Work sample:
Generating media attention on the needs of refugees in Greece
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In 2017, more than 60,000 refugees were stranded in Greece and living in inhumane conditions. Journalism on these realities had deteriorated - or worse, turned sour. There was a strong need to generate greater and more empathetic global attention on the situation of refugees in Greece, particularly the voices of women, children, and youth.
Highlighting the overlooked needs of women and children
I coordinated press visits and organized media trainings for camp residents to help drive more empathetic journalism on the situation of refugees in Greece. This included drafting and placing several op-eds by Lighthouse Relief staff calling for a change to popular media narratives surrounding the European refugee crisis - from fear-mongering to reinforcing our responsibility to uphold fundamental human rights.
I also facilitated the creation of Waiting in Ritsona, a photo and story series on the emotional toll of waiting for relocation and family reunification in Ritsona refugee camp in mainland Greece. The series included intimate interviews with women, children, and young people living in Ritsona camp, and was awarded Global Giving’s 2017 Storytelling Prize.
In an effort to help European parents and educators facilitate conversations on the rights of refugee children at their borders, I also published A Children’s Guide to Children’s Rights: a child-friendly manual to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, illustrated with photos from Ritsona refugee camp. Proceeds from this book supported the continuation of Lighthouse Relief’s child-friendly programming at a time of departing humanitarian aid in this context.
In spring 2017, young people in Ritsona refugee camp came to Lighthouse Relief with a bold proposal: to launch a publication that was proudly and unambiguously their own. I supported the organization’s Youth Engagement Team in generating international media attention for the launch of the magazine, securing placements in MTV, El Pais, the Toronto Star, Mashable, Devex, and more.
I also coordinated an official media launch of the magazine on International Youth Day, and worked with an ambassador for the United Nations International Office of Migration to highlight the experiences of refugees in Greece in official UN proceedings for that day.
The resulting coverage contributed to a spike in global funding for Lighthouse Relief’s Youth Engagement Team, ensuring the continuity of space spaces for young people in Ritsona refugee camp.
Creating multimedia content to spotlight refugee stories in compelling ways
Despite scarce funding, I was still able to develop compelling storytelling materials to draw greater attention to the voices of refugees in Greece. The above video is one example of a product created in collaboration with children in Ritsona camp to remember Alan Kurdi, a Syrian child who tragically lost his life while trying to seek refuge at the fringes of Europe.