Jamal Powell, Patch Staff

In working for Patch, Jamal Powell is fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a professional journalist. 

Jamal Powell is 28 years old, and claims Baltimore, MD as his hometown. In 2000, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for four years as an appliance technician. In his spare time, he kept a journal of his experiences that eventually became a blog.  

Following the end of his enlistment term in 2004, Jamal moved to West Los Angeles, California. He lived there for a year before deciding to return to his hometown to go to college. 

Jamal got his first taste of journalism not through Towson University's English program, but through TU's college paper, the Towson Towerlight. Jamal graduated from Towson University in December 2010, having attained a Bachelor's degree in English. 

In January 2010, Jamal officially began his journalism career by taking on a single freelancing gig for veteran reporter Mark Tyler, a local editor for Aberdeen, MD Patch at the time. Mark Tyler would mentor Jamal for six months, and during that time, Jamal would write over thirty articles for Patch. 

In July 2011, Jamal was hired as the new local editor for Stamford Patch, and fell in love with the state of CT not long after he set foot in it. 

<strong>Basics</strong>

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Age: 28

E-Mail: Jamal.Powell&#64;patch.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/stamfordpatch

<strong>Politics</strong>

I love democracy. Still, I have do not have loyalty to any political party and do not represent a liberal or conservative point of view.

<strong>Religion</strong>

I was baptized into the Methodist church, however I am currently Christian non-denom.

<b>Local Hot Button Issues</b>

As of July 2011, unemployment, local economy, and their effects on the Stamford community will receive a high degree of focus.

Environmentalism as it relates to Stamford&#39;s many parks and beaches.

Local and state education.

Stamford&#39;s rich cultural history.

And you. Your life and your story are what make Stamford the fine town that it is, so there is no story more worth telling than your own.