The Journalist & The Imago Dei
The Journalist & The Imago Dei
Shonette Reed
There are many voices poured into the point of a profile story, and each of them have this thing in common: Showing the humanity of a person.
Growing up in school, I was under the impression that you had to have a large platform or make a lot of money to make it into the newspaper or magazine. And while it is true that a person should have influence, the amount of influence should never get in the way of a person’s story.
By the time I had reached college, I’d been at the receiving end of an onslaught of white stories. From Woodward and Bernstein and the American Model of Journalism, to the books we’d read in class by primarily white authors, it was difficult to find a space for myself, those who looked like me, and my closest friends—especially when the true hero of American journalism is Ida B. Wells. But, that is another story, for another time.
Make no mistake, my parents made sure I was aware of Black history, and growing up in South Central Los Angeles ensured a diverse friend group, yet it was less often that our words and faces were found in media.
As a journalism student, I was committed to relaying the opinions of those who were often overlooked. I felt it my responsibility to give ear to marginalized groups, ministries and departments on campus that our predominantly white university did not cater to, and at times, did not understand. This sense of responsibility led into my career.
A few years after graduation, I started Resolute Magazine with one simple goal: tell the stories of multiethnic creatives and entrepreneurs. A year into that, I focused on that same community, but zeroed in especially on Christian circles. I made this decision due to the simple fact that we matter and the kingdom of God does not cater to one type of person, ministry, job, or creative endeavour.
The Beauty of Storytelling
The writers of the God-breathed, God-inspired word were not strangers to storytelling. For them, many stories had been passed down orally; sharing the history of their culture or families.
The Bible is quite an inclusive text! It includes the story of King David and the story of the woman at the well. It tells us about God and how he brought man into existence, showing his likeness, and it is committed to showing the many different people who hold that likeness.
When we limit stories to cover a certain type of person, we limit the story of the Imago Dei.
Stories are how we keep track of time. Stories are the way in which we connect with one another. Stories are not something held at a distance from us; even in their most distinct forms, they are a large part of Christian culture.
Yet, through sin and our ideas of worthiness, we’ve created an exclusive culture that begs people to shed parts of who they are in order to become worthy of having their story told.
For me, it has always been important to hear stories of people that come from a different background than me. It’s about being able to relate to one another in a world where isolation is so easily bred in the individual silos of experience. I would not consider myself an expert—I’m only getting started. Yet from my experience, I’ve learned that the best way to profile someone is to come as a reader, not a reporter.
In a world where social media follower counts and metrics are what draw attention to who’s covered next, I think it’s important to tell people that they are seen and valued right where they are. It is not that one story is more insignificant than the other, but rather that our combined stories breathe life into a complete picture. I don’t believe that my writing a story on someone deems them as “important enough”; as a fellow image-bearer, they already possess an innate importance. I, however, have the unique privilege and opportunity of sharing that importance with an audience different than the one that may hear directly from them.
Writing is Good. Listening is Better.
Photograph by Yves Sochi
It was the poet Nikki Giovanni who said, “I’m glad I understand that while language is a gift, listening is a responsibility.” When Christian writers and storytellers are dedicated to listening and hearing the perspectives of those who differ from them, they are dedicated to painting a more accurate picture of the kingdom of Heaven.
And these stories are not always of someone who is of a different ethnicity than you. Engaging in storytelling and sharing cross-cultural experiences can be as simple as writing an essay on your mother, father, siblings, or any family member whose story intrigues you.
For me, it started on my porch at home in South Central Los Angeles with my mother’s Coretta Scott King biography collection and my father’s memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. The act of putting pen to paper started after reading Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street and Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends.
The gift of story has always been a part of my life, but the willingness to listen has increased. When profile pieces are written, the best way to approach them is to invite God into the process. Without Him, it becomes easy to cling to the “rules.”
It stands true that everyone has a story, and thankfully, I get to be one of those who’s life is dedicated to telling them.
Shonette Reed
Journalist & Communications
Shonette Reed is the founder of Resolute Magazine.
Photography by Yves Sochi