In early July, I made my way to Calgary for a trip I will remember for the rest of my life. Not only did I meet some wonderful youth in my community, I made some very good friends, albeit much younger ones ;) Though that shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who know me well! The purpose of the trip was for the National ISTAR (aka Ismaili Student Total Academic Recognition) Awards. It was the first time these awards were handed out on a national scale. Though I was nominated in a couple of categories, namely Arts and Culture, I didn’t make any finalists list or win any prizes. That experience helped me realize that no matter how creative journalism is, most people don’t consider it to be an art. I guess it is more of a technical trade in the mind of the general public. But then again, journalism isn’t as well regarded a profession as it was in the time of legends like Edward R. Murrow or Walter Cronkite.
Ismailimail 