Author: M'Niyah Lynn

 

1. I was thinking of doing a story about how the coronavirus is impacting art students that are in majors dealing with drawing such as illustration or cartooning to see how they are adjusting to remote learning. I would focus on highlighting a few stories of students and showing how they do projects now that we are quarantined and seeing what their experience is like doing studio classes, etc. I can also reach out to professors of these courses.
2. I could do a story on the impact of coronavirus on elementary school students. This is important because elementary school students are some of the most vulnerable kids and school is where they start developing important social skills. I can focus on what the day in the life of a young child looks like now since we’ve been forced to do remote learning and schooling. This can highlight the issues kids are facing like boredom, trying to complete work from home without getting distracted, etc. This would also help to show how parents are struggling with having to work from home with their kids there + how everyone is coping with these changes.

Host intro: The coronavirus has caused over 5,000 deaths in New York City so far, and the number of new cases continues to rise. Like most institutions of higher learning, the City University of New York transitioned to remote learning last month. CUNY is the largest public university system in the country, and many of the students at its 26 campuses around the five boroughs work to support themselves and their families. Many have been impacted not just by the switch to online lessons, but also by the loss of jobs and internship opportunities as all nonessential businesses have been closed. M’Niyah Lynn has more on this story.

AMBI: Nat sound of street showing how empty streets are (FADES AS TRACK BEGINS)

TRACK: Hear that? No…you don’t. Normally, the NYC streets would be bustling with activity, but today it is almost deserted. Here on the Upper East Side, few cars drive past 1st Avenue. What you don’t hear are the kids chasing each other in the park or the sound of heavy chatter at the local mall. 

AMBI: Room tone (LAYER UNDER TRACK)

TRACK: I’m here with Adonia Smith over a video chat, listening to her speak as she prepares for another day of sitting at home to complete assignments. She’s a CUNY undergraduate student at LaGuardia Community College who is planning to transfer to John Jay after she graduates at the end of the semester. She would usually be at school working in the financial aid office.

ACT: ADONIA: Because the Federal Work Study office is physical and they are not moving electronically like other resources on campus, it has affected my ability to work because I cannot work currently, and as a result nobody that works in the work study office is working and we are all collecting our paychecks.

TRACK: Although CUNY has insisted that their community practice safe protocols, they have allowed internships and jobs to “use their best judgement” when it comes to deciding how work will be given out and deciding if people can still go to work sites. Smith says that LaGuardia is still paying Federal Work Study students as long as their worksite is closed, but some students are unable to have the same opportunity.

ACT: ADONIA: My employer stated that because of federal work study closing, there are no students that could submit their working papers and there’s no students that could apply for work study.

AMBI: Nat sounds of email notifications (FADES INTO TRACK)

TRACK: Student’s emails are being flooded with information from the CUNY chancellor, their professors, and their individual institutions, as both students and professors struggle transitioning.  Angelica Tejada, Baruch College junior, was supposed to begin her first journalism internship the day after CUNY announced they would go remote. Now, she’s forced to delay her internship, that she worked so hard to get, for college credit.

ACT: ANGELICA: The position itself kind of requires in person because you know it’s about hosting events and interviewing people and obviously that’s like something that is traditionally done in person. I mean, we have come a long way where you can call someone and interview them or you can host like an online like via Skype party you know? But, it’s not the traditional way of doing it, and also the role that I was gonna be in that company it wasn’t supposed to be like remote. 

TRACK: Fortunately, her supervisor postponed the internship until the fall. However, having to wait to pursue her opportunity has diminished her usually positive attitude.

ACT: ANGELICA: I feel like I’m fortunate and I really cannot complain because there’s people who are in like very unfortunate situations. But, for me, you know I did feel like pretty bummed out you know I was really excited for this internship and to finally you know work and feel like I was doing something important you know for the projects that the company presented to me and everything, so I just felt kind of like unmotivated now and uninspired in a way and you know, cuz’ I was really pumped and now they just like bursted my bubble.

AMBI: Gov. Cuomo’s press conference from March 20th, announcing the closing of non-essential businesses. CUOMO: Only essential businesses will be functioning. People can work at home, god bless you, but only essential businesses can have workers commuting. (FADES INTO TRACK)

TRACK: Non-essential businesses, like clothing stores and barber shops have been closed to curb the spread of COVID-19. This means many students are screwed because “42% of students have household incomes less than $20,000,” according to the State of CUNY 2017 report. Students seek work to help pay for college expenses that PELL grants and TAP don’t cover, if they receive anything. In a video posted to the CUNY website last month, Chancellor Matos Rodriguez said he’s working to make sure students can thrive in school and work from home.

ACT: MATOS: If we don’t do something to help them, those students will lose their semester. Those are our most vulnerable students, and it wouldn’t be CUNY if we just said that we’re not going to help you. 

TRACK: CUNY continues to keep students posted with updates, including implementing a recalibration period to hopefully equip everyone for distance learning and running spring break from April 8th to the 11th. For Baruch College, I’m M’Niyah Lynn.

1. I can do a piece on how the coronavirus is impacting small local businesses because of the lack of customers and the forced closures of stores. Many employees are either out of work or have to work from home. I also know a few that have been laid off, despite working really hard. These people work at places like cafes and department stores, which is work that you can’t do at home. I would focus on the ways they are being impacted in terms of things like supplies, finances, etc. I can try to conduct interviews over the phone.
2. I can interview people who have traditional allergies that are being treated badly because people assume that they have the coronavirus since it’s hard to tell the difference between the symptoms. I can ask them how are they being treated and how they are trying to protect themselves from developing the virus. This will give me a chance to delve deeper into some of the attitudes and thoughts people are experiencing.

Here is a link to my sample radio piece for class. The script is below too.

https://soundcloud.com/mniyah-lynn/sample-radio-assignment

Host intro: The coronavirus, causing over 100,000 cases worldwide, is the biggest story today. It started in Wuhan, China and has since spread across continents. New York has 216 cases statewide, causing businesses to run out of health supplies and students to express concerns over the response from colleges. M’Niyah Lynn, journalism student, has more on this story.

AMBI: Sound of students on 8th floor (room tone)

TRACK: On the 8th floor, in the seating area of one of CUNY’s top institutions, Baruch College, I sit down with Isabel, an undergraduate student here, that has a lot to say about the seriousness of the virus and extreme panic she has witnessed regarding the spread of COVID-19.  

AMBI: Students washing hands

TRACK: So, how has the coronavirus affected your life and how are you preparing for it?

ACT: ISABEL: Um..so, I think like the biggest effect that I’ve seen, especially is mostly on like local businesses, um..Flushing is like somewhere that I go quite frequently and I’ve noticed that there’s been a significantly like um less number of people and all the restaurants are always empty. And I think like one thing that’s really surprising is the fact that hand sanitizer is literally sold out everywhere. Um..just the other day like my friend and I, after class we went to a Walgreens, we went to a 7-Eleven, a news stand, and a deli and none of them had hand sanitizer and this was right by school, so we crossed the street to Bath & Body Works and um in my experience like they always have hand sanitizer, but then as soon as we walked in and I asked um one of the employees, they said that they ran out and that there was no hand sanitizer within a 6 mile radius basically. So, I actually went back to the store today and there was actually only one scent left and it was people were just like grabbing them off the shelf. I think just the demand for it is insane. I also went to like a deli in Queens and they were selling like a little tiny miniature bottle of Purell for $5, when it really retails for a dollar.

TRACK: With the pressure on local government to take more drastic measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, students and some faculty have demanded that CUNY possibly close down schools and perhaps transition to online classes as a precaution. Cases around the world continue to grow and in the U.S., we are now up to about 938 total cases according to the CDC. I take it to the streets of Baruch to interview Jahlil on his way home to see if he is feeling optimistic about the future of the world.

TRACK: Are you confident that after the coronavirus dies down that the world will go back to basically how it once was, or do you think it’ll change?

ACT: JAHLIL: I believe that, I do believe that the world would go back to normal. I do, I’ve seen the economy especially booming ten times better than what  it was before the major drops. Um, I see you know uh pharmacy stores now taking extra precautions now you know, when it comes to supply and demand, you know they know not to run out of essentials like hand sanitizer, you know wipes, all the other you know health accessories. So, yeah, I do see the world uh doing better after corona dies down.

TRACK: It is unclear if online classes will become the norm for colleges beyond this point because a lot about the virus is still unknown like how long it will be around. Hopefully, CUNY will use this outbreak to better prepare for potential others in the future and Governor Cuomo will likely figure out a plan for CUNY and SUNY schools. It looks like for now, we have to be patient at a time where time doesn’t seem like it’s on our side. For Baruch College, this is M’Niyah Lynn in New York City.

 

Hey everyone, here is my improved photo essay. I hope you like it and that it makes more sense.

How Wagner Lives by M’Niyah Lynn on Exposure

1. The SEEK program was established in 4-year CUNY institutions for low-income students to have an opportunity to receive a college education. Like HEOP and EOP, SEEK has given a great opportunity for students, especially minorities, to thrive in college with the help of the summer program, peer mentorship, tutoring, counseling, and other resources that cater to the needs of students. My story would cover Baruch’s SEEK community and how students feel about it. I have access to the story because I can go to the SEEK office and I know SEEK students. This story is interesting because it puts the word out there about the program and SEEK is a large part of why Baruch is so diverse. This story is focused on educating students and getting their opinions on SEEK. My soundbites would be typing from computers, talking, footsteps, the phone ringing, etc.

2. I can try to do a piece on The Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit organization that serves the children of families and offers opportunities for underserved children to go camping. They have 2 programs, Friendly Town Program, and the sleep away camps. The Fresh Air Fund prides itself on its ability to encourage growth and learning in our youth. Camp Anita Bliss Coler is one of the camps that helps girls between the ages of 8-16 embrace sisterhood and succeed in unfamiliar activities. I would discuss the activities Camp ABC offers and how it reflects supports The Fresh Air Fund’s mission. Camp is a great alternative to spending summer at home and keeps kids entertained while providing them with housing and other accommodations. Also, because of the experiences children often return for future summers and off-season weekends. Eventually many choose to work at the camps. These summers leave a lasting impact. I could interview people that work at the office, former campers, and current and former counselors, including the program staff.

This is my story about gentrification in Wagner Houses.

How Wagner Lives by M’Niyah Lynn on Exposure