PowHERhouse celebrates BC’s Community Media Maverick, Joyce Carlson and her 45-year career.
Did you ever think that you’d be involved with Canadian community newspapers for four and a half decades? When I started, I did not look ahead 45 years. When I look back, I realize what a phenomenal opportunity it was for me on both a professional and personal level. I met so many wonderful people across this great country of ours and in the two communities where I was publisher of a community newspaper, Powell River and Salt Spring Island.
How did you maintain your passion?
There was always something new to learn, new stories to write. When I began my career we had a Linotype machine on the premises that created metal lines of type. When I retired, we were totally digital with print and digital publications, websites and Facebook pages, Instagram and YouTube accounts.
But always it was about the people and happenings that affect our communities that readers want information about.
Joyce, you’ve confided in me that you were pregnant and married at the age of 16, only went as far as Grade 10 in school, and had two children by the time you were 18. When many believed your life was headed in a tough direction, you decided it wasn’t and took action on your dreams starting with night school and not allowing your current circumstance to limit your potential. Thelma & Louise quote, “You get what you settle for!” Please tell us more about the very beginning of your career and how you weren’t willing to settle.
I left school in Grade 10. Some cousins told me it was so sad because I was such a good student. I thought ‘I’ll show them’, and I went to night school to get my Grade 12. I would do my assignments with my toddler doing his ‘homework’ beside me at the kitchen table and his baby brother sleeping in a buggy nearby. When I started at the Powell River News, I decided I would learn everything I could to become a valuable employee. At the time, we developed our own photos so I asked the photographer to teach me how to do that in the darkroom. I always accepted assignments that were presented to me, including an interview with parents whose two-year-old had fallen out of a truck and died. I really did not want to do it, but I did and learned from it. [Editor’s Note: The PowHER of YES!]
When did you know you wanted to work in media? Actually, I was the editor of our Grade 7 class newspaper, hand-written and printed on a Gestetner. It mentions with a hand-drawn portrait that I would be an editor when I grew up. I was 13 at the time.
How did all of this unfold? My brother’s hockey team did not feel they were getting good coverage in the local paper. He told his teammates that I was good in English, and asked me to write up their games. I did that and surreptitiously dropped the articles in the mail slot of the newspaper each week during the season. It was a rush to see my words in print. The next year, my brother suggested that I write up minor hockey house league games. I said I would do that but wanted to speak with the editor. He hired me to write a column called Hockey Beat, for which I was paid 25 cents an inch. One day when I was handing in my column, he called me into his office and asked if I wanted to take over from the Women’s Editor as the person doing it was retiring. I said I would as it was a two-day/week position writing up social events, weddings, etc. When the sports editor went on vacation, I did the sports, and when he left, I became the Sports Editor and Union Shop Steward as he had that role as well. That meant I attended union negotiations for the first time where I met the newspaper owner.
A cheeky young reporter, I told him I wanted to run his newspaper one day. And I did.
Carrying the torch, 2010 Olympics
What is the legacy you are looking to have made through your work and community contribution? Since I was a teenager and young mother I have been a volunteer, starting with being president of the sport council in school and organizing special days like slipper day and white shirt and tie day. When my sons were involved in minor hockey and minor baseball, I became a member of the executive to run the organizations. When no one else would stand for minor hockey president, I did so and was the first female association president in BC. I served for many years on the baseball board and even coached one of my sons for a time when no one would do it.
Biggest highlight in your career? Being president of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association in 1994-95 and serving on the board for nine years. It gave me the opportunity to travel across Canada to every province and territory and gain an understanding of how difficult is to govern such a large country with so many diverse needs. It also taught me how to work with different regions for the betterment of the entire organization.
On a personal level, it was a great honour to be named among 45 people receive a BC Achievement Award from Lieutenant Governor Steven Point and Premier Gordon Campbell. It was quite humbling when the stories of all the recipients were read out and you were one of them.
Best advice you ever received
- The only people who don’t make mistakes are the people who don’t do anything.
- Be careful of words spoken in anger. No matter how sorry you say you are afterwards, you can never take them back.
When you look back on your incredible career (and it is incredible!), what would you say the Top 3 lessons are that you have learned that you’d like to pass on?
- ASK. Let the people who can help get you where you want to be know what your goals are. They are not mind readers. You can work away as hard as you can, but if you never tell people your hopes and dreams, they cannot help you achieve them.
- Encourage feedback. It is not the things that you are good at that will be obstacles to your success, it is those that need improvement. Welcome and request evaluations of your performance (whether from your employer or your clients) and follow through on advice for improving.
- Create a strong opinion of yourself for yourself. Don’t be dependent on the opinions of others. No matter what you do, some people are going to like you and some people are not. Do what is right for you to become the best person, employee, wife, mother etc., that you can be.
51st Anniversary celebrations
How has media changed most over the years – for the good and the not so great? Changes in technologies have been phenomenal in all aspects of life but none so much as how we communicate. There is so much information available now, and that has its good and bad points. Community newspapers continue to be a trusted source of credible information as facts are checked; unlike social media that can be damaging by keeping people in silos of information so they only read what they agree with, and shun what they do not.
What could media do better to build stronger girls and women across Canada?
Stop being surprised when women accomplish great things. Don’t celebrate women for being women doing something. Celebrate them as people doing something.
When reporting on female leaders, make sure you do not talk about things that you wouldn’t if they were male, ie. What is she are wearing? How does she manage family duties?
I understand that you’ve been married for 52 years. WOW! What do you think is the secret to a long-term happy marriage?
- Respect and touch.
- See No. 2 above (Best advice ever received) which was advice from my father prior to my wedding.
- Always remember that first you are husband and wife, then father and mother. Your relationship remains even after your children are grown and have left home. It needs to be nourished regularly.
How would you describe what brings you the greatest joy currently? What advice would you have for Women of Leisure (retirees) who may possibly find more fulfillment as Women of Leadership? I still enjoy volunteering which I have plenty of opportunities for as a member of our local Rotary Club. I especially like to work with young people.
Describe a favourite hobby or adventure: I love to read, swim, work out in the gym, jog and go for hikes with my husband and our dog.
Favourite energy meal or snack (healthy). Peanut butter and celery.
Favourite indulgence or treat. Chocolate, really, really good chocolate.
Top 3 things (still) on your Bucket List. I have ticked things off most of the items on my Bucket List. Some were going to Greece and standing on the Parthenon, seeing the Grand Canyon, going to the theatre in New York (numerous times) and in London, visiting the Tower of London where Anne Boleyn lost her pretty little head. Others include:
- I have a favourite novel and am considering writing a screenplay.
- Study Shakespeare through Vancouver Island University.
- Run around Inland Lake (13 k) – I did the half-way last year 7.5 k.
- And the best one with my husband: Celebrate our 75th wedding anniversary.
Your thoughts on mentoring young women? For many years, I was involved with a Youth Ambassador program that taught young woman leadership skills, speech training and how to change a tire. It was rewarding to share my skills in speech training as a former regional and international speech contestant. My favourite saying for them was “It is okay to have butterflies when you speak in front of people, you just need to have them flying in formation.”
Where do we go from here in terms of supporting and inspiring women to make an impact, to step-up and continue moving forward with their missions… regardless of how hard it may feel at times. #confidence #courage #connections #capital
Self-esteem is frequently lacking. We need to inspire young women to value themselves and (yes, repeating again) not to be dependent on the opinions of others.
