Impact Detroit Magazine Impact Detroit Magazine 2013 | Page 78

Real Talk with
Roland Martin
By Susan Jones

Roland S. Martin named
by Ebony Magazine in
2008, 2009 and 2010 as
one of the 150 Most
Influential African
Americans in the United
States. He is a two- time
NAACP Image Award
w i n n e r. T h ro u g h o u r
partnership with Cheryl
Patterson and Universal
Xperience, Impact Detroit
Magazine was selected to
interview Roland Martin
and our conversation was
very candid and insightful,
as we discussed his
parents, childhood, faith,
college years, career, the
Love of his life and more.
Roland Martin is our
June/July 2013 cover
story because of his
contributions and
outstanding Impact
throughout the country.
~ Susan Jones ~

Both your parents are your role
models. Your father loved to read
newspapers and had a very strong
interest in a variety of television
news shows.
Did his interest
contribute to your passion for
Journalism?
Susan, I come from a household were
my parents didn't go to college, but
certainly had a fervent for education
that was instilled in all five children. It
was something that was made clear to
us from day one. Education was a
priority. It was critical. I would also
say my parents wanted me to be aware
of the issues and what was taking place
in the world. This was absolutely
important.
Both of my parents were city-minded
and worked on political campaigns, in
terms of working on phone banks,
passing out signs. Things along those
lines. They cared about the
neighborhood. They cared about
the city. It was important to my
parents that I see and hear the
examples they set. So, I had that
understanding at a very early age,