Features

Perspective: James Izrael

James Izrael
Opinion Writer and Journalist
Gun For Hire
Cleveland Heights OH

Job History
Written stuff for Chicago Tribune, LA Times, USA Today, Africana.com, currently doing a column for BlackVoices.com.

What are you currently working on? What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

Currently, my agent and I are readying a short collection of works for a book. I try to keep my column a few weeks ahead of the deadline, so I’m golden right about now. I read a couple papers daily, check a few websites. Write and blog at Jimiizrael.com. Wait for checks. That’s my day, really.

What inspires/motivates you?

Hip-hop culture and good writing of all kinds inspire me. Passion motivates me. I don’t know that I would do anything else for a living if I could.

How do you balance your personal and professional life?

Pretty good, lately.

What career achievement are you most proud of?

I’m proud every time I crank out something that is halfway readable. Although I had a short stint there, I am proud of the work I did at a local alt-weekly. I got a chance to tell stories that weren’t being told, and weren’t likely to be told. Not correctly, anyways.

What was your biggest personal/career mistake and what did you learn from the experience?

Dropping out of high school and not going to college right out the gate. If you’re gonna be a drop-out, better drop-in to college post-haste. Assuming you didn’t drop out because you were a dumbass, moving on to college only makes sense, right? I didn’t. I partied and bull-shot. I was stupid.

Guiding principles?

Succumb to imperfection: fire, next time.

When’s your birthday? Where’d you grow up? Where’d you go to school?

My birthday is November 8, 1969. I grew up in East Cleveland OH, later moving to Shaker Heights OH. I went to Shaker Heights High School, but I learned most of what I know from da streets…and the library that I went to almost every day. Yeah. That probably helped.

Message Jimi Izrael and tell him what you think