…And another thing!
Our newest columnist promises to tackle the issues important to Uptown readers
Marlo Campbell

What do you get when you combine social consciousness, rampant empathetic tendencies and a somewhat deviant sense of humour and jam them into a well-meaning, myopic woman who can’t seem to get through a workday without tripping and/or spilling on herself?

Me — the newest member of Uptown’s staff. In my newly created position, I will be reporting on local news while offering up opinions and commentary on community events, current affairs and social issues.

So who am I? I’d describe myself as a slightly cynical, glass-half-empty kind of person with a penchant for snap judgements and obstinacy, a well-cultivated mistrust of Big Brother, and a mild addiction to reality TV and sushi.

I’m hoping to use my position here at Uptown to bring awareness to subjects that interest me as a Winnipegger. I also hope to give some print space to topics that are under-reported or ignored by mainstream media. My thinking: if I want to know more about something, chances are you do too.

My academic background is in women’s studies, and I proudly define myself as a feminist (bring on the hate mail). I perpetually root for the underdog, and as a result I am constantly being disappointed by the reality that people are self-serving, greedy and cruel. Masochistically, I keep coming back for more, unable to look away or bury my head in the sand, hoping vainly that humanity will redeem itself one of these days and start taking care of its vulnerable members.

So far that hasn’t happened. At all. (Did I mention that I’m a bit cynical?)

In a nutshell, I get a great deal of satisfaction from bitching about the various injustices in the world, especially the ones that get dealt to those of us with ovaries and a vagina. And now I have a public forum to do so — ooh, how exciting!

I have a keen interest in all things media-related, like the way different groups of people are represented in print and TV (or not represented, as the case may be) and the effects of advertising and consumerism on our personal and public lives. I dissect pop culture for fun, and if this makes me a bit of a nerd, so be it.

I will also be reporting on civic and provincial politics. Admittedly, I am no expert when it comes to these topics, but what better way to learn about today’s political climate than to jump in the car, head down to City Hall or the Legislature and listen in to find out what’s happening in our governments and why we should give a damn.

So. My rant finished (for the time being), what do you care about? I certainly don’t presume to know what matters to you, but I’m definitely open to suggestions, so e-mail me at marlo.campbell@uptownmag.com if there’s something happening in your life or community that you feel should be on the pages of Uptown. Power to the people.