It鈥檚 not every day you get to see Loretta Lynch, the first black woman to be U.S. Attorney General. Kamaya Truitt-Martin and Taylor Walker almost didn鈥檛 get that chance.
鈥淎t first they didn鈥檛 see my name on the list to get in and I thought they were joking,鈥� Truitt-Martin said. 鈥淭he guy at the front desk was like, 鈥楲et me get my boss because you two need to be in there,鈥� and we were like, 鈥楿m, yeah, we really do!鈥欌€�
Lynch came to her home state of North Carolina last week to talk about issues like human-trafficking, calling the national problem Because of a mishap RSVP鈥檌ng to the event, Truitt-Martin鈥檚 name was left off the media list. Authorities tested her patience for hours outside the doors to the press conference as she waited to get the approval to go inside.
鈥淚 was acting indifferent at the time but in my heart I was praying that I would be able to go in,鈥� Truitt-Martin said.
Finally, after an afternoon of waiting, Truitt-Martin was let inside and joined Walker for the press conference鈥� where they continued to wait for the Attorney General for another hour and a half. Nevertheless, Truitt-Martin said it was like 鈥渢he gates of heaven had opened.鈥�
During her visit, reporters were allowed to ask Lynch one question, just one.
鈥淚f you were bold enough to ask two questions the press secretary would scold you so we were trying to put all our effort into one question,鈥� Truitt-Martin said.
The duo decided that Walker would ask Lynch their question for a story Walker is doing about the added pressure African American police officers feel while serving their communities. Walker said her voice was trembling as she began to speak into her microphone.
鈥淚鈥檇 never been to a real press conference, so I didn鈥檛 know I had to yell to get my question and I knew I had to be legit because I was surrounded by all these professionals,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淟oretta smiled at me as I asked my question and I thought, 鈥極h gosh, my cover is blown. She knows I鈥檓 not a professional.鈥欌€�
Walker said she quickly steadied her voice and finished her question:
鈥淲hat role do you believe police of color play in mending the relationship between law enforcement and the black community?鈥�
And Lynch's response? Walker said it was diplomatic, but satisfying.
"Law enforcement members who are of different ethnic groups have a very important role to play, although frankly I think all of law enforcement has a very important role to play," Lynch answered. "The diversity of one's police force can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so we don't want to just leave it solely on the law enforcement officers of color.
Walker said she took a deep breath of relief after the question. Walker hopes to use Lynch's response in the story she's producing for 吉彩网网站's Summer Youth Reporting Institute. But after her work as a reporter was done, Walker says she turned back into her 17-year-old self and approached Lynch for a, well, a selfie.
鈥淗er Secret Service people weren鈥檛 too thrilled with us taking a picture, but she told us that we were inspirational and to keep up the good work,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淐oming from somebody like Loretta Lynch, that is just amazing.鈥�
Amidst all the waiting and yelling with other reporters, Truitt-Martin and Walker said if they learned anything that day, it was this: 鈥渁ct like you know what you are doing.鈥�
鈥淏ecause if you look like you know what you are doing then you will act more official,鈥� Truitt-Martin said. 鈥淥ur baby faces may have discredited us though.鈥�
