Portia Booker
Kent State alumna Portia Booker’s work in media began in the 10th grade at The Cauldron, the literary magazine at Cleveland Central Catholic High School. Today, she hosts The Grief Grantor TV show on e360tv and executive produces six shows. The 2016 journalism graduate has a background in TV news, radio and podcasting.
In her senior year, Booker shadowed The Plain Dealer’s Robert Smith covering the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“Robert Smith entrusted me with a reporter’s notebook and sent me into the crowd to gather stories, names, and experiences,” she recalls — and to this day, Booker says she carries a small notebook so that she can ”scribble down intriguing phrases, images, and melodies that fill the air.”
Booker encourages students uncertain about doing media in high school to “dive in for just a semester, or even just sit in on a meeting to observe.” While the media landscape is full of opportunities, it’s more than about the media. “It's about finding their voice and discovering their path.”
