Meet Bruce Poinsette | Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bruce Poinsette and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bruce, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had been working as a reporter before I made the plunge to write for myself full time in 2014. Journalism was already a topsy turvy industry and frankly, I wasn’t making enough to move out of my parents’ house. In my short time as a reporter, I identified a lot of demand for writing from institutions and businesses that aligned with either my values and/or creative interests. When I decided to take a chance on myself, I saw a higher ceiling for both income and leveraging my writing to feed my sense of purpose.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Foundationally, I’m a writer. I got my degree in journalism and found a particular love for the art of conducting interviews in college and subsequently as a reporter for one of Portland’s two historically Black newspapers. These early days allowed me to develop my craft, assess the landscape and build a vision for where I wanted to go with my career. Now, I write essays and articles, host public interview-based events and conversations, podcast and make videos, particularly on the Black experience in Oregon and in general, on the nuances of politics and social justice in the state. My biggest challenge is the constant state of uncertainty. I’ve had to constantly pivot where I’m applying my writing, editing and/or interview skills, as well as develop new skills and make strategic connections based on fleeting media trends. It’s empowering in the short term but it’s hard not to wonder if fatigue will get the best of me over time. In addition to continuing to improve your craft and conduct sound business, the best advice I can give to people pursuing a career in this field is to resist the reactionary nature of media in particular and society in general.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a pretty solitary person, I’m admittedly one of the worst people to ask this question. That said, the ideal itinerary for a week in Portland would include a Blazers game, Portland’s premier hip-hop showcase The Thesis, game nights at locations like Louiza’s and Hey Love, and hiking in one the city’s multitude of nature trails.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout my mentors and peers in the various facets of media who have not been afraid to share real nuts and bolts knowledge with me, while demonstrating that it’s possible to push your creative bounds, conduct sound business and not compromise your values. S. Renee Mitchell, Peter Laufer, Walidah Imarisha, Mitchell S. Jackson, Emilly Prado, thank you especially for sharing the tools I needed to be in this position and showing me how to keep passing them on to others.

Website: https://www.brucepoinsette.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poinsettebruce/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brucepoinsette

Youtube: youtube.com/brucepoinsette

Other: https://www.patreon.com/brucepoinsette

Image Credits
Nate Ilebode Intisar Abioto