Oscar Wilde once said that "The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple."
Nothing epitomizes this more than a trek down the infamous Skid Row, the largest concentration of homeless people in the United States. Modern skyscrapers in the distance pose a poignant question. With all of the wealth and power in this country, how is it acceptable for our people to be living in such squalor? If the answer was either pure, or simple, the problem would have been solved years ago. In the meantime, we must rely on journalists to pry, politicians to lobby, and advocate groups to fight for those who are unable to stand their ground.
Skid Row was a place I may have heard of in passing , but never before had I actually been exposed to the history and issues surrounding it. In truth, my venture through downtown Los Angeles gave a firsthand look at just one of the many issues facing society. The television documentaries or newspaper clippings that I had seen and read could only portray so much. Nothing sinks in like a first-hand view of thousands of homeless people sleeping in the streets.
They say a Journalist never stops learning. While all the information on this Earth may be more than one person can discover in a lifetime, I take solace in the fact that Los Angeles offers a great arena for someone to begin this exciting craft. I am immensely looking forward to the next two years and beyond, as I begin to uncover the inner workings of our world.