UNITY: Reunited, and it feels so good
Another great characteristic about UNITY is that it really is about coming back together. A lot of people see each other once a year at their respective conventions for black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American journalists, or a few more times other other conventions, or they may see each other only every four years at this one. Many have worked together, or helped each get jobs in the past, or know the same people. It's definitely a fraternity of sorts.
Turns out it wasn't any different for me, with college friends, Philly media friends, and ESPN friends here and there.
I saw my Harvard classmate Kiratiana a couple of times while in town since she lived not too far from where I was staying. I last saw her six years ago when we graduated, and it was nice to catch up again after being in minimal contact. She's traveled around the world and now is working on Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. We talked about the old days, the new days, and those in between, and were pretty proud of each other :)
Friday night we met up again for dinner and a movie. She came out with me and some ESPN co-workers at Rumba, and I wound everyone up and let the networking commence :) Afterward we saw "The Dark Knight." A two-and-a-half-hour-long movie. At a 12:15 a.m. screening. Somehow we stayed awake for it. As she got into the cab home, I told her we'll have to do this again, but not in another six years.
Thursday night my grad school at Syracuse had a reception welcoming the new dean, Lorraine Branham. As a black woman, she's especially committed to diversity that is demographic, academic and professional - listening to those introducing her, and then Branham herself, I am very excited to see the Newhouse School's future. And here I saw some professors I had, and some classmates - none of whom I'd seen since finishing there five years ago. One, Amy, is writing for The Oregonian, so BAM! another reason to return to Portland. I also saw my friend Keonte, who's producing TV news in Louisiana, some other classmates, and made some new Newhouse alum friends, including some from work.
It was odd and comforting to walk around, hear my name, and see a face flood back from the depths of memory and be back in my life again. I even had on the local news, and saw another Harvard classmate. Holy crap!
It also was nice to meet other ESPNers; in a company of 5,500 people, there are tons of folks I'll never know, so it's good to see some more new-to-me faces. And those I do know and work with, it was great spending more time with them and getting to know them in a different light, over dinner, joking about stuff, talking about music, or discussing who goes on the Mt. Rushmore of Pittsburgh sports.
In other words, it's a people game. And with my often-hermited life, it was nice to play again.
Turns out it wasn't any different for me, with college friends, Philly media friends, and ESPN friends here and there.
I saw my Harvard classmate Kiratiana a couple of times while in town since she lived not too far from where I was staying. I last saw her six years ago when we graduated, and it was nice to catch up again after being in minimal contact. She's traveled around the world and now is working on Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. We talked about the old days, the new days, and those in between, and were pretty proud of each other :)
Friday night we met up again for dinner and a movie. She came out with me and some ESPN co-workers at Rumba, and I wound everyone up and let the networking commence :) Afterward we saw "The Dark Knight." A two-and-a-half-hour-long movie. At a 12:15 a.m. screening. Somehow we stayed awake for it. As she got into the cab home, I told her we'll have to do this again, but not in another six years.
Thursday night my grad school at Syracuse had a reception welcoming the new dean, Lorraine Branham. As a black woman, she's especially committed to diversity that is demographic, academic and professional - listening to those introducing her, and then Branham herself, I am very excited to see the Newhouse School's future. And here I saw some professors I had, and some classmates - none of whom I'd seen since finishing there five years ago. One, Amy, is writing for The Oregonian, so BAM! another reason to return to Portland. I also saw my friend Keonte, who's producing TV news in Louisiana, some other classmates, and made some new Newhouse alum friends, including some from work.
It was odd and comforting to walk around, hear my name, and see a face flood back from the depths of memory and be back in my life again. I even had on the local news, and saw another Harvard classmate. Holy crap!
It also was nice to meet other ESPNers; in a company of 5,500 people, there are tons of folks I'll never know, so it's good to see some more new-to-me faces. And those I do know and work with, it was great spending more time with them and getting to know them in a different light, over dinner, joking about stuff, talking about music, or discussing who goes on the Mt. Rushmore of Pittsburgh sports.
In other words, it's a people game. And with my often-hermited life, it was nice to play again.