A picture is worth a thousand stories and counting

Once upon a time in a delegate’s life with eChamp 2015,  Una Madura Verde

Leenie Fabri, Manager @ JOY 94.9 MELBOURNE

This afternoon at  NEMBC 2015 Radioactive Youth Media Conference, I had the honour of talking to conference delegate, Leenie Fabri.

 Fabri represents and works for JOY 94.9 , an independent voice for the diverse lesbian and gay communities listened to by 329,0001 people in Melbourne and more online.

The reason why I asked Leenie to have a chat is because apart from being a passionate and knowledgeable radio geek, she is also a talented graphics recorder. Instead of opting for the usual delegate charade, which often involves rigorous notetaking on hotel-provided note pads, Leenie, like her radio station, decided to stray from tradition. Leenie decided to document her experience at the conference through a series of drawings or graphics which as she explains, suit the relativity of her experience here at the conference and in the community more generally. Read her insights and see her visual documentary of the conference below!

U: What station are you representing today?

L: I am the manager of people, services and culture at JOY 94.9, Australian’s only LGBTIQ community radio station. I am also a community radio trainer and consultant at SAS, Sound Advice Services.

U: What brings you to the conference this year?

L: My colleague Alice Berkeley and I are here to engage with ethnic broadcasters and invite people to participate in a JOY 94.9, CBF funded project called Multicultural Rainbow Community Service Announcements (CSA) project. The aim of this project is to provide vital LGBTIQ resources and community engagement information for all culturally and linguistically diverse community broadcasters around Australia. These announcements have the potential to reach CALD rainbow listeners who may not otherwise have access to essential health and wellbeing services.

U: The reason why I am interviewing you is because your engagement with the conference has been very particular. Instead of writing notes on each of the conference sessions you have instead chosen a more creative path. You have responded to the ideas offered by the conference through a series of graphics.  Could you explain this creative note-taking mechanism?

L: Yeah so, I take notes with visuals and key words. Amongst my other skills, being passionate about radio and being a radio trainer, I am also a graphic recorder. I recognise and am passionate about the power of visuals, how they cross all languages and make stories more accessible. Hopefully the images inspire the messages imparted to us by the sessions and great speakers of today’s conference.

E: I’m sure they will, thank so much Leenie for talking to us!

Follow Leenie’s visual documentary of NEMBC’S 2015 Radioactive Youth Conference here:

9AM + Keynote, Bhakthi Puvanenthiran,  Panel and Discussion: What is missing from the media right now

11.50AM Workshop: How to make a good promo

1.15PM Lightning Sessions

2.50PM Workshop: And for the news-writing a news bulletin

JOY 94.9  is currently seeking volunteers to participate in the CSA project mentioned above. The only conditions for participating are being able to speak, read and write in languages other than English. For further information, please contact Alice Berkeley via rainbowcsa@joy.org.au