Georgia Fort on Independent Journalism, Truth in the AI Era, and Building Media That Serves the People
Guest: Georgia Fort
Titles: Journalist; independent media founder; storyteller; media innovator; educator
Episode Theme: What it takes to build independent journalism that tells the truth, serves the community, and prepares the next generation to report with integrity.
Why this matters right now: Journalism is under pressure from every angle: shrinking resources, eroding public trust, attacks on press freedom, and a growing flood of misinformation powered by AI. In this episode, Georgia Fort breaks down how she built her path from radio and television news into independent journalism, why local reporting still matters, and what it means to protect truth, representation, and democracy in real time.
Georgia Fort is a journalist and media innovator from Minnesota whose work sits at the intersection of storytelling, accountability, and community impact. She began her media career in radio before moving into television news, building skills in reporting, filming, editing, and court coverage across multiple markets. In this episode, Georgia shares how she followed her instincts from entertainment radio into substantive news reporting, why the murder of George Floyd pushed her fully into independent journalism, and what it was like covering major trials that became part of national history. She also talks about the business challenges of independent media, the urgent need to invest in young journalists of color, and why journalism is one of the most essential tools we have in the fight against disinformation.
What we talk about
From radio into journalism career (00:01:41)
Leaving mainstream media systems (00:06:20)
Covering Chauvin trial & Minnesota’s moment (00:09:32)
Journalism vs AI misinformation crisis (00:19:10)
Funding independent media models (00:22:37)
Why you’ll want to listen
Building a sustainable journalism career (00:01:59)
Gatekeeping realities in newsrooms (00:06:20)
Minnesota’s global justice impact (00:13:26)
Truth in the AI era (00:19:10)
Sustaining independent media platforms (00:22:37)
About the guest
Georgia Fort is a journalist, independent media founder, and community-centered storyteller from Minnesota. Her career began in radio and expanded into television news, where she built experience across reporting, editing, filming, and court coverage. After years in mainstream media, she launched her own path in independent journalism, covering some of the most consequential stories in Minnesota and beyond. Through her reporting and leadership, she is helping reimagine what journalism can look like when it is rooted in truth, representation, and direct service to the community. She is also deeply committed to developing the next generation of journalists through hands-on training and access for young people of color.
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Introduction
Fanshen Cox [00:00:00]:
Welcome back to season seven of the Sista Brunch Podcast. We are the only podcast that shares the stories of Black women and Black gender-expansive people who are thriving in film, TV, entertainment, media. Today's guest is an incredible guest. We'll say thank you and a shout out to Farrah, who has been a supporter of Sista Brunch for a long time, but she's part of why this is happening today. And it is so timely and important to have this guest. We also have a lovely surprise. This is, I think, one of three episodes that we are joined again by our beautiful co-host, Miss Shawn Pipkin West.
Shawn Pipkin [00:00:40]:
Yes. Hi again. I'm so happy to be back and so excited for today's guest.
Fanshen Cox [00:00:47]:
So today we are joined by a journalist and a media innovator who is helping reimagine what the future of journalism looks like.
Shawn Pipkin [00:00:56]:
And through her work, she's building a next-generation media ecosystem focused on expanding representation and creating sustainable models for independent journalism.
Fanshen Cox [00:01:08]:
Sista Brunch family, please join us in welcoming the incredible, courageous, badass Georgia Fort.
Georgia Fort [00:01:19]:
Thank you.
Shawn Pipkin [00:01:19]:
Yes. All right, so again, we're so excited. Thank you.
Georgia Fort [00:01:24]:
It's an honor to be here with you all.
Shawn Pipkin [00:01:26]:
So happy.
Georgia Fort [00:01:27]:
Thank you for having me.
Fanshen Cox [00:01:28]:
We're glad to get you away from home a little bit, too. And we're sorry the weather isn't entirely cooperating.
Georgia Fort [00:01:35]:
This is perfect. Not too hot—
Fanshen Cox [00:01:35]:
Okay, good.
Georgia Fort on Her Early Career and Path
Shawn Pipkin [00:01:36]:
All right, good. Sun's out, it's a little warm. So, Georgia, you've spent years working across broadcast journalism, and now you're building independent media platforms. So can you take us back and share some key moments of your journalism background and also your storytelling?
Georgia Fort [00:01:59]:
Yeah, absolutely. Well, I started in media back in, like, 2009 when I was about 18, 19 years old. And like many people, started as an intern, you know, just hoping that maybe someone might let me on air. I started in radio and worked my way to television news, moved around the country, worked in Columbus, Georgia, worked in Charlotte, North Carolina for a blip, and worked in Duluth, Minnesota before coming back to the Twin Cities, where I am from. And ultimately—
Fanshen Cox [00:02:41]:
Oh, I am so sorry because that's part of the question that I love to figure out is what was that initial motive? Like, did you know what journalism was? So grow. What was that seed planted for you that you were like, this is the thing that I want to do?
Georgia Fort [00:02:56]:
Well, you know, I think I started out in kindergarten writing stories. Just at that age, I wanted to be an author. I wrote a series of children's books.
Fanshen Cox [00:03:10]:
Love it.
Georgia Fort [00:03:11]:
And it was funny. My mom found them when we were unpacking during her last move. And she's like, yeah, you remember? I was like, oh my God, I totally forgot about that. And so it was a seed that was planted at a really young age. But I think as a young woman and as a young mother, I was trying to find something that stimulated my creativity but also challenged me. And with radio, the blend of music with being on air and having conversations was really fun. At that age, getting to meet celebrities and, you know, doing the entertainment, gossip is what I lived for. And then, I don't know, I hit 30 and I was like, this ain't it. My daughter was getting older and I wanted a career that had a little more substance. And so I ended up transitioning into news. It was for me a natural kind of next step. I had been working part time at a public access TV station, although people didn't really know that I was full time on air as a radio host, a morning host, a very visible position in the community. I was working a very full time job because not only were we on air six days a week, but then we were at the pep rallies at the high schools and, you know, opening up the concerts and when the college football games were happening, we're on stage. So it was very visible. People didn't know. I had a whole other job where I was working at this public access TV station. And I was refining the skills of filming and editing and reporting, which ultimately led, It laid the groundwork for my transition into news. And so after just feeling extremely convicted, like this isn't my purpose anymore, that I'm supposed to be doing something else, I really jumped out on a leap of faith to make the transition. My contract in radio was up and I didn't really have a job lined up. And so they were like, you're going to renew your contract? I was like, nope. And my bosses thought I was crazy, but it ended up working out.
Shawn Pipkin [00:05:44]:
That's how the best opportunities come about.
Fanshen Cox [00:05:47]:
Absolutely.
Shawn Pipkin [00:05:48]:
Something ends, other doors open.
Georgia Fort [00:05:51]:
Yeah, you, you really have to at some times, I think, just walk by your faith.
Shawn Pipkin [00:05:56]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:05:56]:
Yeah.
Transition to Independent Journalism
Fanshen Cox [00:05:58]:
And what part of that led you to one? One kind of like stepping out completely on your own, making, you know, finding a way where the gatekeepers were like, no, we're not gonna bring you on. What was it that made you go, I'm gonna do this by myself then?
Georgia Fort [00:06:20]:
You know, I wish there was a prettier story of how that happens. But I, after working in radio and news for 10, 11 years, I had two Emmy nominations at this stage in my career, I remember one of the last stories I did in mainstream media was about the chief of police being a direct descendant of the woman who incited the triple lynching in Duluth, Minnesota. And as a reporter, to make him feel comfortable enough to share that history with me, to me signified that not only am I committed to telling stories that are very important to my community, but also to be able to kind of bridge the gap and make someone who ultimately otherwise, normally wouldn't feel comfortable having that type of conversation. And so it was a heavy story, but it was an important story because at that time, it was on the backdrop of Philando Castile being killed and the verdict that came out. And so it was broader than his family's history in this triple lynching. It was also about how he could utilize that to inform the way he approached policing, especially at a time when trust was eroding. Right. And so we do the story, big story, it airs, and two weeks later, I am fired. But not for the story. Oh. It's because I'm not eligible for maternity leave. And so as I-
Fanshen Cox [00:08:10]:
How are you not eligible for maternity leave?
Georgia Fort [00:08:11]:
Exactly what year is it? Is it 1950? But anyways, you know, I reflect on that time, and it's like, either way, whether it was the story I did, whether it was not being eligible for maternity leave, it just isn't right. And it pushed me to a place to be optimistic that, you know, something better would open up for me in my hometown. Unfortunately, nobody would hire me. It was a really difficult time.
Fanshen Cox [00:08:46]:
Yeah.
Courtroom Reporting & George Floyd Trial
Georgia Fort [00:08:47]:
But when George Floyd was murdered, I found myself at a place with all of these skills that I had accumulated over the span of my decade in media and no place to really use them. And when I turned on the TV and I just saw the way our community was misrepresented, I felt like I had a responsibility to report on what was happening in my community. And that is how I started my journey as an independent journalist. I ended up being one of two journalists inside the courtroom when Derek Chauvin was sentenced. I was one of the journalists in the courtroom during the Kimberly Potter trial.
Fanshen Cox [00:09:32]:
Can we talk about those experiences? And one, how did you end up being one of the only two. We're so focused on kind of film and tv. It's so good to have a journalist. And we always say, we're film, tv, media, and we frequently don't have enough guests. So we're going to ask you some questions that are just teaching us what this part of the process is. So how did you end up in that first trial?
Georgia Fort [00:09:57]:
Well, a little bit of history for me. I worked a lot as a court reporter when I was in mainstream media. I was a general assignment reporter for an ABC affiliate in Columbus. And the funny thing was, I couldn't get enough court because it -It got me off the hook for pitching stories for however long the trial lasted. Because when you're in the everyday news cycle, you have to come ready at 9am. You have to have three polished lead exclusive story ideas. It's a hustle. And so if I could get them to allow me to cover a trial,
Fanshen Cox [00:10:42]:
you knew what was coming at you.
Georgia Fort [00:10:43]:
Then I knew I didn't have to pitch a story every single day. Right. It's like, oh, I'm going to court. Have fun at that editorial meeting. And so I covered a lot of trials when I was in Georgia. And so when George Floyd was murdered, I asked myself, as an independent journalist, has a fraction of the resources as these huge outlets have. What is it ? How can I cover this in a way that's different and adds value? And I think I may have been one of the first people to submit a request to cover the trial. And so they really couldn't deny it because I put my request in so early. And so I just adapted the same principles and practices that I utilized when I was working in mainstream media covering trials. And the interesting thing during that trial was it was in the middle of the pandemic.
Shawn Pipkin [00:11:44]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:11:45]:
So typically they would allow whoever is approved credentialed media into the actual courtroom itself. But because of social distancing, they only allowed two reporters in the courtroom at a time. And so if you were approved media, you rotated. And so they would rotate two people in. And it just so happened that one of the days that I was approved to be in the courtroom, it happened to be on the day he was sentenced.
Shawn Pipkin [00:12:15]:
Georgia, can you remind us how long that trial lasted?
Georgia Fort [00:12:18]:
It was several weeks. There's been so many things that have happened in Minnesota since then.
Fanshen Cox [00:12:29]:
Yes we could talk about that too. And that you. That is where you were born and raised, because there's something about that area, I mean, Minneapolis, my understanding is like one of the most diverse cities in the country. But yes, if that in whatever ways, you can also kind of add that piece of it to this story because it feels like it's important.
Georgia Fort [00:12:51]:
Absolutely. And you know, I think when I reflect back to the trial and like, how long was it at the time? It kind of felt like forever.
Fanshen Cox [00:13:00]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:13:00]:
Because Dante Wright was Killed in the middle of the trial.
Shawn Pipkin [00:13:03]:
Right.
Georgia Fort [00:13:04]:
And so we would have court all day and then as soon as court was done, we go to Brooklyn center and cover the protests that were happening there. It was like we became a 24 hour news network. And so some, there's periods of time where it gets a little blurry, like, because it was just so intense.
Fanshen Cox [00:13:25]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:13:26]:
But I would say, you know, to, to your question about, you know, being from Minnesota and we. Things continue to come back to Minnesota and the way I have been explaining it to people, if we imagine that it's 20 years from now and we reflect back on what these last six, seven years have been like, I do think people will refer to Minnesota as the birthplace of a global movement.
Minnesota, Media, and Movement
Fanshen Cox [00:14:03]:
100% Absolutely, yes.
Shawn Pipkin [00:14:04]:
Yes, yes.
Georgia Fort [00:14:05]:
And when you, you parallel the size response that we're seeing to, let's say, what happened during, like the civil rights era. Right. Montgomery was the birthplace of that movement. It was this central focal point. So many things continued to come back to that place. And I feel like that's what's happening in Minnesota.
Fanshen Cox [00:14:31]:
There's like monikers now, like the non Violent nine and, Right. Those kinds of things that I think we're able to point to during the civil rights era that now is happening there. So something in the water. There's something in the water.
Georgia Fort [00:14:46]:
You know, one person knew it was gonna happen. Prince.
Fanshen Cox [00:14:52]:
Listen, thank you. Because that is the most important, the most important figure, I think, in that sense. Like, absolutely. Wait, but are you saying, like, he literally said this about Minnesota?
Georgia Fort [00:15:04]:
There is. I can't remember. I think it was an interview or something. But there is a quote of him saying the revolution will start in Minneapolis.
Fanshen Cox [00:15:12]:
Oh, my goodness.
Shawn Pipkin [00:15:14]:
Now I have a question for you because not only do we all know the horrible tragedy of what happened to George Floyd, but if we were not going through the whole collective trauma of this global pandemic, would it have had the same impact?
Georgia Fort [00:15:30]:
I don't know. I do think the fact that everybody was at home, it forced people to watch. But I also think that there was just something especially horrific with watching a man have a knee to his neck for nine minutes on.
Fanshen Cox [00:15:53]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:15:53]:
And I remember when I first watched the video and I knew that he didn't live. Like, when I pressed play, I already had the information that I would like. I knew what I was going to be watching. And so I just remember, like at the six minute mark, at the seven minute mark, I'm like, oh, okay, so when is he gonna pull out his gun and shoot him, you know? And to get to the end of the video and it's like, oh, wait,. You know. And so I. I think, yes. I mean, some of it was the pandemic, but I also think it was probably the closest thing that we have seen to a modern day lynching.
Shawn Pipkin [00:16:39]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:16:39]:
In Minnesota. The other, like, knee jerk reaction many of us had was the press release that the Minneapolis police department put out immediately following that. That said man dies of medical complications during an encounter with police. And that's still available publicly for people to look at that. That is how they described that interaction. And so I think, you know, you. And on the backdrop of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and you know that there had been a lot of kind of bubbling. We had actually been working on a series of interviews we had done with about 17 moms from more than a dozen different states who had all had their children killed by police. And very similar stories. The way the media is used as a tool for the police to weaponize and criminalize and dehumanize their children, it's almost like a textbook response after every police killing.
Truth, AI, and the Future of Journalism
Fanshen Cox [00:17:55]:
We can expect it. Yeah, yeah, I was gonna. I'm so sorry. Okay. So I was gonna ask about. Because we also know part of why this civil rights movement happened is because it coincided with tv. And so people were seeing on television. I mean, similar to us seeing him pass with this knee on his neck. Right. To your point. Same with the civil rights era. It was the first time people were seeing it on tv. And that made our allies go, oh, this thing they've been telling us is true. And so we got to see that then for this case as well. And I'm wondering. And I know a big part of what you do at the Center for Broadcast Journalism, which is amazing, which is about teaching young people how to do this. A big tenet for you is truth. Right. And how to get at that. And how are we going to continue to know that these images we're seeing are true with AI, with the now federal government being the ones that tell us what is truth. So I'm just so curious. How. How are you approaching that with young people?
Georgia Fort [00:19:10]:
Well, I think that is why journalism is essential.
Fanshen Cox [00:19:15]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:19:16]:
Because we are living at a time where AI images and videos are being presented as facts and misrepresented as truth. Right. And so if we don't want to be a society that is disillusioned, we need to be prepared to invest in the professions that will research and document what's actually happening. And that is the core tenet of journalism itself. So for me, that is why investing in the next generation of journalists is very core to my work., as an independent journalist, I will always continue to find a way to tell the stories, but I am only one person. And so we need to mobilize the next generation to advance this work, especially in Minnesota, where less than 3% of journalists are black. I think 2.1% are Latino, 2% Asian. So our newsrooms do not represent the communities that they serve. And instead of being the person that is on the sideline complaining about it, we're building infrastructure and programming to engage young people to put cameras, microphones, audio recorders in their hands so they can keep that and continue doing the work and then building bridges so that they can get hired in these newsrooms. If we don't make the career field as attractive as being a social media influencer or being an NBA player, then guess what? Those AI images and videos will continue to evolve and look more and more real. And you think we're in an information war now?
Shawn Pipkin [00:21:19]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:21:20]:
Imagine what this is going to look like in three to five years. And so we need independent observers who are trained in being objective to document and report on what's happening in their neighborhoods, in their communities.
Fanshen Cox [00:21:34]:
Can you create a program for 50 plus year olds? Because I'm like, I need age ain't
Georgia Fort [00:21:41]:
Age ain't nothing but a number.
Fanshen Cox [00:21:42]:
That's what I'm saying. So you know that is true.
Fanshen Cox [00:21:43]:
That's true. That is true.
Join Us on Patreon
Shawn Pipkin [00:21:45]:
You can support Sista Brunch Podcast by becoming a member on Patreon at patreon.com/SistaBrunch and following and interacting with us on Instagram at Sista Brunch Podcast and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can watch full episodes on YouTube at YouTube.com/trujulomedia and that's T-R-U-J-U-L-O dash media and catch highlights on TikTok at TruJulo Media.
Georgia Fort [00:22:23]:
Hey everybody, I am independent journalist Georgia Fort and you're watching the Sista Brunch Podcast.
Let’s Talk Finance
Shawn Pipkin [00:22:29]:
Good pivot to talk about the business of journalism.
Georgia Fort [00:22:34]:
Right.
Shawn Pipkin [00:22:37]:
As an independent journalist, you are at the beginning, you know, you're at the stages of building independent media platforms. You know, not only is it to take vision and grit and determination, but it takes resources, it takes funds, it takes other people. Because it can't just be you. It cannot be just you. So can you talk about, like how you learned about funding, sustaining and just growing independent journalism and how you are preparing for that next generation of young journalists?
Georgia Fort [00:23:09]:
Yeah. I'll share some successes, but I'll also share, like, the core challenge right now of journalism is fundamentally that it's not a business. It is a public service.
Fanshen Cox [00:23:24]:
Right Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:23:25]:
And it's the only public service I can think of in America that's not funded by the government. Thank God. Thank God it's not funded by the government. But when you think about other public services, usually our tax dollars go into a pool and then they support, you know, whatever the public service is. And so when we think about, you know, journalism, most people are used to being able to turn on the news and watch it for free or pick up a paper, maybe for a dollar and read it. Well, the thing is, the next generation's not picking up the paper. The thing is, the advertisers are advertising online. And, and quite frankly, when you start placating towards the advertisers, you start sensationalizing the news, because it's no longer about a public good. It's no longer about what information is most important to the community. It now is about what information is going to get people to watch longer, to read longer, to click more. Right. And so I think as a baseline, the industry is struggling because it has tried to be a business. And in the ambulance of being a business, it has lost the trust of its audience. And so you can't sell to advertisers if you don't have an audience. It's just like a lose, lose situation. And so I. My hope and my dream for the business of journalism is for it to come back to its core, that it's really not a business, it's a public good, it's a public service. And so that means that either the community has to rally around and invest in it, or the philanthropic sector has to make big, bold investment so it can stand up and support our democracy. So that just to say, you know, we've had a lot of the same struggles that any other newsroom has had across the country, but some of the things that have worked. We launched a television show that season one cost about $150,000 to produce. And it was something that we engaged our audience to help support. So we did a crowdfund campaign. We had local foundations support. We just were very creative in how we pulled it off. We had small businesses run ads in the show. We produced like 95% of the commercials that ran in the show. And we took a chapter out of Byron Allen's book. Right. We went and we bought the airtime.
Fanshen Cox [00:26:24]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:26:25]:
We ended up over budget, which was okay. Because the original launching of that show was always budgeted for two seasons. There was some really good advice that I got from a mentor and she was like, if you're gonna do a show, you can't budget for one season because people are gonna think you're a failure if you don't like have a second. And so when, before I even started season one, I made sure that we had enough money raised to do a season two. And so we went over, but we were able to pull money from season two and then take a break in between to replenish the budget. With all the DEI rollbacks by season three, it just became almost impossible because there was a lot of corporate contracts that we had that were helping to create the jobs, pay for the jobs that, you know, were required to produce the show. But it ran three seasons, it was nominated for 12 regional Emmys and 13 overall across all three seasons, probably almost half a million dollars.
Fanshen Cox [00:27:32]:
It just kills me because the budgets that Sean and I look at in our day to day for film and TV and I'm like $150,000 to one tell the truth to teach young people how to do this and the importance of this, it's all backwards. Like it is all backwards. I mean it's not dissimilar to like what we pay teachers, what we pay social workers. Right. The people that are responsible for our future. But that's oof-
Georgia Fort [00:28:07]:
Oh yeah, well. And you know, on the budgeting side, like I've had the opportunity to work on projects, I guess you could say, like my side hustle is commercial development. And so buying buildings in our neighborhood and fixing them up, I've had to work up to. I think probably the biggest project was 1.2 million. And so you, when you start capital stacking and when you start hiring people with full time salaries, it's- When I was 10, 20 years ago, $1.2 million budget seemed like a lot. But when you.- it really, I mean that's a handful of jobs and that's it, you know, so it's a blessing, it's exciting. And I would say, I think stewardship is really important. If you are going to build programming and budgets and fundraise, just do it. Just be a good steward of. And do what you said you're going to do.
Fanshen Cox [00:29:16]:
Yeah, we all, and I know we don't get to our. Let's Talk Tech. But we got another, I got another question. We all watched, I mean the Sista Brunch Team saw what you went through when you were detained and it's kind of connected to resources, et cetera. And a piece of me wants to hope that that visibility for you, which came at such a horrible price to you and your family. And at the same time, I guess there's a bit of hope that that means that maybe there will be more support for you. So my question's kind of twofold. One is to the extent you're comfortable and want to talk about what happened, what's happening now, what is set to happen in the future for you, and if there are any ways the Sista Brunch family can support you. And then two, has that at least been a source of visibility so that you can raise more funds for what you need to do?
Georgia Fort [00:30:21]:
Well, I will say, you know, this has been really difficult for my children.
Fanshen Cox [00:30:27]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:30:27]:
I have three daughters. They were all home.
Fanshen Cox [00:30:30]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:30:30]:
When two dozen agents came to my house to detain me. They are still healing from that.
Fanshen Cox [00:30:40]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:30:41]:
You know, just two nights ago, my youngest daughter, she could tell I was a little overwhelmed and she goes, “mom, we could just write a note on the door and it could just say family and friends only. No ice, no trump, no”. And I'm like, yes, baby, we can write that sign. Yeah. And you know, to think like the heart of a seven year old, like no trespassing sign.
Fanshen Cox [00:31:06]:
Yes. Like thats gonna do it!
Shawn Pipkin [00:31:08]:
Yes! Like that gonna keep them out!
Fanshen Cox [00:31:10]:
If only… if only…
Georgia Fort [00:31:13]:
And so just being present and holding that space for my kids on an almost daily basis reminds me the seriousness of the attack that has been waged against me, against other journalists who were there working as well, and against other community members who were exercising their First Amendment rights at a time where we saw a 37 year old mother shot in her face and killed in broad daylight. When we saw a Venezuelan man who was shot in his own home and then lied on and was was claimed that he attacked these agents and that's why they shot him. And then a few weeks later in court, those charges against him were dismissed because they were lies. And a six month old baby almost died that night because of the flashbangs and the chemical agents they had deployed. Right. And so what happened to me, I think, is something that represents the direction in which a group of people is trying to move this country towards eroding our rights, eroding our constitution. Journalists are protected under the First Amendment.
Fanshen Cox [00:32:51]:
Supposed to be.
Georgia Fort [00:32:53]:
And so being someone who is from Minnesota and who has continued to cover the community's response to injustice, I was doing my job that day like any other Day.
Fanshen Cox [00:33:07]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:33:08]:
And so to be arrested for it and have to try to rationalize with my 7, 8 and 17 year old daughter about why mommy is facing federal charges for doing her job. It really concerns me about the future of our country.
Fanshen Cox [00:33:32]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:33:34]:
Where the case is now. We are waiting for the prosecution to turn in their evidence.
Shawn Pipkin [00:33:41]:
What evidence?
Fanshen Cox [00:33:43]:
Yeah, right.
Georgia Fort [00:33:44]:
They keep asking for more time.
Fanshen Cox [00:33:45]:
Right.
Georgia Fort [00:33:46]:
So that, that they have a deadline that is approaching here by the end of March. And then my attorneys will have to respond and then we'll see, you know, kind of how, how things go from there. But to be clear, the attack on journalism did not start with my arrest. There was a reporter, Omar, who was working for CNN, who was arrested in Minnesota in 2020.
Shawn Pipkin [00:34:13]:
Omar Jimenez. Yes, I remember that.
Georgia Fort [00:34:14]:
Live on CNN.
Shawn Pipkin [00:34:16]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:34:17]:
And what was done? How was his First Amendment right upheld then? we just. I just watched a documentary about Maria Ressa, a journalist in the Philippines who was arrested, I believe three times and was facing 63 years for her reporting on the former president. And so we, not just in this country, but I think globally, have seen the way journalists who are actually really good at their jobs, really good at exposing truth, really good at holding powers accountable, be targeted.
Fanshen Cox [00:34:59]:
Right, of course. That's. That's the ones. Right. Is. All right, well, I'm, I'm sorry. And we are grateful to you.
Shawn Pipkin [00:35:11]:
Yes.
Fanshen Cox [00:35:12]:
For your courage, but also, it's not fair. And we are here to support you in all ways we can. And we can get loud here at Sista Brunch if need be. We can get loud.
Shawn Pipkin [00:35:26]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:35:27]:
I appreciate that Thank you.
Let’s Talk Tech
Fanshen Cox [00:35:28]:
All right, we're gonna move to our Let's Talk Tech segment. So this is where we introduce our audience to a term or a piece of equipment or something like that, that if they heard it and they don't do what you do, they wouldn't know what it means. Let's Talk Tech.
Georgia Fort [00:35:48]:
I feel like there's so many things I could say, but at my core, I. I'm not so much a techie as I am like a story nerd. Like that story is my superpower.
Fanshen Cox [00:36:04]:
I love it. Yeah, that's okay.
Georgia Fort [00:36:07]:
So I was sharing earlier. B roll is a term. I think a lot of people who are not in the industry probably wouldn't know what it means, but in a lot of ways it can truly make a story. It's the thing that is the most engaging. So if you're not familiar, you have A roll. And B roll, A roll is usually if you're interviewing someone or like if you're watching this podcast. Right. It's like your main shot.
Fanshen Cox [00:36:34]:
These are all A right? Yes, yes.
Georgia Fort [00:36:37]:
Yes, yes. And then the B roll would be what you layer over it. So if I'm telling a story about my childhood and you see me on camera and then you cut to, you know, a cute little picture, maybe I got nappy hair and, you know, candy on my face or something, but it's the paint in which you, you throw on the canvas to help really bring the story to life.
Fanshen Cox [00:37:02]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:37:03]:
And I think as a visual storyteller, as a multimedia journalist, I really, really spend a lot of time on the B roll, especially if I'm filming or if I'm photographing things. I want to get the real close up, I want to get the audio. I want, I want to really immerse people in whatever story that I'm telling. And I think part of the reason why I wanted to share that today too is because everybody has social media. So many people are doing podcasts. And if you want to elevate your presence, I think throwing in a little bit of B roll can help.
Fanshen Cox [00:37:46]:
Alright, note taken, note taken. Tasha, you got that? It's so funny. We, use-
Georgia Fort [00:37:51]:
Oh- the producers gonna hate me.
Fanshen Cox [00:37:53]:
They are. It's so funny. Like, this is how we cover when we're reading your bio. And so when we get pictures today, the B roll is gonna be that. But we gotta do a better job. We definitely next season we gonna have that. See, that's the first lesson I got in my 50 plus year old enrollment in the.
Georgia Fort [00:38:12]:
You could just, you have get an intern to film, like the greeting. You know, Jada Pinkett. I feel like she does a really good job on her Red Table Talk.
Fanshen Cox [00:38:23]:
Ah, her Red Table Talk. Yes!
Georgia Fort [00:38:24]:
You know, like the intro and the outro. Like just little cutaways .
Fanshen Cox [00:38:30]:
All right, we're gonna, we're gonna send you to evaluate our people.
Georgia Fort [00:38:35]:
Here's the tip. In journalism, you can never go wrong zooming in on the hands. You can never go. Go wrong with the walk and talk. All right, let's go down the street and let's just talk. You ever see those shots of people walking and talking normally? They're not even like saying anything.
Fanshen Cox [00:38:50]:
Right, right.
Georgia Fort [00:38:51]:
They're like, did you eat breakfast? It's just, it's just for the B roll. The B roll.
Fanshen Cox [00:38:56]:
I love it. Tasha. That's got to be our bonus content for Patreon. It's like this, this the secret to how to do this.
Georgia Fort [00:39:02]:
Tasha. Like, you going to have to give me a raise.
Fanshen Cox [00:39:04]:
Yeah, exactly. I know everything. Tasha, you got that you got-
Georgia Fort [00:39:08]:
Thats a lot of editing. She like, she over here getting fancy, talking about B roll. I'mma need a raise.
Signature Sista Brunch Question
Shawn Pipkin [00:39:13]:
So, Georgia, now it's time for our Sista Brunch signature question. The reason this podcast came about is Fanshen and I met at a Sista Brunch. About 20 years ago. I'm in the direct— I was in the Director's Guild of America training program-
Fanshen Cox [00:39:33]:
20 years ago! Nuh huh. Sean Really? No.
Georgia Fort [00:39:36]:
Girl, You barely 25.
Fanshen Cox [00:39:38]:
I'm telling you, no.
Shawn Pipkin [00:39:42]:
Yes. I was five when we did this.
Fanshen Cox [00:39:44]:
Exactly.
Shawn Pipkin [00:39:47]:
But, the mentors would bring their mentees. So everybody in the training plan has a mentor. And so there were several black women that were trainees and also trainee graduates. And so every month or every quarter, they would all get together and just have a brunch. And it just grew and grew because more sistas got in the program. And then people started elevating and then we opened it up to more filmmakers and it was just, just a wonderful thing. I remember at one point we had about 60 people at my house. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing. So this is a question. We have our signature question. So imagine you're sitting down with your younger self. Let's say, teenage Georgia, what are you eating? What are you both eating? What are you both drinking? We'll say 21 at least. No, just kidding.
Fanshen Cox [00:40:46]:
If you want, you can make a 21, depending on what you want to be drinking, what you're drinking,
Shawn Pipkin [00:40:50]:
And what do you tell her? What advice do you give to young Georgia?
Georgia Fort [00:40:53]:
Oh, I love this question. So 21 year old Georgia is probably eating like chicken and waffles with a mimosa.
Fanshen Cox [00:40:59]:
Okay, perfect.
Georgia Fort [00:41:01]:
Double mimosa. Endless mimosas. Me now, I am probably eating like some oatmeal and, you know, some blueberries or something.
Fanshen Cox [00:41:11]:
No, boring! We got to go back to the chicken and waffles.
Georgia Fort [00:41:14]:
Boring? Healthy.
Fanshen Cox [00:41:16]:
Yes, I know.
Georgia Fort [00:41:19]:
Whatever mocktail version of mimosas. Because I gave up drinking.
Fanshen Cox [00:41:23]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:41:24]:
And what I am telling her, if I could tell my younger self something, I would say, you are enough. Yes, you are more than enough. When I was trying to really get my career going, I think that I dealt with so much self doubt. And some of it was definitely internal and some of it is just this industry.
Fanshen Cox [00:41:54]:
Yeah.
Georgia Fort [00:41:55]:
We as black women and trying to get into this industry, trying to build relationships, it can be very brutal. And oftentimes now at this age, I can say it's more. It reflects poorly on them. you know. Because I know who I am now and how I am to young people. But when I was coming up, there was no center for Broadcast Journalism. There was no place to come and find community and learn and grow and make mistakes and get connected. Right. And so trying to build those relationships, I think I internalized a lot of the way that people in this industry can be standoffish.
Fanshen Cox [00:42:45]:
Yes.
Georgia Fort [00:42:46]:
And I internalized and told myself, oh, I'm not good enough. You know, as a result, I think it forced me to work really hard and refine my craft and get really good. So everything happens for a reason. But certainly young people should not have to suffer thinking that they're not enough. You know, they deserve to learn and grow with confidence. So that's, that's what I would tell my younger self.
Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin [00:43:18]:
Beautiful.
Fanshen Cox [00:43:20]:
Your children are so fortunate to have you.
Georgia Fort [00:43:25]:
Aw. Thank you.
Fanshen Cox [00:43:25]:
Raising them, knowing that already. Right. And then all of the young people that are lucky to be part of the center for Broadcast Journalism, all of Minneapolis, as far as I'm concerned, is so lucky to have you being there with every. All the span of your career and the things that you are dedicated to. I think Prince was talking in part about you, including you and how this revolution.
Georgia Fort [00:43:52]:
Are you gonna give me teary eyed?
Fanshen Cox [00:43:53]:
I'm sorry. But I just, like, you're amazing.
Georgia Fort [00:43:57]:
Like, I've never been more proud to be from Minnesota.
Fanshen Cox [00:44:00]:
Yes!
Georgia Fort [00:44:00]:
Minnesota is the bomb.
Fanshen Cox [00:44:02]:
You should, thats what-
Georgia Fort [00:44:05]:
Minus the 20 below.
Fanshen Cox [00:44:06]:
That part is the hard —This is the hard part. But, you know, I mean, it's getting hotter and hotter here, so it may not continue to be the pleasant place to live where it is.
Georgia Fort [00:44:16]:
And there's so many great people, you know, And I think that's the one thing that makes me so excited, is through all this, that's the silver lining, is like through all of the horrific things that have happened there, what the world is beginning to see is how incredible the people of Minnesota. And there's just so many talented people who are so selfless and so kind and. Yeah. And deserving of the acknowledgement. Yeah.
Fanshen Cox [00:44:49]:
I love it. Thank you so much for being on Sista Brunch.
Shawn Pipkin [00:44:53]:
Thank you. You truly blessed us.
Georgia Fort [00:44:53]:
Thank you for having me, thank you.
Closing
Shawn Pipkin [00:44:56]:
Sista Brunch is brought to you by Trujulo Productions and was created by Anya Adams, Christabel Ensiya Bawande, and Fanshen Cox. Our producers for season seven are Tasha Rogers and Samantha K. Henderson. Sista Brunch is recorded on the unceded territory of the Tongva and Chumash people in Los Angeles, California. Thanks for listening, following, reviewing, and subscribing.