Kissinger, third from left, with her siblings.
Last Wednesday during #loweclass, Meg Kissinger, a journalist at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, spoke about the trials and tribulations about her life and her career. These aspects have been filled with high points and low points, but you do not notice this right off the bat given her friendly disposition. She arrived to the class and quickly wanted to get to know us. I introduced myself and said I was from Puerto Rico. She replied, "I've been to Puerto Rico!" and for some reason, that just made my day.
She went on to speak about her life, her family, and how a series of events has led her to now focusing on reporting mental health issues. She spoke about Milwaukee and how she feels that the city needs more resources in order to deal with patients who might be suffering from mental health issues, and how it has a long way to go. She delved into her personal life; her brother committed suicide, and via letter, admitted that he did in fact have mental issues. This shook her whole family, but by the looks of it, they seemed to remain close and supportive to each other, even during a difficult time.
She went back to her beginnings and remembered the days when she felt like the hot-shot at her small, liberal arts college, and then faced the harsh realities of the real world. She started out writing obituaries and later covering court cases and then was hired at the Journal-Sentinel. She has since worked there for 30 years and states: "I've never been bored."
Meg Kissinger's talk was a great one, as simple as that sounds. I never would have expected someone to be so open about her life and what it has taken her to reach her goals. She gave a warm-heared and interesting talk and made me realize that you never know where life may take you, but with a great mindset, passion, and dedication, you will be successful, and most importantly, you will always have a story to tell. She is a vivid example of great journalism, and success can be reached both personally and professionally through hard work, even through the toughest times.
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