Monday, March 14, 2016

Cameron Turner, Writer, Journalist, Public Speaker and Mentor, Dies

Cameron Turner poses with 2015 Muir graduates and MPYD staffers.

Cameron Turner, well-known Altadena-based writer, journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker, has passed away.

A John Muir High School alumnus, Turner graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Communications degree, and went on to work with print, radio and television outlets in the greater Los Angeles area.

As a journalist, Turner wrote news, feature articles and opinion pieces for Pasadena Now and a variety of other print and online media including Top Agent, the Pasadena Journal, EURWeb.com and TheFix.com.

Turner was a commentator and news panelist on NBC 4 and wrote scripts and hosted radio programs for DMI Music and Media Solutions. He was a well-known public speaker and served as keynote speaker, master of ceremonies, and panel moderator for several community organizations, civil agencies, schools and churches.

Turner also did a lot of volunteer work with the John Muir Alumni Association. From October 2013 up to his untimely death, Turner served as media specialist and mentoring programs coordinator for John Muir’s Mentoring and Partnership for Youth Development (MPYD).

“Cameron Turner was a shining light among John Muir alumni,” John Muir Principal Tim Sippel says. “He represented a vibrant link to our school’s history and had an abiding faith in its future. His passing is a tragic loss for the John Muir community. Our deepest condolences go out to his family.”

At Pasadena Now, Publisher James Macpherson described Turner as “always positive, inspirational and great to work with He was well-liked and respected.”

“I’ll remember him for his optimism and positive words,” Macpherson said.

Jill Hawkins, vice president of the John Muir High Alumni Association, also remembers Turner’s positive disposition that affected everybody around him, especially the students and the youth he was mentoring.

“He was always so positive and so professional and so easy to work with,” Hawkins says. “He was always smiling and was there to support everybody and just such a confident, happy guy.”

As a public speaker, Turner was described by many of his peers as a dynamic and socially-conscious motivational speaker dedicated to inspiring positive action, bridging the gaps between diverse groups, and motivating people – particularly African-American and Latino youth – to uncover their God-given talents, draw power from their heritage and strive for personal and collective greatness.

Turner was a very active member of the Pasadena community, loved and respected by many, and actively served in the activities of Pasadena’s First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church of which he was a member.

Details of the memorial service have not been set as of the moment and will be announced here as soon as they are available.