I had a fantastic time spending my Sunday afternoon on a panel about the art of the interview with a group of creative, smart women who left me feeling energized and empowered as hell.

The panel was organized by my old Press Democrat colleague Alexandria Bordas, who is now the program manager at Reel Stories, an Oakland-based nonprofit that empowers young women and gender non-conforming youth with the skills to create their own media. There were aspiring journalists, animators and filmmakers of all ages and levels. Us panelists shared a bit about our work, talked about how to control the conversation while also allowing an interview to unfold organically, and answered questions from attendees. One question we heard: How do you interview someone you disagree with. My answer: Have an open mind and don’t let your personal opinions guide your questions or hinder you in your quest for an accurate, honest storytelling.