Cooper's Challenge

Last Saturday morning I’m waking up listening to the Satellite Sisters on the radio. It so happens that they’re interviewing Anderson Cooper. One of the questions they ask is; of all the stories you’ve covered around the world, which was personally the most difficult for you?

Cooper names Katrina, and one of the reasons he cites was how physically and emotionally challenging it was. You see, Cooper explains, with most stories there’s a hotel and a restaurant waiting for you at the end of the day. You can get a good meal, a shower, and have a place to sit, reflect, and regroup. You can have a good night’s sleep before you have to go out and face the horror of whatever story you’re covering once again.
Katrina, on the other hand, was a “360 degree experience”. There was no “retreat” – it was 24 hours a day, living in a car, no hotel to rest your head or restaurant to get a good meal.

I don’t want to diminish Cooper’s experience in any way. I’m sure it was hard for him for those few weeks. But, as the son of a Vanderbilt, and a successful man in his own right, I have to think that his experience sat on a foundation of knowledge that his situation was temporary and by choice. He knew there was a way out, and at any moment he could have decided to go anywhere in the world, have his good meal, find a safe, warm bed.

If this experience was impactful on him, imagine how it is for street youth. Their’s too is a “360 experience” – no retreat to go to, no relaxing meal at the end of the day. But for them, there is also no safety net. They can’t just decide that they are done and take off to cover a different story. For them, the story is their life, and to maintain even this level of “life” requires acculturating to a world of violence, drugs, and sex trade.

If a wealthy adult finds dipping his toe in this pool challenging, imagine what its like for an adolescent who is drowning in that same pool.