And I was there, as a backpack-journalism team of one.

During a tour of the neighborhoods of Pilsen and Little Village in Chicago, a large mural addressing immigration caught my eye.

Having worked for the past semester as a student news producer, never asked to leave the newsroom or conduct an interview, it was time for me to pick up a camera and refocus.

Juggling expensive camera equipment, navigating with my limited sense of direction (turns out, without mountains, I am completely lost), and attempting (in vain) to not look a fright arriving to interviews as my hair frizzed in the humidity of The Windy City, this trip put my journalism skills to the test on a whole new level.

“Well, Anderson Cooper changed the game for everyone when he picked up a camera and pointed it at himself,” a crewmember from Chicago’s ABC7 said to me. He must have picked up on my anxiety as I checked and double-checked my tripod height and audio levels. One of my sources scheduled back-to-back interviews, and I was set to follow a professional production by Chicago’s ABC station. I wanted to ask them if they would let me borrow their lighting… and crew.

But once I had my shot set up and my notes at hand, I didn’t have time for nerves.

I knew there was a story here. I was thrilled to be the one bringing it back to the newsroom.

And although my Sony Handycam HD was dwarfed by their JVC GY-HD250 CHU Pro HD HDV — HD is HD. And thankfully, my first solo flight as an MMJ will surely not be my last.

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One question I developed during my encounters in Chicago was, how much do you share with sources or people you meet in the field about what the thesis of your story is?

After all, I am continually reconsidering, redrafting, and revisiting different parts of this depth-reporting project as I continue to collect information and interviews… But how much do I share before the final product is done?

Since people are quick to share with me their opinion on the matter, I have fallen back on keeping my story explanation to a short snippet and let them do the talking.