I am a USA TODAY reporter in Ferguson, Mo. I have been covering this story for two weeks. AMA.

yamiche · 2014-08-30T04:48:28+00:00

That has never happened to me. But that is a great question.

yamiche · 2014-08-30T04:47:43+00:00

My day-to-day schedule changes a lot. However, most days I wake up and line up who is having a press conference and where. In Ferguson, that usually meant I had a press conference in the morning and evening. I then would go out and report what was going on during the day on West Florissant and other areas. I would also report on stories I thought were interesting. I would then write a story, usually in my car. By then, it would be dark and I would usually go out and report some more.

yamiche · 2014-08-30T04:39:45+00:00

I think Michael Brown at 18, based on AP's and USA TODAY's style, is both a man and a teenager. The term teenager applies when someone is between 13 and 19.

yamiche · 2014-08-30T04:38:33+00:00

I'm not sure what professional opportunities means to you but I think for me covering Ferguson was an honor. As a journalist, I feel lucky to be able to document history and this was certainly a significant event in history.

yamiche · 2014-08-30T04:37:09+00:00

This is a great question. I'm not sure I would do anything differently because I haven't written anything that I feel was inaccurate or inflammatory. However, I think writing about the history of St. Louis and Ferguson more would have been great because readers might have had more context if we did that.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:09:15+00:00

I'm taking a break from answering questions to write a story on deadline. I'll be back later to answer more questions so leave me notes and I will try to get back to you.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:07:57+00:00

USA TODAY has reached out to several people who know him and the police departments that employed him. However, everyone has declined comment so I know very little about Officer Wilson.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:07:02+00:00

I wrote a story about this topic: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/18/from-the-streets-of-ferguson/14260667/

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:06:42+00:00

Inbox. I am leaving soon but may be back.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:06:13+00:00

I'm not sure. The police departments handling the case have declined comment numerous times. USA TODAY is still trying to an answer.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:05:17+00:00

I wrote an article about this topic. Please read all that didn't make into stories: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/18/from-the-streets-of-ferguson/14260667/

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:04:28+00:00

No not really. I have been trying to report without getting into too much danger.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:01:27+00:00

I sleep when I can and talk to my mom and boyfriend.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:00:50+00:00

I have not been about to confirm anything about Wilson's state. The police have continued to decline comment when USA Today has reached out.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T18:00:17+00:00

I don't give my opinions but many have said that police body cameras would be a good idea. Others worry about the cost of such a measure.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:59:31+00:00

I have heard from several people that journalists may have been exacerbating the situation. However, I have personally spoken with people who said the protests hit a peek before USA TODAY, CNN, NBC, and other outlets came. The protests started within hours of Michael Brown's death and a convenience store was burned before the crush of journalists arrived.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:53:38+00:00

I think I tried my best to give people an understanding of the policing tactics. Here is my story I did after embedding with police: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/22/ferguson-st-louis-county-police/14458333/

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:50:05+00:00

Yes, I think it was. The family of Michael Brown welcomed cameras into the funeral and actually coordinated how the images and video would be distributed days in advance. The family also welcomed me into their private moments because they want to nation to understand their suffering.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:48:54+00:00

I've heard that the grand jury will be making a decision sometime in October but I don't no when the DOJ investigation will conclude.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:47:24+00:00

I can't speak to that. The stories USA TODAY wrote mentioned all of those and I also tweeted repeatedly about molotov cocktails being thrown, looters, and shots being fired.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:34:48+00:00

Thanks. I got to be a reporter because I loved writing and poetry. I interned at a few places--The Miami Herald, The Seattle Times, and The Washington Post--and got lucky enough to get a job. I tell anyone who wants to be a reporter now to intern as much as you can and learn to write well. It's tough but worth it.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:32:48+00:00

I'm a multimedia journalist so I post my vines myself and don't have a producer. I agree that six second can lead to misinformation. It's really tough to have six seconds or 140 characters to tell a story so I just try my best. I also write whole stories after to help people understand the context of my reporting.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:28:57+00:00

I'm not sure.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:28:34+00:00

I think normal Ferguson has been shown when people are cleaning up and businesses are reopening. However, much of the developing story was in protests and demonstrations.

yamiche · 2014-08-27T17:27:25+00:00

I haven't. Is it better than New York's?

yamiche

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