Brooklyn Ron

Andria Hall was a Shining Light of Journalism, Had Spiritual (and Literal) Links to Brooklyn

By Curtis Stephen

[Click here to learn about the Andria Hall Communications Scholarship and here to obtain a scholarship application form.]

It's been nearly four months since Andria Hall [photo, left, with me, her friend and colleague], an Emmy Award-winning newscaster whose career included stints at WNBC-TV in New York and CNN in Atlanta, passed away from breast cancer. 

On a bitterly cold January evening, an emotional and uplifting memorial service for Andria at the Bethel Baptist Church in Crown Heights drew a diverse crowd of people from a broad range of endeavors – including the faith community, politics, the arts, media, and the tourism industry. Born in North Carolina, Andria grew up in Brooklyn – where she literally and figuratively developed a spiritual connection to the borough. Her father, Reverend Willie J. Hall, was a longtime pastor at Bethel Baptist.

Full of humor, grace, compassion, and generosity, Andria was also deeply inquisitive, insightful,  indefatigable and irrepressibly youthful – the actress Holly Robinson Peete bares a striking resemblance.

It was at CNN when I first met Andria. She took the craft of journalism seriously, valued her career, and was the consummate professional despite the pressure-packed pace of the newsroom. I knew that her family positively impacted her life. But it wasn't until after our CNN days when I fully  discovered what drove her so very deeply.

Hip-Hop Powell Attempts to End Towns' Grip on Brooklyn

 

 

Caption: "Hip-hop head" Kevin Powell had a deejay play when he announced his candidacy for Congress at a Fort Greene restaurant in April. Photo for City Limits by Aaron McElroy.

Worth reading is an article in City Limits about Kevin Powell, the young self-exploring writer who is attempting to take Congressman Ed (Edolphus) Towns' seat.

Towns is the second longest serving U.S. Representative in the city, behind Harlem's Charlie Rangel, ans as he has much of the establishment and the money givers behind him.

But there is a growing call for change. Many particularly are upset, even angry, with Towns for backing Hillary Clinton against Barack Obama.

And Powell does seem to be drawing young and thoughtful voters into his camp, as well as those simply disgusted with the status quo.

Even so, Powell is hounded by the continuing references to violence and misogyny in his past.  True to his  image as one who willingly unburdens himself, he pleads for understanding that he has made a conversion and is attempting to move one.

This City Limits article is by young Brooklynite Curtis Stephen, who was featured on this website this year as Brooklyn Journalist of the Year. (Read "Truth to Power" post on Curtis Stephen.)