Does climbing a 25-foot pole and jumping from it, all while blindfolded, sound like normal behavior for a person labeled as quiet and reserved? For Travers Johnson, this is his reality.

This 19-year-old risk taker does not just defy death, but he also challenges himself while preparing for a career in journalism, with hopes of changing how African-Americans are viewed in the media.

"We may not get the most accurate portrayal of African-Americans until we are the ones portraying it," he said.

The Quitman, Texas , native is an English student at Morehouse College in Atlanta and serves as copy editor for the university's The Maroon Tiger. He also created The Link magazine at Morehouse for his sophomore class this year. He is also the managing editor for Debonaire, an upcoming online magazine based in Atlanta which he describes as "a younger, hipper GQ." He will also be interning this summer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Johnson said he lives by Martin Luther's quote: "Do all the good you can, by the means you can ... as long as you ever can."

"I want to make the biggest positive impact on the world possible," Johnson added.

ASHLEY HARRIS