Jovita Moore was an inspiration to the next generation of young Black journalists

ATLANTA — Jovita Moore was a hometown legend and a staple of nightly news coverage in Atlanta. She was also the inspiration for young aspiring Black journalists all over the country.

News of her death sent shock waves not only through the Atlanta community, but also through the journalism industry, where many called Jovita their mentor.

Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln spoke to some of Moore’s mentees after her death from brain cancer Thursday night.

[PHOTOS: Jovita Moore through the years]

Many young journalists Lincoln talked to said that they studied by watching and learning from Moore.

“When I was working mornings in Savannah, I would anchor, I would come home and workout, and then I would watch WSBTV at night to study her,” said Nicole Baker, an anchor in Baltimore, MD.

[Watch: Some lighthearted, hilarious and heartfelt moments with Jovita Moore]

Meteorologist Somara Theodore said that Moore’s influence went far beyond Georgia.

“Watching her work, she was just a force,” said Somara Theodore, meteorologist in Washington, D.C.

[Read: “We lost a friend. Atlanta lost a legend.” Channel 2 colleagues remember Jovita Moore]

Nicole Baker, a former WSB-TV intern, says it was Jovita’s level of excellence and news approach that inspired her to become a journalist.

“To see her in person, her stature, her essence, her energy, she was just always classy, elegant and excellent,” Baker said.

Theodore said although her path in media wasn’t rooted in news, Jovita left an impact for all journalists.

“I was always watching WSB-TV, but even though I would come for the weather, I would stay because there were people who looked and sounded like me,” Theodore said. “And Jovita was one of them.”

Amber Worthy, a reporter in Greenville, South Carolina, was also a WSB-TV intern inspired by Jovita.

“I teared up in Sam’s (warehouse store) because I was like, “No!” It was unreal,” Worthy said. “We knew for six months, but it still felt like it caught us off guard. I just knew that we would be talking about her coming back, but it feels so sudden.”

Jovita Moore shared her life with the world on social media

©2021 Cox Media Group