Month: November 2024 (Page 2 of 6)

What I loved about Jennifor Senior’s article about Bobby Mcllvaine was the emotional, narrative structure that fluttered between past and present. The use of quotes was in a way that was engaging, and the rest of the account was descriptive in just the right way; not too flowery, so as to become convoluted and lose the readers interest (as I think happened a bit in Katie Engelhart’s dementia article towards the end), but still detailed enough to build a specific picture in the reader’s mind. More than an article, this was a story that blended an investigation into the aftermath of Bobby’s death with narrative character development of the individual’s closest to him; his parents and ex-girlfriend. The focus on these characters displayed one of the key motifs of the article; how each individual coped with grief in their own way, through their backstories which are developed in the article. I enjoyed the timeline she utilized, the way that Bobby’s life was recounted intermittently all whilst using the story of the unrecovered diary as the element that tied the narrative and structure of the article. 

Nadja Drost’s article on the Darien gap, however, employed this narrative structure in order to address a wider societal point through shining the light on individuals, which is in many ways the point of journalism. What I enjoyed about the Darien gap article was how it weaved other, seemingly less related to migration aspects of the Darien gap’s broader history that contextualized it, and really embedded the danger of this zone in a way that I don’t think was transmitted in other articles I’ve read. What really tied these articles together was the character driven structure, which, understandably made them more gripping to read compared to if they had been more focused on the facts and history. I think these articles’ strengths were in interweaving the ‘news’ inbetween the stories of these individuals, using scene-based narratives, chronological progression and encaptivating descriptions. 

The moral calculations of a billionaire also used an individual story to talk about a wider societal issue; in this case, narratives around billionaires and taxing their wealth. Rather than following a storyline like the first two articles, I enjoyed the use of Leon Cooperman’s daily routine as a framing device as well as his direct perspectives scattered as a way to structure and focus the article. In this way, we got a view of the issue from the billionaire himself, down to the structure of what was being focused on. I liked the writing style here too. The sentences weren’t too long, and there was variety (eg- The market fell. The market rose…), making it a more interesting read. Not to bring up the dementia article again but to me there wasn’t this kind of variety in that article, and it did become a bit uninteresting towards the end (also it was extremely long and a bit drawn out, I thought). This variety (in the millionaire piece) also extended to paragraph length. I think what I also took away from it is that speech doesn’t have to be blockaded in the middle of a wider paragraph, as a way to introduce analysis or support it. It can stand on its own, in its own paragraph, bring more to the article – and make it a better read.

Upon searching for Manuel Monterrosa on Instagram or YouTube, viewers can scroll through several reels, pictures, and videos that show Monterrosa’s journey through the Darien Gap. 35-year-old Manuel Monterrosa is a self-identifiable “migration influencer.” Originally from Venezuela, he now posts content related to migration on social media. Monterrosa explains that he began posting on these platforms during his journey to the United States, only to realize upon coming to the U.S. that documenting his journey on YouTube paid more than any job he could find as an undocumented immigrant.

Now, Monterrosa has 39.3k followers on Instagram and uses his platform to help inform migrants of dangerous scams on TikTok promising refuge in the United States. Influencers like Monteressoa prove the new significance of social media in migration. For many who need to get out of their country quickly, finding information on social media is easy, free, and accessible. Monteressoa acknowledges that despite social media not being as reliable for migrants, depending on social media content for information is a reality.

Director of Strategic Engagement and Outreach at Informed Immigrant Ivette Moratya explains that social media has changed how people take in information and elaborates on the willingness of social media consumers to listen to advice broadcasts. “A lot of people like influencers and lawyers are giving advice a lot of times, especially integration,” she explains. “They run with it as legal advice without realizing that everything that happens comes down to a case-by-case basis.” Informed Immigrant is a research hub that provides information to undocumented immigrants, and it has 40.2k followers on Instagram.

Similarly to Monteressoa, Moratya also stresses the importance of social media in conveying information to migrants. She explains that when Informed Immigrants started working on their social media presence in 2019, they paid particular attention to how their information was presented so that their target audience, undocumented immigrants, could easily understand what was posted.

Social media creator and immigrant advocate Juan Escalante claims he started doing social media advocacy work around 2008. Escalante claims that Twitter and Facebook were the most prominent forms of social media for advocacy and information telling. “I’ve seen it evolve into people using TikTok and these platforms to share their experiences,” Escalante explains. “Social media has come a long way and has given people a platform to share their experiences and personal truths.”

Sharing personal truths, as Escalante describes them, has played a massive role in the social media migration movement. Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, a nonprofit organization working towards abolishing immigration detention in the United States, claims that social media has enhanced the ability to choose the stories organizations like Detention Watch want to tell. “Social media is great because you’re able to have a bit more control over the messages you want to put out there,” she says. “You can engage with people you might otherwise not have engaged with given there are limitations with traditional media.”

Morayata emphasizes that engagement and collaborations with influencers or specific organizations always have the community in mind. “Many of our followers are either or could be directly impacted,” she explains. “One of the biggest impacts we had on our platform was working with influencers.”

Informed Immigrant’s Instagram had just hit 20k followers last year. A year later, collaborations with influencers and reaching out to people individually have doubled the number of followers on Instagram to 40k. As Morayata emphasizes, a huge factor in increasing engagement and followers was using collaborators and working with influences who care about immigration.

Escalante also emphasizes that influencers can help distribute a lot of information regarding news, blogs, and advice to a broader audience that can be incredibly influential to the immigrant community. “I think part of the benefit is allowing immigrant rights advocates and other people to educate local communities about things happening,” he explains. Escalante and Morayta claim these platforms can be crucial for viable and trustworthy information. “Twitter was essentially used to find out about local legislation, tuition bills, and how to acquire driver licenses,” Escalante says.

For undocumented or documented immigrants having social media outlets to reach out to or connect with can be incredibly helpful. Moryata explains that Informed Immigrants are able to provide information that is verifiable to those that may not have access to a lawyer or a professional to rely on for help. Not only that, but platforms like Informed Immigrant also respond to DMs and questions sent by followers.

Not only is information posted on platforms used to educate individuals and immigrants, but also to shift public policy and opinion. Escalante explains that the influx of social media and influencers has had more significant impacts on legislation, federal, and local policy.

“Digital advocacy has been great for cultivating an audience and has been used to expose policies that the public should care about,” he explains. Specifically, Escalante claims to speak on the role that social media has had in continuously promoting and educating others on the DREAM act and DACA on specific platforms. The DREAM act stands for development, relief, and education for alien minors act and allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to legally live and work in the country given specific requirements. DACA stands for deferred action for childhood arrivals and is a U.S. immigration policy that gives undocumented immigrants protection from being deported and a work permit.

Despite being great for promoting information, Morayta elaborates on the presence of misinformation on social media and how Informed Immigrants attempt to best combat cases of misinformation. “We hear a lot about the misinformation, whether through comments, DMs, trends, or other partners or organizations,” she says. Morayta describes that live streams and collaborations with experts like lawyers or other verified organizations are how an informed immigrant directly addresses the issue.

However, as Monterresa explains, some issues about misinformation can be more consequential. Monterrosa talks about TikTok content promoted by gangs that details incredibly dangerous routes. Not only that, but Monterresa emphasizes that social media channels are being used to scam migrants directly. Promises of safe routes to the U.S. end up being scams to steal migrants’ money.

To avoid migrants becoming weary of scams, Morayta emphasizes that posting content is about considering the targeted audience and how it is presented. “We’re really careful about how we present information,” she says. In addition to ensuring that trustworthy information is being promoted, Moratya explains that Informed Immigrants also focus their time on combating misinformation.

Not only for migrants but also for content creators, the changing social media landscape is frightening. Shah emphasizes that social media will only continue to evolve and do less than it is supposed to be doing. Despite speculations that the media will continue to be manipulated in ways that it shouldn’t, Shah claims that front-line journalists will be critical in ensuring that narratives are being properly told and facts stay truthful without manipulation. “The front lines are going to be important in the storytelling, and that’ll most likely happen through social media,” she says.

As someone on the front lines, Monterrosa will be playing a key role in ensuring that the information he promotes is accurate. After his first trip to the United States Monterrosa realized that he could make more money posting his original content, than any job in the United States as an immigrant, hence his continuous effort to promote his content.

Upon reaching out to Monterrosa about his social media platforms, he is incredibly eager to share what he has been working on. Enquiring about an interview, Monterrosa sends a one page document in Spanish marketing some of the services he offers as a content creator. Upon translation, Monterrosa’s document reads explicitly that “to book your exclusive forty-five minute interview, simply contact us to schedule a convenient date and time.”

Shortly after, another line reads explicitly, “The cost of this unique experience is one hundred seventy dollars.”

The article written by Jennifer Senior struck me with the image of the wallet with the remaining valuables of the 9/11 victim. This reminded me of when we discussed photography and its role in telling narratives with Joe Nickerburg and looked at his photos as a Time photographer. Seeing a person’s last items in their wallet is such a strong image that I was hooked even before reading the piece. 

The comparison of not having the final notebook of Bobby’s belongings was incredibly compelling. Having Helen describe it as “was like not having an arm” was highly persuasive, given that it made it seem as though she was trying everything in her power to put Bobby back together bit by bit, and these notebooks were a way of doing so. The sprinkling of quotes throughout the introduction was sparse, making them very effective. This goes back to how we should use quotes sparingly and when appropriate for maximum effect in our writing. I also found the experts and interviews this author conducted incredibly crucial to how she could tell the story- incorporating the psychology professor’s critique on McIlvaine’s psychologist put what the story would get in perspective. 

In the piece on dementia by the New York Times, I thought that the shifts in perspective between the two daughters, Diane’s perspective and then Denzil’s perspective, were very effective at showing the diversity of the story. By sharing the various perspectives, the mind wonders which one is true and who to trust. The article’s progression and structure made for an incredibly engaging story that left you on the edge. Especially when Diane took control of her situation and hired her lawyer to fight against her sisters, the structuring of the article until that point was incredibly effective at building up enough momentum to make that development carry a lot of weight, which was then taken as a complete surprise. The most awful thing about this article was the use of Diane as a pawn between these two relationships. Really, in either capacity, either the fact that Denzil was using Diane or she was being used as a point of control for the sisters, the honest Diane got lost in who she was and no longer had complete autonomy over herself. 

Again, the photos included in this article helped enhance the reading experience. It reinforced the narrative by giving photographic evidence of what was happening and backing up what we were reading. The depiction of pain and speaking on the pain of those traveling reinforced this journey’s challenges and dangers. Continuously wondering when the journey will be finished is a daunting feeling that enhances the senses and includes another feeling: pain/physical bodily harm. 

This article brought forward realities that evoked emotion from the reader; one such example that I felt as though was incredibly compelling was the image of the Cameroonians arriving at the smuggler’s campsite and experiencing horrific violence as a byproduct. By painting this clear image of everyone being content and settled in a room, only to be completely bombarded. That paragraph also had so much hurt going on in such a short time that it put in perspective just how much these individuals have gone through and how much they carry with them. 

I enjoyed reading the Pulitzer-winning articles for this week’s class. I want to focus on three in particular: An American Education, Fixing Broken Lovelies, and “When can we really rest?”. All three articles used the same structure of a lede comprising a scene. Saslow in particular in his articles, used the formula of an opening moment: the Superintendent at the airport or the psychiatric nurse arriving at the meeting to open his story. Both of these scenes strike me as liminal moments, the moment just before something happens. I think this is a productive type of scene to open with because it immediately creates a sense of expectation and wonder in the reader. In both of his articles, Saslow then has a mini nutgraf that explains a bit more detail, what the underlying problem or need is and then goes back to the scene. After this comes the full nutgraf that contextualizes the issue more holistically and sets up what the rest of the feature to come will deal with. I remember being struck when reading An American Education how far down the article it was that we actually found out the superintendent had hired teachers from the Philippines. I think this careful management of the flow of information was well done because I will still curious to keep reading—if you are going to slightly delay the main point of the article, I think you just have to make sure that what you’re writing is actually interesting enough to get your reader to that point. Nadja Drost’s article about the Darien Gap was interesting to me because it didn’t have a clear nutgraf? The whole first section of the article is describing the groups of Pakistani and Cameroonian migrants arriving at a camp in a clearing. After describing this scene for a while, Drost goes straight into telling the reader the history of the Darien Gap and its significance nowadays. I thought this worked well. It should already be clear to the reader what the article is about, namely, groups of migrants crossing the gap. Drost didn’t want to reveal whether the migrants made it at the start or ask a kitschy question like “will they make it?”.

After their openings, the three articles all seemed to follow a structure of zooming in and out in their presentation of the central characters. A character would experience something and then that would provide an opportunity to talk about a broader issue then the writer would zoom back into the character before moving on from the experience with the character resolving (or not resolving) the experience. However, most of the historical and political context came in the first half of the articles. In the second halves of the articles, all three articles also revealed more information that complicated the way the reader understood what they had read so far. In American Education, it was that the students were experiencing severe social problems; in the Seattle article, it was a recollection of the nurse’s attempted suicide; and in the Darien Gap piece, it was the revelation that the migrants had gotten lucky by not being attacked viciously by bandits. In each case, the revelation kept the article interesting.

I was also interested in the endings: Saslow is clearly a fan of ending with a quote that summarises the dilemma of the article: “Isn’t America supposed to be a model for the world?” and “How am I supposed to fix all of this?”. I did wonder if Drost should have reordered her last sentence so that she could have ended with, “Brother, see you in America!”

I have also dug out the questions for Christian from my post from the week he was meant to come:

How are governments responding to OSINT investigations? What counter measures have they employed?

I was also interested in the part of the documentary where Christian shows us how a car bombing in Iraq was staged. He goes on to explain that it took him several days of research to find out what actually happened—time, he explained, that traditional news outlets don’t have. So, what does this mean for journalism? To what extent are we going to rely on citizen journalists being able to prove their claims vs will people continue to trust big news organisations?

My other questions for Christian would be to ask how OSINT is evolving with technology, e.g AI. and I am also interested in how Bellingcat investigators remain transparent whilst also protecting sources / unique investigative practices?

From the dining room of a two-bedroom apartment in East Orange, Marie listens to a sermon on the radio as she waits to leave for her night shift. She reaches across the checkered tablecloth, grabs her phone, and glances at the screen. It’s 7 p.m. She places the phone back on the table and, with an awkward movement, stands up. She is about to turn 48, but she still feels like she has energy to keep working. Nonetheless, the heat and the smoke from the fryer at the fast-food restaurant where she has been working have taken their toll on her. She came to the US in 2021 and was approved for Temporary Protected Status after the program was extended in May of that year. Three years later, Marie remains determined to make the most of her health while she still has it, and for as long as she is in this country. Now, more than ever, she feels the uncertainty weighing on her. “He is not going to do it,” she says, trying to convince herself that Trump has been lying about his mass deportation plan. But deep down, she knows Trump is serious, and that terrifies her.

Mass deportations were a central promise of Trump’s 2024 election bid. He vowed to carry out the “largest deportation program” in U.S. history. Now that he’s set to occupy the White House after a landslide election victory in November, migrants are apprehensively preparing for what a Trump presidency could mean for them. Specifically, Trump has promised to end programs like humanitarian parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which have allowed thousands of Haitian migrants to enter the United States legally since 2021. Haitians like Marie aren’t just waiting patiently for Trump to begin deportations; they are being proactive and carefully planning their steps between now and January, when Trump takes office. While some are considering a change of status, others are contemplating leaving the United States altogether. Where to? Canada.

In 2017, when Trump first ended Temporary Protection for Haitians, thousands of Haitians flocked to the northern border to seek asylum in Canada. In fact, asylum claims in Canada reached their highest level in decades that year. Seven years later, many suspect that history could repeat itself. Canadian officials are already preparing for an influx of Haitian migrants. But things are very different in Canada today, and perhaps 2014 is not the new 2017.

The solemn violin drone of Solomiya Ivakhiv and the twinkling piano keys of Nadia Shpachenko reverberated through the warm silence of the room. The space was humble in contrast to its grandiose exterior: a towering three-story mansion across the street from the Met, home to the Ukrainian Institute of America. Before they play, Solomiya tells the audience that Nadia has been learning Ukrainian since the war began. “She is not as good as me yet, but she’s getting there,” joked Solomiya. They are now performing far from Ukraine, where Nadia used to live and where all of Solomiya’s relatives are today. The piece was a series of dances from the Epera opera by Thomas ‘Foma’ de Hartmann, honoring the 20th-century Ukrainian composer in a night of music named “Rediscovering Hartmann.” Yet, underneath the folksy, vivid melodies of these performers, if you listened closely, there was a muted interlude of sirens and horns from a bustling New York City bubbling underneath.

Rediscovery has rested at the core of Ukrainian identity since the start of the war in Feb. 2022. This is a rediscovery rooted in the revival of the past—of personhood, of lost historical traditions, and of an appropriated national culture. For these musicians, performances of largely forgotten Ukrainian compositions represent a broader phenomenon since the war: an artistic and linguistic tradition rising from the ashes. Three years out from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, over 6.7 million Ukrainians have been forced to migrate away from their homes and grapple with how they should preserve the identity of Ukraine. Today, Ukrainian musicians are maintaining the memory of an ongoing, brutal war and a revitalized notion of being Ukrainian by carrying their country’s musical tradition close to their chest.

Pitch: How Different Immigrant Communities Are Bracing Themselves for the Second Trump Term

I am writing my final piece about how immigrants of various backgrounds are reacting to Trump’s reelection and what concerns and anxieties they have heading into the next presidential term. I will rely on our interviews in Philly and New York, as well as additional interviews with leaders of relevant organizations in the Chicago area.

Sources:

Miriama Diallo (immigrant from Guinea – from TWC in Philly)
Anuj Gupta (CEO of TWC)
Elizabeth Jones (Strategy and Impact Director at TWC)
Patricia Fernández-Kelly (Princeton professor of sociology and director of Center for Migration and Development)
Johannes Favi (Deputy Director of the Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants)

Lede and nut graph:

Although it is not yet clear how Trump will enforce his proposed policy of mass deportations, immigrants and advocates are bracing themselves. Most are preparing for increases in detention, deportation, and family separation, in addition to fear within immigrant communities.

Julia Preston’s piece is a thorough walkthrough of what immigration policy can look like under Trump (and now we know the outcome of the election, which was not the case when the piece was written). She accurately describes Trump’s vision of immigration as one that fails to recognize the importance of the contributions of immigrants to this country. She also details the extent of the devastation which could be caused by Trump’s proposed policy of mass deportations.

However, I slightly disagree with Preston’s assessment that Trump and Harris have a narrowing gap on immigration “on the surface” and that Harris’ track record and policy proposals are actually a practical way to address a problem rather than a draconian strategy of enforcement. Harris did move right on immigration. During a CNN Town Hall just weeks before the election, she refused to directly answer a question on whether she supports the border wall due to her support for the bipartisan immigration bill which earmarks funding for it (despite calling it stupid when Trump initially proposed it). Preston also correctly highlights inaccuracies in public perception of immigration enforcement under Trump and under Biden, but this doesn’t change the fact that Harris does support some elements of Trump’s border policy. Preston also mentioned that Harris’ support of the Senate bill is mainly tactical to show that she is willing to compromise and work across the aisle, and can also be the tougher border cop. Unless there was a substantial difference between what she was saying publicly at town halls and rallies and what she was telling advisors privately, it seems that her support for this bill is more than just tactical.

I know the articles on structure are for class, but I liked this quote from the New Yorker piece: “To lack confidence at the outset seems rational to me. It doesn’t matter that something you’ve done before worked out well. Your last piece is never going to write your next one for you.” I was also reflecting on the “considerable tension between chronology and theme” and that chronology usually wins. Even when quoting sources, I often find it easier to start with chronological order then move quotes around based on theme.

Disclaimer: This is certainly not my final, and it will get better as I dig deeper – for example, I want to start with a scene, but I don’t have one yet – but here’s my best shot

When asylum seekers make the decision to make the journey to the United States, they often do so to flee some sort of trauma: organized crime, political violence, persecution based on some part of their identity. Then the journey itself is often treacherous and traumatic, full of dangers and people taking advantage of them – whether they knew of them beforehand or not. Once they get to the United States, some believe that the hardships are over. But even once they are initially processed, the trauma is far from over.

Immigration lawyer scams are as predatory as they are numerous. These scammers pose as lawyers that can help newly-arrived immigrants navigate the US’s complex immigration system. They take the money upfront – sometimes the little that the migrants have left – and disappear, never to be heard from again. And because of the migrants’ fear of the legal system and lack of understanding, the scammers often go unpunished.

Atypical to New York City’s iconic imagery of lofty skyscrapers lies Harlem, a place where the skyline softens and the amount of beaming digital billboards drastically decreases. On the surrounding blocks of West 116th, the streets are filled with African braiding shops, African markets, and tons of African restaurants. West 116th Street, also referred to as Little Senegal, is not the only place where over thousands of African migrants are gathered. Across the nation you can find many communities that were built by Africans for Africans.

A recent trend has shown that an increasing amount of African migrants are coming through the Mexico border. According to Pew Research, many who make it through the border tend to settle in the south or migrate northeast. Of the many destinations, New York City has the biggest Black immigrant population of any metropolitan area, reaching 1.1 million in 2019.

For African migrants, local organizations and established communities like Little Senegal in NYC and Little Liberia in Philadelphia provide crucial cultural and social support. This support from nonprofit organizations and communities is not only what draws them to these areas, but helps them stay there. However, as the political landscape flips with the recent election, worries arise of how state governments and non-profit organizations collaborate – or not– with their immigration work. And how does this relationship impact the future and support of African migrants?