After Fox News Reporter Lilia Chacon’s recent visit to Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, first year Game & Interactive Media student Michael McDowell shares his reflections on her story.
Lilia Chacon was a speaker for Tribeca Flashpoint’s Jumpstart series, which brings industry professionals to campus to share their experience and expertise with students.
Fox News reporter Lilia Chacon recently visited Flashpoint and delivered an eye-opening speech titled, “Don’t wear high heels to a gang war.” While the title is interesting by itself, the inspiration behind the story was just as fascinating.
Ms. Chacon recalled a moment in her career when she was covering a story on a gang shooting in a Chicago neighborhood. While broadcasting from the crime scene with a heavy police presence, the suspects came back and opened fire on the crime scene area. Consequently, a shootout between the police and the suspects ensued.
The cameraman continued to roll despite the haze of bullets flying through the air, while Ms. Chacon unrelentingly delivered the report as they followed close behind the policemen. After a few exchanges, the suspects fled to a nearby alley.
The police pursued with Ms. Chacon and her cameraman close behind. They got to the end of the alley that was shaped in a form of a T. Suddenly, a car swerved in on one side as four men hopped out and a police car swerved in on the opposite end with three officers in it. Lilia Chacon and her faithful cameraman were stuck in the middle of another gunfight!!!
While I enjoyed the story, the real treat of Ms. Chacon coming to Flashpoint was the personal testimony of her passion for delivering the facts to everyday people like you and me. Her message seemed to transcend the field of Film & Broadcast. Being a first year Game Development student I felt just as stimulated as any Film & Broadcast student there.
As she continued with her speech, she revealed the sacrifice that her career demands. She spoke on her lack of a social life and how she often has to disappoint close friends and family all in the call of duty. While I listened to her talk about her life, I was inspired by her story because I feel we take for granted the passion, hard work, resourcefulness and dedication it takes to make it in the so-called glamorous career of news reporting. We rarely get to see the grind that it takes to succeed in a career as demanding as journalism.
During her speech I also realized how important the work is that Ms. Chacon and other reporters like her do. Hearing what goes on behind the camera allowed me to have a better respect for her and her craft. During my commute home, I briefly reflected on how informed and well versed I am on current events, and acknowledged it’s all a result of the hard work that Lilia Chacon and her colleagues put into reporting. Their constant digging, pursuing and following up reaps the reward of a more informed population and satisfies the passion of these news professionals.
I am not sure if reporters hear this as often as they should, but thank you. Society deserves to be informed and to know the truth, regardless of how ugly it is.
By the way, the shootout story ended with her winning an Emmy (1 of her 6). I hope she continues the great work that she does and keeps telling the story, whatever it may be.
- Michael McDowell
