By Elae C. Hill, Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected Fellow

Since arriving in ATL for the start of bootcamp with the other Fellows, my enthusiasm and commitment to be great has skyrocketed to another level. When we arrived, I didn’t know what to expect. I did know I had to get to work, and I had to meet the expectations that come with being selected for this opportunity out of the hundreds that applied. Once meeting the advisors and coordinators, they really made it feel like home and comfortable for everyone.

Since meeting the other Fellows, I feel like I have known them for years. It’s like a sibling bond that just bloomed once we met. We each relate to and laugh at the same things, so I know our journey throughout this process will be very memorable and filled with excitement. One of my favorite parts during boot camp was being able to sit down at dinner and talk with Fonzworth Bentley and DJ Envy. They enlightened all of us on reasons to continue striving in the world and dropped knowledge on how important it is to network in this industry. What I took from the conversation was the importance of being yourself, connecting with people, and how a first impression is always what people will remember.

I’ve always wanted to be in front of a camera and do commercial acting. It was a thrill to go to Morehouse College and shoot film for the Chevy Blazer. The directing crew was awesome and treated us like family. One cast member told me “never forget the little people,” which is very important because everyone should be treated with respect and kindness. You should as always remember who helped prepare you to look a certain way or get you to a certain point in life.

After our time in Atlanta, Sharon, Tedarius, and I made our way to Greensboro, North Carolina. We stopped there on the way to our newspaper assignment in Washington, D.C. to document Magnolia House, which was a historic hotel featured in The Green Book. It was a pleasure to meet the son of one of the original owners of the house, and to learn the importance of venues like it for African Americans during segregation. Now we’re in Washington D.C. working with The Washington Informer, and we’re getting to meet a great group of people who will show us the ropes, and help us expand our skills in the media world.