a star was born in Australian computer programmer Anthony Wesley. While partaking in his frequent hobby of stargazing, Wesley became intrigued by a large spot on Jupiter that he had not previously seen. He said he immediately recognized its significance and he uploaded images of the planet onto Flickr, a popular photo-managing social media site that allows one to share images with the world.

With his $400 telescope, Wesley was the first to make the ground-breaking discovery of an Earth-sized scar caused by an asteroid or comet collision to the planet. He is now being revered by NASA and astronomers around the world. The once unknown computer programmer is now the first result in a Google search of his name. Wesley is describing his discovery as a dream come true.

Social media is allowing many individuals to gain the fame and fortune that they only dream of. YouTube has served as an open karaoke stage for many singers who have been signed by huge record labels. Soulja Boy, a platinum-selling hip-hop artist from Atlanta, was discovered through the social networking site in 2007. Many others have been discovered through the site, including Canadian YouTube sensation, Justin Bieber, who is on his own rise to fame after being signed to a record label this year.

Whether you're an aspiring writer, singer, dancer, amateur astronomer or circus clown, there is no longer a reason to not be recognized for your talents. Social media is an accessible resource for everyone and by sharing your talents with the world, you could be the next big discovery.

I've Been Stung!

It finally got me.

I've been making a conscious (and generally successful) effort to dodge it for a while now...but I was surrounded. There was a swarm too big for me to escape and before you could say "what are you doing now?" I was already one of them: a living, breathing, yearning, twittering machine. The culprit? My phone. Go figure.

My epiphany happened at the Harry Potter midnight premiere (a magical setting where anything can happen, apparently). In the midst of Wizards and Muggles alike, I realized that the audience shared a common connection. We were all ecstatic about the movie and each of us wanted to share our thoughts about it as much as we wanted to see it. Such an outburst of shared experience could have posed a problem for the innocent, semi-interested guy who merely wanted to see Harry Potter in the middle of the night, but I credit Twitter with saving that experience for him. Aside from the random outburst, frequent chuckle, anticipatory sigh, or frightened gasp, this bystander was literally "saved by the phone." We all seemed to be letting our fingers do the talking...and I was one of them.

It's been difficult for me to latch onto Twitter. I didn't know how I felt about the concept of updating the world on my “status” all the time...I mean, what am I really doing? Most of the time, I would find myself sitting at my computer thinking, "what can I tweet about at this moment?" Tonight, it finally came naturally...and I blame it on convenience. This was not my first time using the Internet on my phone, but it was the first time that I fully immersed myself into this whole new world, defined as it is by quick and easy accessibility. I had resisted using social media on my phone because I viewed it more as a treat- like something to look forward to when you get home. Now that social media is becoming such a significant presence in everyday life, the quick accessibility of it is becoming, dare I say, necessary.

Infamously known for my sideline commentary during movies, I found solace in my Blackberry as my stream of consciousness flowed straight from my brain to my hand to the twittersphere. I tweeted about my excitement about being there, my impatience with the previews and my feelings about the cast, script, and cinematography. Though I was soon too enchanted by the film to type anymore, I found myself making mental notes to tweet about later.

I've finally been stung by the Twitter-bug and I'm yearning to share. Consider this your warning...it's contagious!

I Know What You Did Last Summer...

Don't let the Internet get you in trouble. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, in most cases it's easier said than done.

Take the Governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford, for instance. His private e-mailed love notes to his Argentinian mistress became public banter for us all. One quotation from his letter lovingly states: "I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificently gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curves of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of night’s light — but hey, that would be going into the sexual details we spoke of at the steakhouse at dinner — and unlike you I would never do that!"

Well, Governor, you gave us all enough details for a lifetime.

What Governor Sanford failed to realize is that the Internet is not as private and secure as we may think it to be. Gone are the days of storing clandestine love notes in tightly sealed glass bottles and sending them off into open waters. While an online message may be deleted or "hidden," one takes the chance of it being shared in a variety of online arenas. This has happened often in the past, especially in the case of inappropriate celebrity photographs and video that was "accidentally leaked," and then spread into an area too vast to clean-up.

The truth is, information that is put on the Internet is virtually fair game for anyone to see; and celebrities aren't the only victims of this solemn truth. Last week, when explaining her reasoning for not being on Facebook, a friend's mother told me that Facebook is not for married couples. "Facebook can get you caught-up!" she told me.

After some thought, I understood her reasoning. I have seen much tension derived from social media sites such as Facebook. Whether someone tags you in that picture of your wild weekend in Vegas or writes something a little too friendly on your wall- it's likely that your significant other will eventually find out; but is this really a legitimate reason for not participating in such a social phenomenon?

Social media and all interactions on the Internet should be approached responsibly. You don't want the Supreme Court or the "Court of Public Opinion" coming after you saying, "I know what you did last summer." So, in the words of my friend's mother, "Don't get caught-up!"

...Did You Hear What Happened?

A maelstrom of sorts, the Internet has risen to dominate culture and society in less than a decade. Its power comes from being able to hold so much information and to provide that information in record-breaking time. Today, it seems all-powerful. It’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.

In my opinion, the Internet has become something that we NEED. We need it to stay connected not only to each other, but to vital information. So, who in this world could bring down this force that has been guiding our lives for years now? Bill Gates? Ben Cope? Ken Eudy? The Transformers? God?

Well, believe it or not...it was Michael Jackson. Yes, the King of Pop.

As Michael Jackson's living reign came to a close on June 25, he brought down some of the Internet with him. According to CNN.com, for almost two hours Google had trouble pulling up search results for Jackson-related queries. Blogs (such as TMZ and Perez Hilton, which first broke the news) had several outages and AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was down for approximately 40 minutes. With an astounding 30% of tweets related to the incident, it’s not surprising the crash-prone Twitter-verse sputtered out.

Google Trends rated the Jackson story as "volcanic" as web teams tried frantically to overcome the unprecedented amount of traffic. Wikipedia had close to 500 edits to Michael Jackson's entry in less than 24 hours, causing a "temporary overload."

Not only was this social media/Internet overload unprecedented, it was a milestone for mobile Internet traffic. Because it was mid-afternoon on a Thursday, many used their cell phones to figure out what was going on. It was a news "feeding frenzy." Busy twitterers sent Michael Jackson-related terms to the top of the site’s Trending Topics list while news networks were clamoring to be the first to get any tidbit of information. People feel a need (or hunger) for such information. Many have recognized that being involved in social media is becoming more of a necessity than a personal preference.

So, when did you find out what happened? For those not connected to the social media world, the information may come much later. I realized this as I spoke with a family friend who was shocked when I broke the news to her that night. I was shocked, too. The world was a-buzz with the news but she had heard nothing about it. She revealed to me that she prided herself on not watching the news because she was tired of hearing "depressing crime stories." She refused to get on Facebook or any other social media site because she didn't want to make herself accessible in that way.

Now, this may be far-reaching but compare Michael Jackson to a natural phenomenon such as hurricane, tornado, flood, snowstorm, etc. (in my opinion he was just as big lol). Following a natural disaster, people who don't get the story in time could be in grave danger. Those who knew what was coming would quickly evacuate, leaving those "living under a rock" behind.

The digital divide is becoming wider and more polarizing everyday as the world becomes smaller and more connected. Social media has created a grade school-esque milieu. Those not connected are like the playground loners who wonder what everyone else is whispering about.

The digerati should focus on helping to connect people that are not able to be connected (those in remote areas and developing communities). The unconnected should help themselves and start listening in to what everyone is talking about.

Is Social Media Taking Your Job?

Do you really need a degree to report the news? According to the past week's coverage of the protest rallies in Iran...not really. For the past week and for the first time ever, CNN, The New York Times, BBC and other big news corporations have been reporting based on the updates of Twitterers and other social media users. Some broadcasters have deemed this phenomenon the "Twitter Revolution;" but personally, I'm seeing it as the "Social Media is Taking Your Job- Revolution."

This past week has been a week of unrest in Iran, following the presidential re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. With claims and accusations of election fraud, Iran's Supreme Leader ordered a halt to the protests and a ban on international media coverage. This ban led to international news networks depending on civilian eyewitness reports received through social media sites.

Because of the rapidness of status updates and tweets, many are relying on social media sites for news. However, the fact that some of the most influential news giants are turning to Twitter to find out the news is ground-breaking.

But what are the downfalls of this increasing dependency on social media for information? People are depending on social media sites for news increasingly, every day; yet these same people are taking the chance of being misled. This past semester, there was a shooting at my university. The shooting happened on a Sunday at around 12:30 am; however, in a public relations disaster, school officials did not notify students until hours later. The local news station did not broadcast the story until the next afternoon and still had little information to share with viewers. Their mistake.

Students and parents were enraged. The only way people could find out what was going on was through reading random status updates on Facebook. By the time the school sent out the "emergency" alert, everyone and their mama already knew the information...

Sort of.

One downfall to depending on social networking sites for breaking news is the authenticity of what is being reported. Because of Facebook, I was under the impression that the shooter was on a rampage around the campus, hiding in bushes and wreaking havoc on random dorms for hours. Locked in my room, my friends and I stayed on Facebook until the university's "emergency" alert finally went out. (Much) later, we found out that the incident was not as severe as we had thought.

Reporting credible information is the chance that reporters are taking by depending on social media. Because Iranian authorities wouldn't allow international journalists to report on the violent rallies, CNN depended on "iReports" all day. Almost all of CNN's staff was monitoring Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flikr, Blogger and other sites that were being used by Iranians to share the events with the world. While this allowed for thorough coverage of the events, the CNN news team was unable to authenticate its findings. With reports of hackings and deliberately misleading reports on social networking sites, no news network was able to confirm statements from twitterers.

So, what does this mean for Journalism, as we know it? The same way that CNN gained viewers by becoming the nation's first 24-hour news network, the Internet is taking over, and now social media is taking over. People want to know what's going on and they want they want the information quickly. But can 140-character tweets on social networking sites compete with relatively fast, detailed articles published online?

Well...I'm not even sure if it's a competition anymore. Social media is taking over, so I guess the real question could be: is your job next?

Meet me at the Back Door...

So, one thing that I've learned while being at this internship is that connections are EVERYTHING. While "what you know" is important once you get in the door, "who you know" is vital to even getting the door unlocked.

Even though I had to fight to get this internship, there are other interns here who got the position strictly based off of their parents' positions and connections. Some of them don't even want to work here!

It's crazy isn't it? Well...that's "business as usual."

While it is kind of messed up that other people who really wanted this job couldn't get somebody to unlock the door for them, but I've chosen to hate neither the playa' nor the game. As the saying goes: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Black people and other minorities have to work ten times as hard to keep up in the workplace. While that will probably hold true for awhile, we all need to adopt the practice of unlocking the door for each other. That's office politics and if we want to participate, we have to get political.

Who saw the premiere of this season's "Run's House?" Rev. Run's family is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Vanessa and Angela would not have been able to start their shoe line, "Pastry," without the entrepreneurial help of their dad and uncle. Russell Simmons, their uncle, gave JoJo a job working at his office. Last week, I read a magazine article about Will Smith and his family and he talked about helping his kids get roles in movies and shows through his position. While we all need to make sure that we're qualified for the jobs that we're offered, we need to take care of each other, especially in these hard economic times.

I can't wait until the day when I make it big and I can come back and help out my community. Until then, meet me at the back door and I'll do what I can to unlock it for you.

The Youth Voice is Stronger than Ever

As the current generation of students approaching adulthood, we have been given many issues to face as new voters and active community participants.

If you voted in the past election, you, like myself, should have recognized the power of your vote and voice in the world. Our generation brought a huge change to America and ultimately changed the face of American politics. Across the globe, other young adults are trying to do the same thing.

In the picture above, an Iranian college student was brutally beaten by Iran's police force for protesting the re-election of President Ahmadinejad, yesterday. The election, which is now being reviewed because of alleged irregularities and accusations of a rigged vote, is being protested mainly by college-aged students who are aiming for a change and a move toward democracy and a better relationship with the West. These protesters support the opposition leader, Mir Hussein Moussavi, a candidate that represents this progressive change.

Our generation, worldwide, is proving to be up to facing the challenges that have been presented to us. Many of us have recognized the power and volume of our voice as we grow older and this has sparked worldwide changes due to democracy. Many students in Iran have been using Twitter and other social networking sites to mobilize support and take action against the election results. They have been campaigning not only to citizens in Iran, but to a global audience of supporters. Though Iranian authorities have tried to suppress the coverage of the protests on television and other news media, the use of these social networking sites is notifying the world of what is going on.

Many of the protests are taking place near Tehran University, where students and other Moussavi supporters are holding a rally despite the brute force of police. According to the New York Times, protests are also being staged in London, Toronto and New York, as well.

Personally, I am extremely proud of our generation for spearheading the move for change and I am extremely optimistic because we all seem to be moving toward a common goal. With the election of an American-backed coalition in Lebanon last week and the current fight for change in Iran, I think that today's youth are more on the same page than ever before. If the youth in Iran succeed in recalling the election of Ahmadinejad, they, too, will be encouraged by the strength of their voice.

Check out how the youth protesters in Iran are using the social networking sites to fight: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/06/15/world/1194840918597/new-media-and-iran-s-election.html?hp

They're Watching!

Ever get the strange feeling that you're being watched?

Well...SURPRISE! You are.

Recall that time when you walked into work or class, minding your own business. Now, you didn't realize it, but someone was discreetly peeking at you thinking, "Oh...(s)he's here." Recall that time when you spoke up in a meeting or in class. That person was thinking, "Oh...(s)he's talking, let me pay attention." Recall that time when you were with a group of friends in a public area; yes, that person was still looking at you.

It sounds creepy doesn't it? As "stalkerish" as it sounds, the truth is that we often serve as the object of someone's attention, whether they know us personally, or not. Our life, as they see it, is on display for them to critique and analyze, (hopefully) out of innocent curiosity. It could be someone that you speak to in passing, or it could be that random janitor that comes in at the end of the day. Whether you realize it or not, someone is thinking about you at this very moment; and honestly, they're probably scanning your Facebook page for its latest update.

Social media has brought about a new age of accessibility for people to get to know others, without the inconvenience of having a face-to-face conversation. These people know what you like, who you associate with and they may even know about that strange obsession that you thought was personal. Their habit of keeping tabs on you has evolved from peeking around the corner and asking others about you, to spending time scanning your latest tweets.

Now, the anonymous attention may be flattering for some, but it can also be downright scary. Users of social media sites have often treated it as something more personal than it really is. We can be so candid in our status updates and random tweets, not realizing that someone is closely following every single one. Singer Erykah Badu recently twittered through the birth of her daughter; she told the world when she was finally in labor, then proceeded to inform followers about the timing of her contractions. Her husband finally took over (I guess she was busy) and proceeded to describe the baby's crowning. He said, “I see the head, full of hair.”

Can you say, "TMI?"

The truth is, you are being constantly being watched. Even though you've set your privacy settings and may only have close friends and colleagues on your list, these social networking sites are like small towns. Nobody (and I repeat, nobody) talks to every single person in town regularly.

I have tried to narrow my own friend lists down to the people that I would at least smile at or say "hello" to in passing. But does that mean that I'm comfortable with them following me so closely? I don't think so.

As social media grows and expands to include employers, co-workers, moms, dads, the little girl you used to babysit and even Grandma (yes, Grandma); we've got to be very cautious about how we present ourselves online. Someone very close to me came very close to losing a scholarship because of something he posted on his own Facebook page. So, remember that people are always looking, and taking special attention to you, in particular. Your online representation and presentation should be like a mirrored reflection of yourself...

but try to think of it as a "Funhouse Mirror" and makes sure that it's presenting you in the most positive light (without the hairy mole and unibrow).

An Evolving Image of You and Me

The world is evolving and progressing around us so quickly. We are witnessing history-in-the-making. Can you feel it? We are smack-dab in the middle of a revolution; a cultural revolution.

There has been a huge disparity in the progress of young, minority girls in comparison with young, white girls. Personally, I would credit this discrepancy to a lack of (sound) role models. Who have minority females had to look up to in the past? The media has not failed in giving us our share of video "vixens" and attitudinal black women on sitcoms and movies. These images shaped societal and self-expectations for countless young ladies in America.

My theory is that girls (and boys) often grow into a mold of expectation. If one is blessed enough to have parents or a mentor that not only constantly tells her how successful she will be, but also shows her what success looks like, the girl will clearly envision her future and naturally grow into that expectation. On the other hand, if one's only exposure to women that look like her is on BET UnCut, she, too, will rise up (or sink down) to that expectation.

2009 has brought an array of fresh-faced females to the forefront. Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court is a strong, intelligent Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx. Growing up in a single-parent household, Sotomayor was diagnosed with diabetes at an early age. Yet, she persevered and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and went on to obtain a law degree at Yale Law School. If appointed, she will serve as the Supreme Court's third woman and first Latina to sit on the highest court in the country.

Ursula Burns is yet another role model for young, minority girls. Last week, Xerox named Burns as its new CEO, making her the first African American woman to run a Fortune 500 company. Beginning at Xerox as a summer intern in 1980, Burns has risen to the top of the ladder with respect and grace. A graduate of the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, she holds a masters of science degree Columbia University.

This year also brought the the country's first African American first family to the scene. Michelle Obama is an awesome representative to minority youth as a woman of poise and class. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, the first lady met President Obama while working at a prestigious law firm. The Obamas serve as one of the most beautiful portraits of an American family since the Cosby's.

Hopefully the emergence of these awesome women, along with other existing role models such as Oprah Winfrey and others, will affect the expectations of young, minority females. Not only should these girls be able to envision themselves as successful and capable, but also as beautiful. It is my hope that these successful women will change the societal image and self-image of minority females.