Shortly after moving to Columbus, Ohio, Janel found a place in print journalism at the Columbus Call & Post Newspaper, Ohio's oldest African American weekly. She started as the Franklin County Reporter and ended, at the age of 28, as Interim Managing Editor. One of the highlights include traveling to Beverly Hills to attend the press junket for John Singleton's movie "Baby Boy." She had the opportunity to interview Singleton, actor Ving Rhames and R&B artist, Tyrese, who starred in the film. Movie review in PDF format. (I did not write the photo cut lines!)

My interview with Walter Mosley... Brand new to Columbus, I couldn't get a job in media. So I went to a temp agency and was hired to do secretarial work at Children's Hospital. When I heard that Walter Mosley, award-winning mystery writer of "Devil in a Blue Dress," would be in town, I had to meet him. So I called and asked if I could attend the media reception. I told them I was a freelance radio reporter. Thank God they didn't ask me 'for whom!' That's where I met Albert Jones, managing editor of the Call & Post. He snapped this picture, and used it in the paper. I asked him about freelance opportunities at the paper. After writing a few articles, he offered me a job for a whopping $22K/yr. I thought that was crazy because I was making more as a temp! But he encouraged me, understanding that my heart was in radio, he convinced me that becoming a newspaper reporter was the next logical step in my career. "If you become a great writer," he said. "your career will know no bounds." He was so right! Two years later, he moved on and I was chosen to fill his post. The entire Walter Mosley news clip, in PDF format

Members of the Black Press of Columbus, OH in 2000- representing the Call & Post, The Columbus Post and The Communicator Newspapers and Radio One, after our meeting with Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman (4th from left). My first mentor, Albert Jones, C&P Managing Editor, far left, with his hand on my shoulder. To the right of the Mayor, is Amos Lynch, affectionately known as the 'Godfather of Columbus;' he was managing editor of C&P for 30-years and founded The Columbus Post. Those were the days when integrity, fairness and truth ruled news journalism and there was a tremendous amount of respect for the profession.