For the past few years, the Harbinger staff had the privilege to welcome NBC 6 reporter Darryl Forges into the PinkRoom. In those years, the journalism students interviewed, visited the NBC 6 news station, and even had Forges featured as a judge for our very own senior capstones.
However, as Forges continues to further his career in the news industry, we will have to wish him good luck and goodbye. As of the end of September, Forges will move on to bigger and better things — but, of course, he is not doing this without speaking to his journalism friends at MLEC one last time.
As a college student, he was immersed in various events that involved news and broadcasting, even as a child growing up, he had the very same ambition for reporting as he does now.
“I started back in fifth grade; I did the morning announcements,” said Forges. “Being the guy that gave the lunch menu that day — I was giving people that information they didn’t know.”
As a graduate of the University of West Georgia, Forges knew that being in the news industry was his calling, but he knew it was not going to be an easy career. The world of media and broadcasting is one of competition and it only calls to those who are unique.
“It’s a competition: what are you doing to seperate yourself from everybody else?,” said Forges. “You got to know a little about everything,” he continued.
The news industry connects myriad people and as reporters we must forget about the idea of being “socially awkward,” which Forges stated, in order to make those connections. As an executive member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Forges has been involved in numerous events and met countless people.
“The key word is networking,” said Forges. “It’s not about what you know but who you know,” he continued.
Living in Miami for almost three years has also served the young reporter well, from reporting on a thread of cases that have earned the title Florida Man to broadcasting soap opera-esque dramas live in Hialeah — NBC 6 reporter Darryl Forges has seen it all.
Yet, Forges still has a world to explore, but his experience has taught us that there are always more doors to open — there’s always a glass ceiling to break through.
“I went to not having a job at all to eventually interviewing Oprah Winfrey,” said Forges.
Overall, the journalism experience Forges has gained has allowed him to grow, not only as a reporter but as a person; it is why he is able to surmount various hardships that come with reporting. He has inspired much of our staff and it is why he is always welcomed in the #PinkRoom.
