How to Write about Refugees: A Manifesto
A huge thanks to all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to attend our inaugural event, “How can journalists do a better job at reporting the refugee crisis?” We loved every moment of the rich discussion, and we hope you did too.
In addition to a panel discussion, we held a workshop with all participants, during which groups came up with “roses” (i.e., things journalists already do well when it comes to reporting the refugee crisis), “thorns” (i.e., things journalists do poorly), and “buds” (i.e., opportunities for the future). Together, they helped shape the below manifesto — which we encourage you to share with the journalists in your life.
NOTE: This is a living document! If you have suggestions to add to the manifesto, please respond to this letter or email me (sarika@honeyguidemedia.org).
How to Write about Refugees: A Manifesto
How to converse with a refugee. Treat refugees as individual human beings. Remember that if an entire city’s worth of people becomes refugees, their stories will be diverse. Being a refugee is not someone’s entire identity. Assume the refugee you’re talking to has been to hell and back, because she likely has. She’s also likely been interrogated by government officials; your interview needn’t replicate that tone. People who have experienced trauma may not remember their stories in a linear manner, and that’s OK. Be patient. Be kind.
A few facts to make sure your audience keeps in perspective. Today’s refugee crisis is truly unprecedented; nearly one in 100 people today is displaced from his/her home. Nearly three-quarters of Syrian refugees are women and children. There are refugees from many countries beyond Syria (speaking of which: can media executives perhaps embed journalists in some of these places, including Honduras, Central African Republic, and Myanmar?). Refugees are among the most thoroughly vetted people to enter any industrialized nation.
What not to do. Typecasting refugees is not OK. Don’t ask one refugee to speak for every refugee. Refugees of one religious group are not inherently more “worthy” than refugees of another. Don’t conflate the threats refugees pose with the difficult work of integrating them. Don’t assume all refugees live in camps, when most are living on the fringes in urban areas.
Types of stories to tell. First-person stories that neither valorize a refugee nor hide her warts. Don’t shy away from discussing how difficult it is for refugees to integrate — but also talk about the people and institutions helping them get the basics like housing, health insurance, and means of transport. Use data to find positive stories on immigrants/refugees. Use humor to reach new audiences. Talk about corporations that are helping refugees. Talk to more refugee activists. Tell us how a community overcame their fear of refugees. Tell stories about environmental refugees — i.e., people who have been kicked out of their homes on account of climate change. Writing service pieces that explain how a person with, say, an extra room in his apartment can let a refugee family stay there. Make it easier for people interested in getting involved with their community do so.
And finally, here’s some weekend reading for you from The Development Set:
Silicon Valley Needs to Stop Pimping Out Patients to Alleviate White Guilt
According to its site, Watsi aims to “provide healthcare for every person in the world.” Specifically, they seek crowdfunding for individual patients around the world. A person in the Bay Area can choose between alleviating the plight of a two-month-old baby in Guatemala, a 32-year-old woman in Burma, or hundreds of other suffering human beings.
In Pakistan, A Frenzied Effort to Eradicate Polio
By Ryan Hyland
We are so close to eradicating polio. Can Pakistan’s efforts get us there?
Why Switzerland is the Happiest Country in the World
The traditionally neutral country boasts a civically minded and physically active populace — though its happiness comes at a cost.
