"Masthead is NOT destiny," said Jacqui Banaszynski, looking out over the heads of journalists, writing students and a few inquisitive faculty. They sat listening at The Commons of Fort Worden, located just north of Port Townsend. The staff of the Sequim Gazette and three members of The Leader sat soaking it in Wednesday, May 14, after meeting another week's deadlines.
"Geography is NOT destiny, either," she said. It's not significant whether you're writing for a metropolitan daily or in a rural bureau, Banaszynski said. It is important how you frame a story, how you treat its subjects and how you make a difference in the world..
"The story in front of you is DESTINY," she said with full force, confidence and conviction. She worked her way up from multiple small newspapers to the St. Paul Pioneer Press where she wrote a Pulitzer finalist article "Trail of Tears" about relief workers in Africa's Sudan and then followed it with a "AIDS in the Heartland" about two gay farmers who struggle with AIDS, the reactions of their families and community to their public battle and the aftermath. Jacqui stayed with the St. Paul Pioneer Press for two years after the 1988 honors. She declined multiple offers to go "to the big show" after her story brought her and the Pioneer Press national attention. She eventually moved to The Oregonian and then The Seattle Times.
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