Photo by Colin Royal: Prof. Kim Ford (Right) Interviews Amir Shaw (Left)

By Colin Royal, Editor-in-Chief

Executive Editor for the Atlanta Daily World and renowned journalist Amir Shaw recently came to Morehouse as a guest lecturer for Professor Kim Ford’s Music, Media and Celebrity Journalism class.

Shaw spoke to the class about his journey through the media industry and provided advice about how younger journalists can pursue their personal goals.

Shaw immediately related to the students by sharing his collegiate experience as a journalist. He explained how his career started during his junior year at Georgia State. During this time, he interned with Rolling Out without being paid.

“I was an intern, but I was doing the work of a full time worker,” Shaw said.

He was invested in his craft. Even though he was not making money at the time, he used the experience to propel his career forward.

At the publication, Shaw covered the bustling music scene in Atlanta—providing a youthful, fresh and grounded perspective on a rapidly growing industry.

Through commitment and consistency, he was able to secure a paid position at Rolling Out a few weeks after he graduated.  

Reflecting on the early parts of his journey, Shaw provided the following advice for his audience:

“It takes a lot of patience, but it also takes a lot of learning,” Shaw said. “Continue to be a student of your craft because there’s always someone behind you.”

Shaw spoke about maintaining hunger for your passions. He stressed to the students the importance of honing their skills daily. 

“Document something every single day; email somebody everyday; write everyday and work everyday,” Shaw said.

He made sure students understood that excellence is not a product of luck, but rather a symptom of habit.