October 2017 – Page 5 – Multimedia Reporting Fall 2017

With all of the talk about Cuba and its travel status, it only seemed fair that I share this story about two brothers separated by politics and injustice.

My time in Cuba was meant to be an escape from the city yet it turned into a favor. Without disclosing too much, I can say that from a young age I have known about the United States’ justice system more than a child should know. From my time spent visiting family members at facilities, I have gotten to know some of the inmates as well as their stories. One inmate in particular always stood out. His name is Paito and he has been incarcerated since 1984, resulting in him losing connection with his family back in Cuba.

After finding out that I was going to be visiting Havana, Paito requested that I take a letter to his brother, Lazarus, if he still resided in Varadero , a small town just outside of Havana.

Fisherman walking along the coastal wall.

The rough sea seen from the coast in Havana.

The old Theatre in Havana’s central.

While Havana was a spectacle of untouched culture and history, the communist influences can still be seen throughout the island from billboards lauding the revolution, to streets named after generals who played key roles in the revolution. Tank in Revolution Square.

Che Gueverra’s Portrait on the side of a building.

After exploring Havana my travel guide and I made our way to Varadero to the address given to us. Upon arriving we noticed the unusual amount of Santeria shrines outside of homes. Dilapidated mansions lined what were once crisp white marble streets. Zapata street.

Looking among the wreckage of the houses, the only lively home was being guarded by five small, sadly diseased looking dogs.

Kujo

Stepping into the property a tall man came from around the home and asked who we were. Without hesitating I asked him if he was the brother of Paito, sending him in a flurry of tears and fast questions.

“Is my brother alive?!”

“How do you know Paito?! Oh god please tell me my baby brother is alive.”

He became so overwhelmed his sister came from upstairs and had to pull him back inside.

Lazarus taking a seat trying to calm down.

Marina, Paito and Lazarus’s sister.

Lazarus listening to our travel guide explain why we are here.

After learning of his brother’s incarceration, Lazarus rushed to the backroom and pulled out old photos of Paito exclaiming how his brother was always a trouble maker but not a bad person. Political tension between the U.S. and Cuba has made it so that inmates arrested on U.S. cannot be extradited back to Cuba.

Old family photo.

Lazarus’ son, a high priest for the Yaruba religion listening to our tour guide.

Cuban woman overlooking the balcony.

After establishing a way to send one another letters, Lazarus and his family offered to a blessing for us in their Yaruba fashion.

Dated picture of the family.

Giant statue of Jesus Christ where Santeros usually congregate.

Discussion: Coverage of the Las Vegas shooting and resources to keep in mind if you ever find yourself covering a story like this.

Reminders

Pitches for your radio piece will be due this Wednesday, October 4. During Wednesday’s class, I’ll give a quick tutorial on using the Zoom audio recorders and then we’ll workshop your pitches.

Scripts for the radio piece will be due Wednesday, October 18.

Final produced radio story will be due Monday, October 30.

Guidelines for radio pitches:

Assignment #2 will be a 5-minute news radio feature (a “wrap”). A wrap is a scripted radio piece that weaves together natural sounds, interview clips (known as “actualities”), and reporter narration to tell a story.

These are the components you are required to submit for the final draft:

A good headline/title.
Your final 4-5 minute edited audio file, posted to Soundcloud and embedded on the blog.
The host intro section of your script should be copied and pasted into the blog post above your Soundcloud player.
At least one photo, either added to the Soundcloud player or uploaded to the blog.

Today’s class: Screening of your finished photo projects!