Meredith Donaldson- Diversity

The “Asian-Nation” is a website created by C. N. Le to represent his own culture in mainstream America. Le wanted to directly educate people about the Asian American experience. The site gives a wide variety of features and articles about Asians, Asian Americans, and the Asian culture. It gives information about history and issues. This website is a great resource for people of the mass media. Journalists need to be aware of all kinds of diversity, especially when writing about a particular culture. “Asian-Nation” is a great informational tool to become aware of all topics of Asian culture. The site discusses the stereotypes of Asian people and gives great insight from a true perspective.

All people working in the mass media industry can use this site for many different things. It talks about religion, Asian cuisine, sports, martial arts, sex, and assimilation. Knowing the information about this culture gives the writer accurate coverage of this diverse group of people. In order to write good one must understand what he or she is writing about. People of the mass media should have no problem writing about different cultures and understanding them because there are so many resources at their fingertips. It is important for the mass media to be knowledgeable about diversity and to reflect it so they can help other people—the community—to understand and be more accepting to different cultures. Another great feature about this website is that it can teach sensitivity. Sensitivity towards customs and respect towards culture is needed.

BreAnna Watterson-Website Diversity

Poynter Online is a website for the Poynter institute located in St. Petersburg, Fl.

The website offers something for everyone. It allows viewers to learn about the institute, read biographies about faculty members, view t latest jobs in the field of journalism and also offers the opportunity for full-time staff members of a news group and journalism educators to attend various seminars led by the institutes faculty members.

The seminars occur in person and are made up of about 16 participants. When discussing the seminars, Poynter Online states, “the seminars cover a range of topics to meet a growing set of journalism needs. Students in the Gaylord College of Journalism at the University of Oklahoma recently had the opportunity to listen to faculty member; Jill Geisler led an in-person discussion over “Women and the Path to Leadership.

The website also offers news and tips in the areas of: reporting and writing, ethics and diversity, leadership and business, visual journalism, online and technology, TV and radio and journalism education. Viewers can click on an area of interest and learn which faculty members are a part of that area, upcoming seminars and read various articles concerning different aspects of the particular area.

Poynter Online does a good job of informing viewers of the institute. It informs viewers of what they’re about and what they do. It also seeks to help people by offering seminars and informing viewers of the latest job openings in the field of jounalism.

Megan Gay- Website Diversity

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation website contains many interesting aspects to provide more information and gain support through different types of media.

On the website in general, people can learn information about the group, get contact information, give money or time to support GLAAD, and get updates about different upcoming projects they’re working on. There is also a section where gay and lesbian celebrity news is updated and accessible to the website visitors.

The GLAAD organization is hosting their 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards. This gives everyone working in media a wide range to get background information about certain celebrities and be updated on other current and upcoming media awards given by GLAAD. This event really brings the gay community together and gives them a chance to recognize and award famous people who are brave and strong about their sexuality and who represent the GLAAD organization.

These diversity media websites are great for those working in the media field and it is important for the media to be informed of what’s going on in each underrepresented group. If the media doesn’t have a general sense of diversity, they cannot be expected to represent diversity in their reports.

This site is also a good resource and all of the facts and background information is documented. The organization would probably be more interested in helping the media with their projects and reports if they showed an interest into what they do and what they stand for. Bottom line, the GLAAD organization is doing a great job in uplifting their community and representing who they are, so the media needs to continue to help them shine in the light of independence.

Colin Mullens - Website Diversity

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) focuses on the challenges that approach the members of society that have been consistently denied their rights.

ACLU’s foundation is the conservation of the rights that our society was given in the Constitution. It primarily focuses on our First Amendment Rights (freedom of speech, press, and religion), our right to equal protection under the law, our right to due process, and our right to privacy. They take this basis and form it to protect the minorities in our society and the individuals that receive extreme discrimination. ACLU stands by the notion that if the rights of society’s most vulnerable members are denied, everybody’s rights are imperiled.

“So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we’ll be called a democracy,” says ACLU founder Roger Baldwin.

ACLU’s homepage consists of news that is affecting the underprivileged society members, and they offer ways that visitors to the website can help their cause. Users can make donations, become a part of its leadership program, and contribute to projects managed by the ACLU Foundation.

The union is also donating its time to legislative endeavors that involve their agenda. They represent people and families they feel have not obtained the legal rights that were permitted to them within our constitution. They frequently run campaign ads that attempt to eliminate the wrongs of the U.S. government. These ads are basically charitable funds that allow the user or volunteer to commit to the ACLU cause.

Kelley Jones-Diversity Resources

The Association for Women in Communications is an association that promotes the presence and leadership of women in various fields or disciplines of communications. The fields of communication represented in the association include: broadcast journalism, print journalism, radio and television production, advertising, public relations, film, graphic design, multimedia design, marketing and photography. The Association for Women in Communications encourages the advancement of women in the constantly changing communications field.

The Association for Women in Communications was founded in 1909 at the University of Washington and actually started out as an honorary collegiate women’s journalism fraternity called Theta Sigma Phi. It evolved into a large network of women involved in different fields of communications. The Association for Women in Communications has numerous professional and student chapters across the nation.

The website, www.womcom.org, for The Association For Women in Communications provides members with ways to stay current and connected in various disciplines of communications, opportunities to advance as a professional, as well as benefits to help members save time and money.

The Association For Women in Communications website is helpful to women in all areas of mass media because it provides members with available job listings in various fields of communications. In addition, the site provides information for professional development, career connections, sponsorship, advertising opportunities, and an Association For Women in Communications online Newsroom. This association is an excellent resource for women working in the mass media who often don’t receive the same opportunities as men in their field.

Colin Mullens - Sensitivity

Sensitivity to other cultures is an extremely crucial factor in good journalistic writing. A journalist must take heed of his or her own linguistic conventions, and transcribe his or her thoughts to correspond with the subject’s own lifestyle. A journalist that uses insensitive language can result in a loss of credibility, which can also lead to public sanctions. Writers must be familiar with the variety of cultures around them. They understand that it is important to empathize with another individual’s society. Writing with sensitivity is a basic tool that all good journalists exhibit, and good journalists maintain their jobs.

Holly Dahlgren- Website Diversity

The National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association was created to promote fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues.

Founded in 1990, the NLGJA is against any type of workplace bias and provides professional development to its members. The NLGJA is widely recognized for its work "informing our peers in the fair and accurate coverage of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by the news media."

This organization wants one thing, and that is equailty throughout the media. They will do almost anything to make sure that there are no bias or inaccurate news stories in America. The NLGJA provides its supporters with a Rapid Response Task Force, and if a media consumer finds a problematic media story, they can turn it in to this task force.

Once the Rapid Response Task Force receives a complaint, it will look into the story, and if necessary, contact the source for questioning.

This organization even keeps its followers up to date with a blog. The blog contains information about what media outlets are doing a good job of keeping their work fair and balanced, and which ones are not doing so well. The bloggers for this organizations job is to keep a close and watchful eye on what is happening in the media.

The NLGJA is taking a proactive step towards equality throughout the nation, and it is starting with the media. The media is one of the main places that "customs" and "norms" get brought about, and the NLGJA wants to make sure that there are no discriminatory "norms" being put out there.

Lauren Forte Diversity Website

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) is a website dedicated to covering lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT) issues. Founded in 1990, NLGJA provides memberships for people to join, and get involved in the LGBT community. The memberships provided gives users access to networks, online job boards, monthly e-bulletin, and many other opportunities.

The website has news releases, and announcements that keep readers informed of what current events are going on in the LGBT community.

The NLGJA has many different ways you can follow them, rather than just on their main website. The website is connected to both Twitter and Facebook, which allows members to get up to date information on news, and hot topics occurring.

NLGJA is great resource for journalist, who are reporting on the LGBT community. It allows journalist to get a insight on a new growing community. The gay community has been hidden in past years of media world, but now the community is being unmasked for the world to see.

Katherine Borgerding-Website Diversity

The Journalism and Woman Symposium (JAWS), is found at jaws.org, is a group of female journalism professionals.

“JAWS supports the professional empowerment and personal growth of women in journalism and works towards a more accurate portrayal of the whole society,” according to the web site post.

This non-profit group has been supporting women in journalism since 1985. The web site offers updated news, events, blogs, announcements, information about regional representatives, board and the president as well as opportunities to serve in leadership capacities which are applicable to members. They offer a store and opportunities for donations to be made on the site. JAWS awards scholarships to media scholars and young journalists.

The organization holds a camp annually. Past locations have been in Santa Fe and Glacier National Park. At the camp, they offer workshops and opportunities to hear speakers.

An organization like this is valuable to all women in media, it offers a place to learn and grow alongside their peers. It allows women in media to express themselves in an open forum. Mass media needs as many groups and organizations like this one to facilitate diversity, and thereby enrich mass media.

Colin Mullens - Obituary 6.4

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, 47, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital.

Fletcher was a member of Little Springs Methodist Church and a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy. She had worked with the ministry since its launch in 1996 and served as Sunday school department director in the singles program.

Fletcher graduated from Midville High School in 1980. She went on to earn her Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State, where she spent many years in management in the dieticians department. She later worked as clinical dietician and diabetes educator at Dialysis Clinic Inc. in South Midville.

Fletcher gave her time to many charitable activities, most notably Interfaith Health Clinic and the Junior League. She was an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports.

Velda Fletcher is survived by her parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Burial will be held at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. Graveside services begin Saturday at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Lucas Chandler - Diversity

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) has been around since 1909. The Society's goals include protecting the First Amendment, helping journalists achieve the high standards expected of them, encouraging diversity in the field, and inspiring others to become proper journalists.

SPJ gives a large amount of resources to its members. Their website has both a job bank for individuals looking for long-term positions and a freelancer directory for editors to find freelancers quickly and easily. The site also offers links to various training programs and workshops to help journalists improve their writing, scholarships, fellowships, and internships for those still taking classes, as well as links to information on various conferences for journalists already active in the field. There is a section of the site dealing with diversity containing individual articles, sources, and guidelines, as well as a diversity toolbox that allows individuals to search a database of information on diversity by either keyword or topic (they have over 60 different topics that you can select). The SPJ site also features an ethics section containing a Code of Ethics, articles, and resources.

The society also has a legal defense fund that it uses to provide its members with legal or direct financial assistance; the legal defense fund page explains that much of the fund is used to support litigation that helps enforce public access to government records and proceedings, with the remaining money being split between coalitions and newsletters, lobbying, and the previously mentioned financial assistance.

Kendal Moore-Website Diversity

The National Association of Black Journalists ,found at http://www.nabj.org, is a web site about black journalists and their involvement with the mass media. It includes information about job opportunities, meetings, and competitions. The site offers many resources such as a calendar of events, information on the association, and stories in the newsroom. It is also possible for students to receive NABJ internships, scholarships. student projects, and mentoring through this association. This is an awesome resource for not only black journalists but journalists off all ethnicities. It is an important tool in journalism that writers are aware of cultures other than their own.

Knowing the current events and lifestyle of other ethnicities can create diversity in writing as well as the potential to attract tons of readers from different cultural backgrounds. Websites like NABJ.org can be a great way for journalists to long on and check our current events or do some research on that particular race. As for black journalists, this can be a homepage for opportunities and information to better their writing skills.

The National Association of Black Journalist web site also contains elements on other forms of mass media which is also attractable from other careers such as publicity, advertising, news reports, and photography.

Katherine Borgerding-Diversity Sensitivity

Diversity is a word that tries to encompass many different types of people, it embraces and encourages the differences in people.

For those in the media profession it is their duty to also embrace and encourage diversity. Because media reflects and defines our culture, it is their job to pave the way for equality.

However, in doing so media professionals must pay attention to the differences and be sensitive to the needs of each group. Language is a media professional's greatest tool, but correct usage is his greatest challenge. It is vital for the professional to know the language applied to each group and use it correctly. Otherwise, the result ends in offended readers and listeners and loss of credibility or potential job loss.

Megan Gay-Sensitivity

Everyone is sensitive to their own culture in relation to others. Nobody's culture can be changed, because it is embedded into who they are. The challenging thing is trying to not only understand someone else's culture, but to respect someone of their culture and be sensitive to their sensitivity of their own culture. The problem that many people face is not just respecting other cultures, but it's deciding how much of their own culture they want to associate themselves with. If someone wants to interrogate another for their cultural beliefs, they better be ready to back up their own beliefs. This is why maintaining sensitivity towards another culture or community is so difficult. Nobody can truly respect another culture or community without respecting their own first.

BreAnna Watterson-Sensitivity

It's sometimes hard trying to find the right words to say to another person, especially if they're of a different culture. You don't want to say the wrong thing and offend them. If meeting someone of a different culture for the first time, the best thing to do is be a good listener when they are talking and say only a little bit. After listening to them for a little while, you will become more familiar with their personality. Becoming more familiar with them will help you give you knowledge of what or what not to say to them for the rest of the conversation or in other encounters with them.

Lucas Chandler - Sensitivity

Writing sensitively and respectfully about other cultures and communities can be both difficult and stressful. Making sure that your work won't offend anyone is a necessary stress, however. Journalists need to remain objective and informed; they should adequately prepare themselves when dealing with situations or individuals that are unfamiliar to them. Being respectful of other groups is important professionally: being disrespectful or reporting other groups or cultures in negative ways can damage a journalists credibility. Personally, being respectful to different cultures and people extends beyond my professional life; I would never want to write something that another group would find as offensive because I was being ignorant or insensitive.

Kelley Jones-Sensitivity

Using language with sensitivity and respect for different cultures has proven to be quite difficult. There are terms and phrases that I once thought to be politically correct and now I have recently learned otherwise. It is challenging to become knowledgeable of all aspects of different cultures in order to write about them respectfully. Not to mention that some of the terms and phrases that were previously acceptable to refer to certain types of people are now considered outdated or even offensive. However, in order to become a well-informed and culturally literate writer, one must be aware of the importance of respect for other cultures.

NLGJA Website - Kylee Gwartney

I chose the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (nlgja.com). The site is a helpful tool for beginning journalists, or any journalist, that wants to know how to cover LGBT people with sensitivity. The website has a "Stylebook Supplement" containing LGBT terminology and how to use it correctly. It also has a "Journalists Toolbox" that teaches journalists how to provide accurate and fair coverage of their community. The website also contains tools for educators on how to teach students about being prepared to cover LGBT news. I believe this website is a helpful resource for writers in any field. Lesbians and gays are becoming increasingly accepted in our community, which is a wonderful thing, and chances are we will have to do stories that cover LGBT people. Entertainment writers for example, will probably at some point in their careers do a story on the most famous lesbian couple in the world, Ellen and her wife Portia. It's important to remember that diversity is not only race and gender, but also sexual orientation. We need to be able to represent members of diverse communities in a non-judgmental light. If we study websites like this, we can be almost certain we won't make the mistake of saying the wrong thing.

Kendal Moore-Ch 25 Diversity assignment

Deciding which particular words I will use with respect for those of different cultures and communities is a tough challenge. The appropriate use of words for particular diversity and cultures is constantly changing. What was appropriate yesterday may not be today. I am learning to be more sensitive when choosing my words while writing. It can be a sticky situation when you offend people in your writing, even if it was an accident. In the Padgett book there is a variety of common slip-ups. From this point forward I will reference to this book and make sure that I am being respectful and sensitive to all ethnic groups as well as communities around the world.

Sara Lavas-Diversity Assignment

The website Asian American Journalism Association (http://www.aaja.org) is a non-profit organization that encourages young people to consider journalism as a career. It provides information about meetings, scholarships, grants, and special programs for high school and college students. It also has useful handbooks on reporting on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to promote fair and accurate news coverage. It reaches out to those who self-identify with one or more of the nationalities and ethnic groups in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands that are now living in America. It provides membership for all people in those regions of all ages.

Although it has a large focus on students, there is a section for professionals as well. It includes awards, leadership programs, mentorship programs for students, and training seminars to become better writers.

Many outlets of mass media can benefit from using this website, whether you are in the nationalities and ethnic groups included or not. It is a great way to learn more about these cultures to better represent them in media. With the many different handbooks included on the webpage, its is a vast resource to respectfully represent someone or something of these cultures in a news story. Also it provides examples and links to the type of writing these journalist do and examples of how their stylebooks are used in writing. This could be a hands on helpful way to make sure writers not in their culture are representing them correctly in their stories. This could also be used by advertising agencies to better reach out to these people and know what is appealing to them.

Holly Dahlgren-Cultural Sensitivity

When it comes to writing about different cultures and communities, it is hard to get everything exactly right. No matter what rules I follow, or how hard I try to say the right thing about a different culture or community, there could still be a few people that I offend. It is hard because the "rules to follow" do not apply to every single person of a culture or community. Some people of a culture or community may find something extremely offensive, while others do not take any offense at all. The only thing I can think of to do before writing about a different culture is to do a lot of research, and do not put anything in a piece that I have any questions about. The sensitivity of writing about different cultures is the MOST difficult because everyone is different, and everyone perceives things a different way.

Word sensitivity Forte

I believe there is no politically correct way to address a culture or community. I believe this to be true because every single person has their own preference on how they would like to be referred to as in their culture. Every individual has their own point of view, and sees themselves in a certain way. A group of people in one specific culture are not going to all agree on one term that describes them all. Some individuals in that group are going to be offended by the term, or are going to disagree that terms meaning does not describe their culture or community.

Weston Harris - Cultural Sensitivity Challenges

In a world with thousands of unique cultures, there is going to be ignorance and misunderstanding. Sometimes it can be difficult to know the appropriate words to use when referring to someone or something from a culture different from our own. Offending someone is undesired by any journalist, one should hope, and it is very important to be aware of the proper ways to refer to different cultures with sensitivity and respect. Because there are so many cultures, this can be a daunting task. However, it will be much easier if we are more diverse and have an increased understanding of these cultures that we seek to discuss.

Forte Obituary

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, a local dietitian and church and community volunteer, died Tuesday at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency situation. She was 47 years old. Velda had been a member of the Little Springs Methodist since she was 11 years old, and participated in numerous mission projects, and was a member of the adult choir. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree from the University of West State. Velda gave her time to many charitable activities, especially Interfaith Health Clinic, and was a member of the Junior League. Along with these activities Velda was also a volunteer with Mission of Mercy, a Midville-based nonprofit group that collects and distributes school supplies and Christmas gifts to children in the area. Velda's sister said," Velda always had time for anyone. She devoted herself to her work and her family and her church. She just never said no to anything or anyone that she thought was worth while. We are going to miss her very, very much." Velda will be laid to rest in a graveside ceremony at Forest Cemetery on Saturday at 2:00 pm. Velda is survived by her parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Garrett Duty- Ch25 Diversity Assignment

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (http://www.nahj.org) is a website that seeks to further the progress of Hispanic journalists in America. They do this by providing Hispanic-American journalism news, job opportunities for both students and professionals, various conventions to attend, and even providing their members with a stylebook to utilize.

The minority in journalism has always been a sensitive subject, as it has always been difficult for one in a minority group to advance within their field. Websites and organizations such as this are vitally important to the advancement of the diversity of the field of journalism. They provide an avenue for success, starting at the youngest level by providing scholarships and job opportunities for students, and attempting to ensure success after school by providing even more jobs for graduates and veterans in the field.

Before organizations such as this existed there was very little diversity within the journalistic world, and little chance for diversity to ever get a strong foothold in the industry.

Diversity should be held dear to every journalists heart, because their job is to present the news. However, there could be multiple angles and perspectives on each and every news story that would not be reported on without diversity. The more diversity within the world of journalism, the more likely it is for the stories to become increasingly unbiased. The lessening of the bias in journalism ultimately should be the goal of every journalist, because when unbiased news is presented, then the recipient of the news is allowed to think instead of simply swallow the news fed to them.

The United States is based on the success of diversity and so is the world of journalism. "United we stand, divided we fall."

BreAnna Watterson-Obituary

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, 47, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after medical emergency situation.

She graduate from Midville High School in 1980 and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State.

Ms. Fletcher worked as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator at Dialysis Clinic Inc. She also spent many years in management in the dieticians department at the University of West State Medical Center and also had worked in private practice.

She had been a member of Little Springs Methodist since she was 11 years old. She was in the adult choir, served as a Sunday school department director in the singles program and participated in numerous missions projects. She was also a devoted volunteer for Mission of Mercy.

She is survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vona Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Graveside Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Forest Cemetery.

The family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Holly Dahlgren-Obit

Noted local dietitian and church and community volunteer, Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, age 47, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after medical emergency situation.

Fletcher graduated in 1980 from Midville High School, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State.

She was a long time member of Little Springs Methodist, and participated in the adult choir and numerous mission projects throughout the years. At one time, she served as a Sunday school department director in the singles program for the church.

She was a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy, a Midville-based nonprofit group, and had worked with the ministry since it was launched in 1996. She was a longtime cast member in the Midville Nativity pageant, and gave her time to other charitable activities like Interfaith Health Clinic and the Junior League. She belonged to many dietitians and diabetes-educator professional organizations, and was active in Alpha Chi Omega and at the Wesley Center. She was an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports.

She worked as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator at Dialysis Clinic Inc. in South Midville, spent many years in management in the dietitians department at the University of West State Medical Center, and also had worked in private practice.

Velda is survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held Saturday at 2:00 pm. The burial will be at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Kendal Moore-Obituary 6.4

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, long time Midville resident, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency situation. She was 47 years old.

Fletcher was an active member of Little Springs Methodist church and participated in many mission projects. She also gave her time to many charitable activities, especially Interfaith Heatlh Clinic Inc.

She was a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy, and worked as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator. Much of her time was spent managing in the dietitians department at the University of West State Medical Center as well as working in a private practice.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State. She was also an active member in Alpha Chi Omega as well as being an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports.

She was survived by her parents Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed' and various nieces and nephews.

Service is to be held Saturday at 2:00 at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. Instead of flowers, the family requests that all memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Meredith Donaldson-sensitivity

It is very difficult for me to use language with sensitivity for those of different cultures because I do no feel knowledgeable on their customs. If I do not know their customs then I have no idea if I accidentally disrespect them with something I have said. I will always try to be as polite and understanding as possible to people of different cultures and communities but without surrounding myself around diverse cultures I will never know their customs. So my challenge is to submerse myself into the diverse community of OU so later in Life it will help me be a better reporter and more sensitive with language.

Sara Lavas-Sensitivity Blog

There is a great amount of diversity in journalism from who works in the field and what is reported on. This creates a large amount of learning and responsibility for journalist to know the correct terms and customs so they do not offend anyone in their stories. Although, it is extremely important that all cultures and communities are respected and represented. This sometimes creates a challenge because it could result in a large amount of research and time. Also some terms are subject to whom you are talking with or the group you are talking about, but sometimes it could be offensive to ask. This is a lot on a journalist shoulders when they are not a part of or familiar that community.

Garrett Duty- Sensitivity to Diversity

The world of journalism is very diverse, and covers every single group of people to some aspect. Having the responsibility to cover each and every single group of individuals, it is very important to be familiar with the terms that are acceptable to use within the context of each group.

Offensive language runs rampant in everyday conversation with little or no consequence. However, each and every slip up in the world of journalism can result in the loss of a job or jobs. This is because diversity is respected, and the interests of each group must be taken into account when writing about them.

The lines have been drawn, and now the journalism must toe the line or face the consequences.

Challenges of Language Sensitivity - Kylee Gwartney

Often times it can be difficult to know if the language we use could be offensive to someone, especially if we're less familiar with certain cultures. Looking through Padgett at "Getting the Right Words", I saw several words I didn't know and many I wouldn't dare think of using. It's the less offensive sounding words that are tricky. For instance, it's not okay to refer to a little person as a dwarf. It's also offensive to call a Native American young man a "brave." I have no idea why that is either. How could the word brave be offensive? Certain spells are different too. It isn't proper to spell Quran like Koran when mentioning the Muslim holy book. As I type this the computer is saying that Quran is the incorrect spelling, but it's the preferred one by that culture. I wouldn't have thought saying that someone is "confined to a wheelchair" would be offensive either. The more I think about it though, the more I can see how it would be. It's little things like that that we have to be aware of and look out for.

Garrett Duty, Obituary 6.4

Local noted dietitian and church and community volunteer, Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, passed away Tuesday night after a medical emergency situation. The graveside funeral service will be Saturday at 2:00 at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville.
Fletcher, 47, was a devoted member of Little Springs Methodist church, Mission of Mercy, Midville Nativity Pageant, Interfaith Health Clinic and the Junior League.
“Velda always had time for anyone,” her sister said, “She devoted herself to her work and her family and her church.”
She was a graduate of Midville High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree from the University of West State.
She is survived by her parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Meredith Donaldson-Obit

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, noted local dietitian, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital. She was 47 years old.

Fletcher was survived by her parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews. Fletcher earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and a Masters degree in Science from the University of West State.

Velda Fletcher gave her time to many charitable activities, especially Interfaith Health Clinic, and was a member of the Junior League. She spent many years in management in the dieticians department at the University of West State Medical Center and also belonged to the national, regional and local dieticians and diabetes-educator professional organizations. Fletcher had been a member of Little Springs Methodist since she was 11 years old and sang in the adult choir. She was a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy, a Midville-based nonprofit group that collects and distributes school supplies and Christmas gifts to children in the area.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 at Forest Cemetery. Instead of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Writing Obituaries - Kylee Gwartney

Velda Fletcher, local dietitian and active community volunteer, died Tuesday after a medical emergency situation. She was 47 years old. Velda is a 1980 graduate of Midville High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree from the University of West State. She worked as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator at Dialysis Inc. in South Midville. Velda was a long-time member of Little Springs Methodist Church, and a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy and Interfaith Health Clinic. She was also active in Alpha Chi Omega and an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports. Velda is survived by her parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and several loving nieces and nephews. There will be graveside services Saturday at Forest Cemetery in Midville starting at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Weston Harris - Stovall Exercise 6.4 Obituary

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, a long-time resident of the Midville community, died Tuesday night after a medical emergency. She was 47 years old.
Burial services will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Forest Cemetery in Midville. Velda is survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions should be made to Mission of Mercy, a local nonprofit charity group that Velda worked with since its beginning in 1996, by request of the family.
Velda graduated from Midville High School in 1980 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree from the University of West State in 1984 and 1986, respectively. In her time at the school she was active in the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and at the Wesley Center. After working many years at the University of West State Medical Center, she worked as a clinical dietician and diabetes educator at Dialysis Clinic Inc. in South Midville. Velda was a member of multiple professional organizations in the field of dietician and diabetes education.
Velda was a noted church and community volunteer. She was active in Little Springs Methodist since the age of 11, participating in the adult choir and numerous mission trips. She even acted as Sunday school department director in the singles program at one time. She also contributed to the charity organization called Interfaith Health Clinic, was a member of the Junior League, and was a cast member in the Midville Nativity Pageant.
“Velda always had time for anyone,” her sister said. “She devoted herself to her work and her family and her church. My children always felt like she was their second mother – sometimes their first (laughs). She just never said no to anything or anyone that she thought was worthwhile. We are going to miss her very, very much.”

Kelley Jones- Obituaries, Stovall 6.4

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, local dietian and church and community volunteer, died Tuesday at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency. She was 47 years old.

Fletcher was a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy and worked with the ministry since it was launched in 1996. She gave her time to many charitable activities, especially Interfaith Health Clinic. Fletcher was a member of Little Springs Methodist since she was 11 years old. She was in the adult choir and participated in numerous missions projects.

“Velda always had time for anyone. She devoted herself to her work and her family and her church. She just never said no to anything or anyone that she thought was worthwhile.”

Fletcher spent many years in management in the dieticians department at the University of West State Medical Center and worked in private practice as well. She belonged to national, regional and local dieticians and diabetes-educator professional organizations.

Fletcher graduated in 1980 from Midville High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State. She was active in Alpha Chi Omega, an enthusiastic supporter of UT sports, and active at the Wesley Center.

Fletcher is survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be Saturday at 2:00 at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Megan Gay-Obituary

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher died at age 47 Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency.

Fletcher was a local dietitian and church and community volunteer, and participated in numerous missions projects. Through different times in her life she had served as a Sunday school department director in the singles program, longtime cast member in the Midville Nativity Pageant, worked at Dialysis Clinic Inc., member of Junior League, gave time to Interfaith Health Clinic, participated in adult choir and was a member of Little Springs Methodist since she was 11.

Fletcher’s main devotion was to volunteer with Mission of Mercy. This nonprofit group of Midville collects and distributes school supplies and Christmas gifts to children in the area. She had worked with the ministry since the launch in 1996.

Fletcher graduated in 1980 from Midville High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science in 1984 and Master of Science in 1986 from the University of West State. She was also active in Alpha Chi Omega, worked at the Wesley Center, and was an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports.

Fletcher is survived by parents Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; brother and sister-in-law Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher and several nieces and nephews.

“She devoted herself to her work and her family and her church. She never said no to anything or anyone that she thought was worthwhile. We are going to miss her very, very much,” said Vonda Fletcher Reed of her sister.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, at Forest Cemetery off of Lexington Road in Midville. The family requests that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy instead of flowers.

Lucas Chandler - Obituary

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, local dietitian and church and community volunteer, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency. She was 47 years old.

Fletcher earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and a Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State; she went on to work as a dietitian and spend years in management at the University of West State dietitians department.

A member of Little Springs Methodist Church since she was 11 years old, Fletcher participated in a number of mission projects as well as the church choir.

Fletcher had volunteered with Mission of Mercy since it was launched in 1996. The nonprofit group collects and distributes school supplies and Christmas gifts to children in the Midville area.

She was active in Alpha Chi Omega and at the Wesley Center, as well as an enthusiastic supporter of UT sports.

Fletcher was survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 2:00 on Saturday at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. The family has asked that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy in lieu of flowers.

Katherine Borgerding-Obituary, Stovall 6.4

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, noted local dietitian and church and community volunteer, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency situation, she was 47.

Fletcher is survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher, brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher, sister Vonda Fletcher Reed and many nieces and nephews.

“Velda always had time for anyone. She devoted herself to her work and her family and her church. My children always felt like she was their second mother-sometimes their first. She just never said no to anything or anyone that she thought worthwhile. We are going to miss her very, very much,” her sister said.

She was a member of Little Springs Methodist Church. She sang in the adult choir, participated in numerous mission trips and served as the Sunday school director in the singles program there.

Fletcher volunteered with Mission of Mercy, a Midville-based nonprofit that distributes school supplies and Christmas presents to children, and was active in Alpha Chi Omega and the Wesley Center.

Fletcher graduated from Midville High School in 1980, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and a Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State. She worked in management in the dietitian’s department at the University Medical Center, in private practice and as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator in Midville.

Services will be held Saturday at 2:00, at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Kendal Moore-Obituary 6.5

Obituary 6.5

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, long time Midville resident, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency situation. She was 47 years old. 

Fletcher was an active member of Little Springs Methodist church and participated in many mission projects. She also gave her time to many charitable activities, especially Interfaith Heatlh Clinic Inc. 

She was a devoted volunteer with Mission of Mercy, and worked as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator. Much of her time was spent managing in the dietitians department at the University of West State Medical Center as well as working in a private practice.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 and Master of Science degree in 1986 from the University of West State. She was also an active member in Alpha Chi Omega as well as being an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports. 

She was survived by her parents Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed' and various nieces and nephews.

Service is to be held Saturday at 2:00 at Forest Cemetery off Lexington Road in Midville. Instead of flowers, the family requests that all memorials be made to Mission of Mercy.

Sara Lavas-Obituaries

Velda Elizabeth Fletcher, a long-time resident of the Midville community, died Tuesday night at Park West Hospital after a medical emergency. She was 47 years old.

Fletcher was a local dietitian and church and community volunteer.

She was a member of Little Springs Methodist church where she participated in many mission trips. Also she was a devoted volunteer with the Mission of Mercy, at Interfaith Health Clinic and a member of the Junior League.

She had Bachelors of Science degree and Masters of Science from the University of West State. She was an active member in Alpha Chi Omega, at the Wesley Center, and an enthusiastic supporter of all UT sports.

She belonged to the national, regional, and local dieticians and diabetes-educator professional organizations. Along with that she had a career as a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator at Dialysis Clinic Inc. in South Midville.

She was survived by parents, Gina and Vandergriff Fletcher; brother and sister-in-law, Vandergriff and Davida Fletcher; sister Vonda Fletcher Reed; and various nieces and nephews.

Burial will be at Forest Cemetary located off Lexington Road in Midville and services will start Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Instead of flowers, the family requests all memorials are made to Mission of Mercy.

CLASS CANCELED 2-11-10

Students,

I have really been thinking about the fact that you are ahead of the lecture. I think it would be much better for you all to be behind the lecture. For this reason, I am canceling lab tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010.

Your leads will be due Tuesday, and we will move on with our schedule beginning then. This should give you the opportunity to hear the lecture before working on the assignment and I think this will be a huge benefit to you.

If you have any questions, just let me know.

Thanks,

Michelle

Kendal Moore-Writing Challenges

When it comes to writing, grammar is by far my weakness. Perhaps the reason this is, is because I constantly second guess myself. I could stare at a sentence for hours and think of a hundred different ways it could change. Writing is something I have had to work at over the last few years ;However, after I finish a product and I know I have been successful, all the hard work pays off. The art of writing is a constant challenge. When I master the grammar and punctuation issues, I have no doubt that I can be talented in this field and my results will be rewarding.

Kelley Jones- Writing Challenges

Grammar is absolutely the hardest aspect of writing that I have faced. Spelling and punctuation are much easier to master, but grammar is just impossible! The worst part is that nobody ever uses these grammar rules in everyday conversation. We are all accustomed to using incorrect grammar that when we're forced to write correctly and follow the rules it seems strange. Who would ever use "whom" or "he or she" in a conversation with their friends? Nobody! The "Grammar-Gods" have it out for us. I swear that they made all of the grammar rules so complicated just to have a laugh and make us frustrated.

Weston Harris - Writing Challenges

My biggest challenge in writing correctly is being able to identify parts of speech. I am not familiar with all of the parts of speech, but when I am able to recognize them I occasionally become confused. I have the most difficult time knowing when to use who and whom.
Punctuation is slightly challenging. I am least familiar with the semicolon. I have also had trouble knowing when to capitalize the first letter after a colon. Commas have presented me with problems recently.
I have the least trouble with spelling. I regularly made perfect scores my spelling tests throughout elementary school. This trend in spelling hasn't ceased since the days of elementary school and spelling tests.
High school did a terrible job of preparing me for this class. Nearly everything was considered to be a "completion grade." Points would be given as long as it was finished.

Writing Challenges

I feel fairly confident in my writing and writing style, because my high school prepared me pretty well. I still get stuck on basic things like who versus whom, and antecedents are confusing to me. Punctuation is sometimes difficult for me too. Commas are really the only thing I have trouble with, especially when used in the same sentence as a semi colon. Also, possessive apostrophes are hard for me when they are on a pronoun or word like "it." The one thing I am really good at is spelling...I won the spelling bee three years in a row in elementary school.

Colin Mullens - Writing Challenges

I knew going into this semester of journalism at OU, changes to my grammar would have to be made. Coming from Durant, OK, where the linguistics consist of terrible inflections and my peers spoke in "text talk", I now have to make a conscience effort to heighten my grammar to a more professional level. Teachers at Durant High School focused mostly on vocabulary. Though this was an attempt to at least make us sound brighter, it was all for not when the teachers would pity us and give us the answers on exams. To make matters worse, grammar exercises consisted mainly of punctuation. Obviously, high school was easy, but prepare me it did not.

Lucas Chandler - Writing Challenges

To be perfectly honest, I don't face many problems when it comes to spelling or punctuation. High school really helped to establish my foundation as a writer (I was not only part of an advanced English program, but also a yearbook editor and newspaper contributor), and I've been slowly building on that foundation ever since. Perhaps the only area I have difficulty with is grammar. My problem isn't one of usage, however... It's one of explanation. I honestly couldn't explain to someone how to write properly, or even why. Ask me to write a paper, I'll write a hell of a paper. Ask me to explain how I wrote it or what rules I followed, you'll just get a shrug or a blank stare.

Lauren Forte-writing challenges

In the JMC 2033 class I have been struggling with the quizzes given in the lecture. I believe this is occurring not because I do not study, but because I do not understand how to study the material yet. I feel prepared before I take the quiz, but when I actually take the quiz I feel as though I have never seen any of the material in my entire life. It does not help that Kathryn Jenson White scares me to death. Every time I go to lecture my stomach hurts because of her. Kathryn Jenson White's room is the room of death.

Megan Gay-Writing Challenges

My biggest issue in writing is contemplating which choice of grammar is correct. Growing up, I felt as if my teachers didn't spend enough time working on the differences of "who" and "whom" of "its" and "it's". But neither my peers nor myself seemed to care because nobody gave an interest in learning how to do it correctly! I also have difficulties placing sentences in order. Spelling was always a strong point for me. I took part in a spelling bee in elementary school and did very well. I think that my knowledge of writing tools is strong, but I do still have some issues when it comes down to the final product.

Garrett Duty- Writing Challenges

Once upon a time, I went to Tulakes Elementary school, smack dab in the middle of Lyrewood Lane (a.k.a. L-Block) in Oklahoma City. Tulakes Elementary had a very big problem: a grammar problem. The problem being that the teachers were severely lacking in their teaching abilities, and the majority of the students had zero interest in learning anything about grammar. This lead to my trouble with most things grammar related until I began studying for the ACT and eventually got a 35 out of 36 on the English grammar section. I still have trouble with the usages of who and whom and a few tricky rules here and there, however my overall abilities with grammar usage are much improved. I believe that one can never learn enough about grammar, especially with all of the different styles of writing that exist in academia and journalism.

BreAnna Watterson-Writing Challenges

When first learning to write, individuals may be faced with various obstacles such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. To grow in the writing process takes practice and guidance from teachers. I have always believed practice is key to achieving anything you want and in this case overcoming obstacles in the writing process.

As I have gotten older, I feel my writing has improved because of all the teachers I have had since grade school to thus far. I have learned something new and have improved skills previously taught. Before going into Writing for the Mass Media I still had trouble, however; with using who and whom and has and have. Since doing grammar exercises I feel more confident in those areas of grammar.

Sara Lavas- Writing Challenges

About two years about I attended high school at Southlake Carroll High School; a town with not a care in the world but high school football. While attending this school, although with high academic standards, they pretty much stunk at providing their students with a strong base of grammar, spelling and punctuation (unless of course it was football related!). This is one of the main reasons I believe I struggle so much with these subjects. My biggest challenge is spelling correctly. Also, many grammar and punctuation rules are a challenge because they sound different better to me when they incorrect and because there are so many to remember. I believe that all of my challenges stem from the amount of technology my generation has received to fix many of these problems for us.

Kylee Gwartney - Writing Challenges

Let's face it - the English language is both wonderful and very obnoxious. It contains hundreds upon hundreds of rules that no one wants to know. High school prepared me for every type of academic paper possible, but failed to teach me about the "Holy Bibles" of grammar (of course I mean AP Style and Arnold.) The main cause of my troubles is with who and whom. I've accepted the fact that I will never use them correctly. In my mind the only difference between them is if you want to sound like a 75 -year-old British snob or not. Honestly, whom is practically dead to the English language and we need to accept it. Aside from that, I'm confident that I can master the rest of the rules being thrown at me this semester. I need to remind myself that I'm taking this class because I love to write and truly want to be the best that I can.

Megan Gay-Writing Challenges

Meredith Donaldson-Writing Challenges

Grammar and punctuation have ruined my life. I do not know if as a child I was unable to understand these foreign concepts and that lead me to still not understand them to this day or if I just didn't pay attention. Completing the recent assignments has been a challenge; I second guess every answer I put on a question because all the choices seem right. Understanding comma usage is like understanding rocket science, for me it is never going to happen. It is possible for me to become an insanely knowledgeable grammatician but that would require me to study every day and practice every night, which is beyond my capability.

Katherine Borgerding-Writing challenges

Writing in any capacity is a difficult process in terms of correct grammar and punctuation usage. Writing is a process, the steps and rules are many and varied especially within the English language. I was taught early on, by my mother, the rules of grammar and punctuation. In high school I had an English teacher who beat into her classes the correct way to use the rules of the language. But it has always been a challenge for me. I can get mixed up and turned around when trying to write correctly. For me, learning the English rules of grammar is very similar to learning any other language, if I do not practice constantly I eventually forget.

Lab 6

Hi gang! Here is your assignment today. Please complete the blog in class and bring back with you the take-home assignment on Tuesday.

IN-LAB ASSIGNMENT: Post to your LABlog a 100-word comment about the challenges you face in writing correctly in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. You may make this humorous if you wish. Did your high school prepare you for this? If you don't face challenges, focus on why you don't.

Begin AP Stylebook Exercises (Stovall 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10)

TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENT: AP Stylebook Exercises (Stovall 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10)

Have a great weekend!

Michelle