We were lucky to catch up with Ciara White-Sparks recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ciara, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Success doesn’t come easy, but those who strive to exude excellence, perseverance, and determination tend to reach their goals. As someone who is still navigating life and discovering my own voice through the lens of the media; I always take a moment to acknowledge the moments in which I have displayed significant growth. One of my favorite messages from former Miss USA Deshauna Barber states, “When someone tells me I can’t do something, I laugh because they must not know who they are talking to. We all must remain unshakeable.” This applies to all aspects of life, especially within your career. Success has a long road, and some may achieve their dreams quicker than you or slower than you but it is not about how fast you get there, it’s about the journey you endure to make your goals possible. You must stay the course, and stay hungry in achieving your own personal goals. Most successful, also come to terms with being told “no” it doesn’t mean you are less of a person or talented when being told no, it simply means you must shift your mindset to finding a way for that person to give you a “yes!” Success cannot be defined in one simple statement, as it looks different in the eyes of others. For me, success is humbly and gracefully achieving your dreams and finding the joy in the journey that is attached to your personal story.
Ciara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Ciara White-Sparks, I am a local news reporter at WTKR News 3 in Norfolk,Virginia and I am also an entertainment/lifestyle reporter and enthusiast. I also had the opportunity to work part-time as the Associate Producer for News 3 lifestyle show, “Coast Live.” I am a proud graduate of the illustrious Hampton University with a bachelor’s in Journalism and minor in Marketing.
My journey into the media was not a traditional story as I initially tried to pursue a career as a Civil Rights Attorney and later become a Congresswoman. After taking a few courses during my freshman year of college, I quickly realized that law was not a passion of mine. After being undecided for the rest of the semester, I was persuaded by my friend to switch over to Journalism and at that moment my life’s course shifted for the better. Once the pandemic hit, I was forced to transition into a virtual learning environment and become creative with teaching myself how to grow in my craft and network .My career took a major shift during the mid-pandemic ironically, as I was approached by Disney and Pixar to watch an advanced screening of Pixar’s SOUL and interview with Jamie Foxx, Kemp Powers, and Terence J. Since then I have had the pleasure of attending advanced screenings and interviewing individuals like: Regina Hall, Mekai Curtis, Keith David, Jay Ellis, CeCe Winans, Ruth Carter and many more.
Despite my major change in college being the pivotal moment in my career pivot, I do believe becoming a media personality was also in my blood. I started competing in pageants at the age of eight, and from there I would enter the speaking competitions and always place the highest in interviews. Being in that atmosphere at a young age allowed me to develop my own voice, as a queen I was tasked with attending different events and meeting with new people; which later translated into my skill sets as a reporter. Overtime, my confidence began to increase and so did my abilities with public speaking.
In addition to my media work, I also have a podcast for young adults who are navigating their walks with Christ while also trying to master this thing called “adulthood.” My podcast, “Seriously Flawed but Destined to be Great” covers topics ranging from self-love, mental health awareness, and building both platonic and romantic relationships with people who are spiritually yoked with us.
I am extremely proud of my growth over the last few years, although I am new to the industry, I have seen my work blossom and improve over the last few years.My writing, storytelling and ability to conduct engaging interviews has taken a giant leap since the beginning of my career. I am excited to see where I will end up a few years from now, as I know that this is only the beginning for me !
When people watch my interviews or stories, I want them to feel as though they are experiencing the same information I obtained while creating the story. I am very keen on painting a picture with my words, so when people consume my content, my goal is to make the story come to life right from their screens. In regards to my entertainment and lifestyle work, I hope my followers can feel my passion for the artistry through my content. Music, culture, fashion, and film are big parts of who I am, and for me, when I conduct interviews with talent this is my opportunity to express my gratitude for their line of work.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
As a creative journalist, I have the opportunity to share and tell compelling stories about people who do amazing things every single day. For me, the most rewarding part is the impact that my stories have on the community. In local news, my work has the amazing ability to inspire and inform people right here in the area. Oftentimes, as a reporter we feel as though that our hard work goes unnoticed, but that myth is not accurate. We are tasked to be the eyes, ears, and voices of the community; with this responsibility we are enacting change on a local level. In addition to the impact, as a reporter, I love having the space to interview different people from unique backgrounds and cultures. Everyday is different, and with my current line of work, I get to meet some of the most outstanding and interesting people around the world, while also gaining insight into another person’s perspective of life.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Landing an internship and gaining experience is one of the most important things anyone who wants to pursue media needs to obtain. Obtaining one isn’t the easiest process, especially when it comes to the major networks. During my last two years of college, I quickly realized that in order to make it in the industry, you have to get used to being told “no” a lot. During 2020, I applied to over twenty different internship programs, and about 90 percent of the responses I received were no. One internship in-particular truly discouraged me as I had been working so diligently to become a strong candidate for the program. After being rejected, I fell into a mindset that I wasn’t good enough to make it in the industry.
Thankfully, I had mentors who saw the best in me, and constantly poured encouragement into me even when I didn’t believe in myself. They encouraged me to keep applying even for jobs in which I wasn’t even a strong applicant for. Through this experience, I learned another important life lesson. When one door closes, another one eventually will open up. Instead of sitting in my room feeling defeated, I decided to create my own Talk Show entitled, “The Saturday Social.” This virtual talk shot was shot from both my house and my local library media studio. I wrote, edited and shot all the content myself. I spent many early mornings and late nights pitching myself to guests to have on my show and I also taught myself how to edit by binge watching YouTube tutorials. My talk show started to reach audiences that I never could have imagined; the next thing you know I am getting emails from Amazon Prime Video and Warner Bros to become a freelance “paid” digital journalist.
Then fast-forward to the summer of my senior year, I landed my first news internship with the E.W. Scripps Company as a News Development Intern with KTNV 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
I share this to say, if I would’ve let the many no’s that I receive stop me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The no’s were simply not because I wasn’t gifted, it was because God was preparing me for bigger and better opportunities; instead he was telling me “not yet, Ciara.” As you continue to navigate through life and your career you have to be willing to pivot yourself at any given moment. Being told no, doesn’t mean you are a failure, it simply means that opportunity just may not be for you right now at that moment and that’s okay! You have to stay the course, by staying hungry you are exuding the energy that no matter what you are willing to work hard to make your dreams a reality. That hunger will be noticed by the right person one day, when the timing is right for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ciarawhitesparksontv
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciarawhitesparksontv/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ciarawhitesparks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ciaraontv
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CiaraWhiteSparks
Image Credits
Carl Anderson Photography @ciarawhitesparksontv