Christopher Daniel is an award-winning freelance journalist, media critic, and ethnomusicologist. He is also the Internship Coordinator in the Mass Media Arts department of Clark Atlanta University, and is ready and willing to connect local startups to the talented students in the program.
What’s your current role?
Internship Coordinator at The Mass Media Arts department, which educates approximately 700 students in journalism, public relations, radio, television, film, and multimedia. Our department is home to a world renowned jazz station (WCLK), two television studios, state-of-the-art editing lab, audio production center, and a cable television channel that serves the metropolitan Atlanta area (CAU-TV). I’m also the music and pop culture editor for The Burton Wire, an award-winning news site that covers issues around the African Diaspora.
What was your previous role?
For the past seven years, I built my name as an award-winning freelance journalist, media critic, and ethnomusicologist regularly featured on HuffPost Live, The Root, Blues & Soul Magazine, KMag, Shadow & Act, Urban Lux Magazine, & FRANK151.
What is the most exciting part of your new position?
Being an inspiration and example to the next generation of critical thinkers, innovators, and communications professionals. I’ve worked across a variety of communities ranging from music, entertainment, and the arts to education, philanthropy, civil rights, and social justice, so I’m able to encourage students to not be so short sighted about where opportunities are for them to demonstrate their skills and abilities.
What tech/tools are essential to you?
In the past, social media was always a great distribution channel to build my audience, connect with other writers and professionals that I look up to, and to even find potentials stories to cover. These days since I’m in higher education, so SMART boards are what I use to magnify PC screens for presentations before the students and colleagues. I was never big on gadgets or anything of that nature, but I’m slowly but surely learning.
Are you interested in startups?
Coming from a situation where I was always the underdog, of course I am. Startups are awesome because they’re great ways to build something organic and see it mature. I always try to encourage my students to look into startups because those organizations (especially tech brands) need their communications skills and perspectives to carry their message forward. They can learn to take ownership in a situation and customize it to make it their own. It may ultimately lead to a job or a future with the brand because there is that history in place.
[Photo Credit: Jeremiah Ojo]
