Jet Magazine - May 2012 - Digital Dividend

Digital Dividend

Jet Magazine
May 28, 2012

REGINALD JAMES NOTICED that his University of California at Berkeley classmates weren't connecting through the campus newspaper. So the multimedia journalist plans to create community on the Web. This fall, he will launch the Onyx Express Digital, an online, mobile friendly and hyperlocal companion to the university's 18-year-old magazine for Black students.

The idea landed the junior from Alameda, CA, a $20,000 scholarship. The AP-Google Journalism and Technology Scholarship Program, which seeks creative ideas in digital journalism, awards six one-year scholarships to cover tuition, and James' plan came out a winner.

The political science and African-American studies major says this outlet for Black stories is needed.

"The Web site will be a resource for information and a sense of community in a campus with a climate that often feels unfavorable to African people," says James about Berkeley, where some racial incidents- including a so-called "satirical" bake sale last year where cupcake prices were determined by race and gender- complicate cross-cultural relations. Though he's currently working to finance the project, his idea was definitely on the money. -by Lakeia Brown

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Former website for Photojournalist known as Reginald James

In 2013, I decided to change my name from Reginald James to Rasheed Shabazz. I leave this site full of bread crumbs, gratitude for all the support Reginald received. To follow me as I proceed down a new path, follow: Rasheed El Shabazz . R eginald was born in Oakland, CA and raised in the nearby island city of Alameda. He is currently studying African American Studies and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He previously attended Oakland's Laney College where he focused on African American Studies, journalism, and political science. He enjoys reading, poetry, theater, arts and photography. He loves to play outside and enjoys hiking, canoeing, bicycling and hunting (for oxygen). Reginald is the online manager for Onyx Express Magazine , an 19-year-old student magazine at UC Berkeley. He also produces Morning News each week at UC Berkeley's KALX and previously hosted of the internet radio show, "The Black Hour" on 9th Floor Radio . He cu...

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OL Contributing Editor Reginald James wins one of six $20K AP-Google scholarships OaklandLocal.com April 8, 2012 Reginald James, an Oakland Local contributing editor and multimedia journalist, is one of six winners of the AP-Google Scholarship for his proposal for a mobile, hyper-local website for the Black community at the University of California, Berkeley. James explains in his proposal how African-American students attending UC Berkeley lack a place to adequately get news to fit their needs. James wrote: “The fall of 2011 was a juicy semester for news at UC Berkeley: proposed fee increases of up to 81 percent, a controversial “racist bake sale,” and the Occupy Cal movement. Campus media covered each of these incidents, and two even got national print and TV press coverage. Yet, most African American students didn’t learn about these events from the TV, print or news websites. Not just because they were on the ground, but because they feel the media coverage is neither fair, cultura...

Reginald James

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