Eagle Feather News is a place for everyone
- Kaitlynn Nordal | March 30, 2022
From the time I was a little girl I have always had a curiosity about what was going on in the world whether it was down the street or half the world away.
I would always make my parents read to me, that is, until I learned to read on my own. I would carry around a notebook and pen to write down any little thing that came to my mind.
Once I was old enough to understand what a journalist does, I knew that was the career for me.
However, I also grew up in rural Saskatchewan which meant there was no school newspaper to hone this skill.
When I got to university, I was finally able to get a taste of it. Part of the University of Regina’s journalism program requires you to complete an internship to graduate and I got the opportunity to do mine with Eagle Feather News (EFN) in 2019.
I was fortunate. It ended up being a good fit for me. Not only did Lagimodiere and his wife and partner Deirdra allow me to cover a variety of stories but they also gave me the opportunity to pitch my own and never said no when I came to them with an idea. This of course allowed me to hone skills that every journalist must have.
They also required me to take photographs for various stories. This gave me the opportunity to work on my photographic skills, which is something that’s always interested me.
I will always be thankful to EFN for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to learn and grow in the process.
Rose Mansbridge was the latest student from the journalism program to do her internship with EFN, which wrapped up in December.
It is an experience that made a lasting impression. “One of the stories that has stayed with me that I covered was a story I did on Danis Goulet, a Cree/Metis filmmaker from La Ronge,” said Rose.
Goulet is an award-winning Indigenous filmmaker who’s latest project Night Raiders has received critical acclaim across North America.
“As a journalist, I ironically dread conducting interviews, but talking with Danis was such a lovely experience” she said. “I think this comes from my gravitation towards film more so than journalism in the last year. It was a place where I could combine them both.”
The EFN internship also helped Mansbridge decide what journalistic path was right for her.
“I am not out of school yet, but I am very grateful for the opportunity to do an internship while I was in school,” said Rose.
“I think if anything it has helped me narrow down and understand the direction I would like to head.”
Although she knew daily deadlines were. “not her jam” she still wanted to try print journalism.
“It allowed more flexibility with deadlines because of the monthly printing of the paper,” said Mansbridge. “With that being said, I find I gravitate more to the videography, editing and film side of journalism than the reporter/writer side and my experience both at the School of Journalism and at Eagle Feather News these past two years have helped me understand that,” said Rose.
This internship also helped her understand the world better and see things in a new light.
“Working for an Indigenous newspaper as a non-Indigenous person was a bit conflicting for me in the sense that I felt my internship position should be filled by someone who is Indigenous,” said Rose. “However, I am also so grateful for the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of Indigenous news-storytelling and be around Indigenous journalists. It has given me a greater understanding of the land I live on, my place as a settler journalist, and my responsibilities going forward as a person.”
EFN plans to continue providing internship opportunities to those at the School of Journalism with an intern expected to join the team in the fall semester.