“I want to be an immersive journalist who tells stories about unique people, places and things through my own and other experiences.”
You can often find her carrying a camera bag or in UNC’s studio. A junior at the UNC-CH, pursuing a degree in Broadcast Electronic Journalism, Paris Alston has ambitions to work with National Geographic. This past summer, she earned a grant to work on a special documentary film detailing the lives of North Carolinians.
HC: What are you most known for?
Paris Alston: My personality. Every time I go on campus people are like, “you know everybody!” So I guess I’m just a really social person. But I make sure that any conversation I have with people has substance. I don’t want to be a person that just knows people, but doesn’t really know about them and their interests and things that they like.
HC: What did you do this summer?
PA: I interned at Comcast in Philadelphia – it was amazing! I was on the elevator with the CEO multiple times and met a lot of other influential people. I also went to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Conference, and I worked on the North Carolinians, which is my independently produced documentary.
HC: What’s your documentary about?
PA: The North Carolinians is about people in North Carolina with unique stories, such as a man in Lenoir, NC who owns a mule that he’s ridden from Lenoir to Mexico and from Lenoir to Canada.
HC: Why did you decide to pursue this project?
PA: I’m very interested in people and their stories and the things that they are passionate about. I’m also very proud to be from the state of N.C. and felt that it was important to learn more about the state beyond my hometown.
HC: When will your documentary be completed?
PA: By the end of the semester.
HC: Why did you decide to come to Carolina?
PA: When I was a rising senior in high school I attended the Chuck Stone Program for diversity in media and education, which was a weeklong journalism workshop. I knew at that point that I wanted to come to UNC to study journalism. Funny enough, when it came time to make a decision to college, I actually paid a deposit to Spelman College. After a long week of debate, I knew something didn’t feel right. I did that because I grew up coming to Chapel Hill for sporting events and other things, and I felt like this was where I belonged. Now I know I was right.
HC: What is the best thing you ever did in college?
PA: The Carolina SEAS Program – it stands for South East Asia Study Abroad. It was a life defining moment because it helped me to really appreciate my culture while learning about another one. I also made a lot of friends who I consider my close friends today and have been inspired to learn more about the world.
HC: What advice would you give to others?
PA: My advice to others would be to always go after everything you want to go after. Even if you have an inkling that you might be able to do something go after it.
Did you find Paris as inspirational as we did? Follow her on Twitter or check out her own personal website!