Kori James
Not a lot of people know that i've never moved out of my childhood home.
Click–the sound echoed just inches from my eye as I watched my final years at Fresno Christian flash by in what felt like mere seconds. Growing up, a camera was always present in my life – quiet, but loud enough to make an impact. I never imagined my high school journey would be so profoundly affected by a fancy piece of technology with confusing buttons.
Sophomore year I joined The Feather under the guidance of my mom and advisor Kori James. I was inspired by years of watching family and friends discover their talents and interest through the program. Not only did The Feather help me find my passion for photography and videography, but it also offered so many life lessons I will carry into the next chapter of my life.
“If you aren’t going to do it for yourself, do it for your team” is a mindset that shaped my persistent determination as an FC athlete and two-year Photo/Video Editor.
In my first week as a photographer on The Feather, I eagerly took on assignments with an outward confidence, even though, deep down, I had no idea what I was doing. I was always stubborn and never wanted to put my work on others. It was during this time that I challenged my abilities to communicate, and ask for help.
The Feather opened the door to many opportunities, such as traveling to New York City and Europe and being on the field during sporting events. But all of those things wouldn’t matter if I didn’t have people to do it alongside me.
I’m forever grateful to the journalism team. People outside of The Feather don’t see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into every article. I quickly learned that I couldn’t do it all by myself. My strength was never in my writing abilities, it was in my ability to take an assignment and run with it.
The CSPA Spring Conference 2024 in New York was one of my favorite experiences at Fresno Christian, but it wouldn’t have been the same without Feather alumni Sanjay Stephen and Miracle Neal. I struggle to involve myself out of fear of being a burden or annoyance, but they never failed to make me feel seen. Constantly laughing with them or getting one of their big hugs, there was never a dull moment. The trip wouldn’t have been the same without them and the rest of the team.
I want to thank my brother and Feather alumni Micah Friesen for inspiring me to step outside of my comfort zone and try videography. Although we had our differences growing up, I still found myself looking up to him. I never thought I would admit that.
Being a lifer at Fresno Christian was never easy. I never got to experience that new student feeling; I was always “known,” with people assuming they knew my story before getting to know me. My elementary and middle school years were spent trying to discover who I wanted to be. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I discovered the person I most wanted to be like was my mom.
It may sound cliche, but my mom is the most talented and driven person I know. (No, she isn’t forcing me to write this.) My freshman year when I was maneuvering through depression and anxiety, I knew I could always count on her to pick me up. When life felt too heavy to carry, without fail, she would be there to carry it with me. I could write countless paragraphs about how much my mom does for me, but my time here is wrapping up.
I will continue to utilize my photography skills in my next chapter of life at Fresno Pacific University, while majoring in liberal studies to become a teacher. I wasn’t joking; I hope to one day be half the person she is.
This is your FC Underground host signing off, see ya!
To read more Senior Reflections, visit Senior Reflection: Julia Castiglione and Senior Reflection: Jamison McMurray
To see more of my work throughout the years, check out my photography Instagram, @mfriesen_photos