Meet BPM Interns Jordan Pettaway and Madiou Bah

Got a bit of a rapid fire for you guys: Where are you from, what are you studying  and what school are you going to? 

Madiou Bah

I’m from the Bronx, New York, and I’m studying broadcast journalism with a minor in economics. After graduating, I’m intending to pursue my master’s. In terms of future career plans, I’m thinking of either doing on-air reporting, production, or doing marketing and communications. Those are the three areas I’m considering.A few fun facts about me; I love iced coffee, fragrances, and sneakers. 

Jordan Pettaway

I’m currently studying sociology [at Brooklyn College]. One or two more semesters and I should have the requirements done. I’m minoring in Puerto Rican and Latino studies. And considering minoring in urban sustainability, maybe something with water not sure yet though. I’ve lived in Brooklyn since I was like nine. Before that, I lived in Co-op City in the Bronx. So I’ve been all around the boroughs. I’ll tell you this: I’m not staying in the city forever. Eventually, I’m trying to move out, maybe out of the country, but definitely out of the state. I’m definitely gonna travel when I graduate. In terms of my passions; I’m on the esports team at my school, I make gaming content on Youtube, and I’m into superhero comics.

What made you interested in the Film Archive Project internship at BPM specifically?

Pettaway

Last year, I was working with the New York City Council’s office. People would call about financial or legal issues, and I would refer them to agencies. At the time I didn’t really enjoy picking up the phone because I had anxiety about saying the wrong thing. This year I wanted to give something else a chance, and several years ago, I had worked in a warehouse for NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program. Where I was managing produce and logging stuff, i.e. just doing operations. So, when I saw “archive” and how that’s just logging and researching and I was like, okay, I’ve done that before. So let me try this in a more professional setting, and it’s exactly what I expected. I knew I would enjoy it, and I do. And now I’m even considering possibly doing this again, maybe for another internship. So the main reason why I chose to apply was because I just wanted to branch out.

Bah

For me, there’s actually several reasons why I decided to join BPM. I’ve never been a good researcher in terms of finding stories and finding out how to do research on a subject. One of the main reasons that drew me to the internship was having the opportunity to research/log tapes. I felt like becoming a better researcher would be beneficial as I continue on with my journalistic pursuits. 

Fast forward to when I applied, I was in Chile studying abroad and I was doing a research project the whole semester. Part of my research that I was doing was in relation to the dictatorship that happened in Chile. How archives are one of the most important methods to preserve stories, the real raw truths for people to hear, see, and understand. I never understood the magnitude behind it, but after doing my research project, I understood that this is more than just archiving, this is preserving the future of BPM and the history. This is a vital project in order to uplift our community for future generations to come as they use these archives to produce more journalistic work, more Black documentaries, more Black filmmakers, and more things that focus on the Black diaspora as a whole. 

Lastly, because of mentorship as a person of color about to enter the media field, I felt it was really important to get mentorship in that realm. At Syracuse University and my communication school, most of the time I’m always either the only Black person in my class. The diversity is definitely lacking. So, I felt it was important to hear from people that look like me, because their experiences will most likely be what I face in the future…  I feel ready to tackle any challenges that may come next due to the help of BPM and archiving in general.

What has been your favorite thing about the internship thus far?

Pettaway

I’ve been enjoying the experience of logging these tapes, even though I haven’t been getting to watch them. But that’s cool because now I know about them. I’ve actually come to appreciate that sometimes we would have staff meetings where we would have to present a gem that is interesting. A gem being a VHS that stands out. And in doing so, it gives me the opportunity to understand the author. Really dive deep into who they are and why they wrote that. Sometimes I feel like I’m an actual archiver. Like what I’m doing matters because eventually we’re most likely going to reach out to these people and they’re going to get their VHSs aired again, hopefully, which is what I’m hoping for. But it just feels like I have an actual impact here.

Bah

Our internship program was actually six weeks. It’s pretty short, but I think it was very necessary in terms of teaching us what we needed to learn. In terms of my favorite moment, I think my favorite moment was really picking my manager, Tonya’s, brain. I ask a lot of questions… She was actually a broadcast journalism major during her time in college. And she actually went through the ropes of going from reporting to working at different companies to basically climbing the career ladder to where she is today. So Tonya was like the perfect person to ask these types of questions as I’m about to start my journey. And picking her brain every single day has been nothing short of amazing. 

What do you guys see yourself doing after graduation?

Pettaway

I’ve been pursuing becoming a firefighter. I took the exam and everything I got a 96. They’re supposed to reach out to me in 2028. That’s when I graduate. Yeah, so I’m waiting for them to reach out. When they do, I’ll take their physical exam, and then, whatever I get on that, they’ll send me to the academy because I will pass. And then I’ll be doing that. So that’s the main goal right now. But if I’m not firefighting, I see myself going into social work and maybe working as an esports manager for a team on the side. Hopefully, I can eventually turn that into a full-time job. I like working with people, and all three of those fields involve working with people. So that’s the plan.

Bah

I’m planning on pursuing a master’s in integrated marketing communications. After my master’s, I’m probably going to figure out where I want to work. Basing it on what I’m passionate about, then it’ll just be trial and error from there.