1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: Hi, it's Kadija. 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 2: In this episode, we're going to explore how to use 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 2: the media to take control of your story and draw 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 2: attention to the causes that matter the most to you. 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: But I just wanted to give you a heads up 6 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 2: that in the process of doing that, we'll discuss domestic abuse, 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: sexual assault, violence, and murder. If you or someone you 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: love has been affected by any of the themes that 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: have come up in this episode, we've left some links 10 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,959 Speaker 2: in the description that offer resources and support take care 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: of yourself. In this season of The Girlfriends, we've been 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: discovering some difficult truths about the city we love. Malicious prosecution, extortion, 13 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: sexual violence from police officers. It seems like the whills 14 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 2: really came off in Windot County. But in my opinion, 15 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 2: it's not just law enforcement that failed us, it's the 16 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 2: media too. They failed to report adequately on what was 17 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 2: happening in our community. They failed to be a check 18 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: on the police department as it went roll, and a 19 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 2: lot of our media still misrepresents and underrepresents the very 20 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 2: people who need it the most. Throughout my work with 21 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 2: Justice Awandotte, if there's one thing I've learned is that 22 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: if you want answers and accountability. If you're trying to 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: find a missing person or discover why a loved one 24 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 2: was murdered, or if you're a survivor yourself looking for justice, 25 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: the media may not always feel like your friend, but 26 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 2: it can work for you and if you really want 27 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 2: your voice to be heard. Understanding how the media works, 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 2: whether it's news media, social media, or podcasts like this 29 00:01:47,680 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: one gidding Wise is essential. I'm Kadidra Hardaway for the 30 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: teens at novel and iHeart podcasts. This is the Girlfriend's 31 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: Untouchable Bonus Episode six, how to Put a Spotlight on 32 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: your Story. When Stacy Quinn, RNDA Tribune, and Monique Allen, 33 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 2: among many other women in our County were murdered, there 34 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 2: was little media outrage, certainly not enough to make people 35 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 2: take any real notice or stop crimes like these from 36 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 2: happening again and again. We know that there is a 37 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: nationwide problem with black people being underreported as victims, and 38 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: black women are murdered at nearly triple the rate of 39 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: white women. Black people make up forty percent of the 40 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: missing person's population and only get seven percent of the 41 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: media coverage. That is less than one fifth of the 42 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: coverage they should be getting. I have busted a gut 43 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,839 Speaker 2: throughout my life to try and get attention and accountability 44 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 2: for black women, and it hasn't been easy. So how 45 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 2: can you get the media to work for you and 46 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 2: with you to chew over this difficult subject. I'm talking 47 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: to Tamara Cherry, a celebrated crime reporter and journalist. She's 48 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: the author of The Trauma Beat, a case for rethinking 49 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,119 Speaker 2: the business of bad news, which looks at the way 50 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: news media handles victims and their trauma, challenging the industry 51 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: to re examine the way it does business. I started 52 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: out by giving Tamara a little insight into my own 53 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: experience of the media. I have a love for journalism. 54 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 2: When I was a little girl, my dad nicknamed me 55 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 2: Katie J because I used to act like I was 56 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 2: the radio station and every aspect of the radio, the 57 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 2: weather man, the disc jockey, the news reporter. I do 58 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: have a love for media. When I took on the 59 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: advocacy of women in Wyandot County, even though I'm a 60 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 2: black woman and I've sat in spaces of media, feel 61 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: like I very much have been put on. It just 62 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: didn't feel like that way for us collectively. I found 63 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: myself in some very hard spaces losing friends in media 64 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: because I just wouldn't back down from the ideal that 65 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 2: exposure of the bad characters needed to happen. But we 66 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 2: do find in the media here a lot of hurdles 67 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: when it comes to just being black and female at 68 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: the same time, we're both females. Can you tell me 69 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 2: a little bit about yourself? 70 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 3: Thank you for sharing that first. I've met many people 71 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 3: with similar situations where they're in advocate roles and have 72 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 3: personal histories that are connected to some of their work, 73 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 3: but they've felt that same sting and the way that 74 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: stories are reported and the way that things are portrayed 75 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 3: in the news, it's just another nail in the coffin, 76 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 3: like they don't care about us collectively. 77 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: So I hear you on that. 78 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 3: So in terms of my background, I was born and 79 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 3: raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, which is where I am 80 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 3: right now. By going to journalism and I fell in 81 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 3: love with news, and I fell in love with telling 82 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 3: stories that could make people care, and I really wanted 83 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 3: to be able to affect change through the craft of journalism. 84 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 3: I ended up working in television news for a decade 85 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 3: as the crime reporter for this big newscast, and I 86 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 3: was very celebrated for the work that I did. 87 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 2: Well to marijuana accolades for her work. The coaches she 88 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 2: was working in did not serve the goal she was 89 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: setting of affecting positive change. 90 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 3: Nobody ever talked about trauma and how to work with 91 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 3: victims and survivors of traumatic events, and how to report 92 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 3: on things in a way that was actually causing good 93 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 3: things to happen instead of bad things to happen. The 94 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,799 Speaker 3: community is telling you, like what you're doing is is harmful, 95 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 3: or we don't want you hearing now, or that sort 96 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: of thing, but then everything else is signaling that you're 97 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 3: doing the right thing. You're getting nominated for awards. And 98 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 3: I was celebrated when I got that quote unquote scoop 99 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 3: where I got the grieving mother on TV, and even 100 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 3: though it might not have been in her best interest, 101 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 3: my bosses were celebrating me for it. You know, if 102 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 3: there was a homicide in an apartment building, I would 103 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 3: be searching through every phone number listed in that apartment 104 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 3: building looking for witnesses and ran into really unfortunate situations. 105 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 3: It's too soon, they don't have the proper supports in place. 106 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: All that. That's a whole different part of this conversation. 107 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 2: And you know, you say talking about, you know, knocking 108 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 2: on somebody's door in that vulnerable space, did you feel 109 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 2: like the media companies you were working for were exploiting stories. 110 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 3: There's absolutely exploitation that happens, but I don't think it's 111 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 3: happening consciously for the most part. 112 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 2: Can you tell me a little bit about how you 113 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: see media is portrayed when it comes to individuals like myself. 114 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 3: When we're talking about actual systemic racism that exists. Sometimes 115 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 3: it is blatant, and sometimes it is so like deep 116 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 3: into the bones of media institutions, reporters don't realize it. 117 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 3: In my book, I talk about this case actually throughout 118 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 3: the book where there was a young man who was 119 00:07:54,320 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 3: murdered in East Saint Louis and his mother, Latasha Stewart, 120 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 3: was screaming from the rooftops to get the media to 121 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 3: pay attention to her son's murder. She had created a 122 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 3: Facebook page, she created like a group, she got herself 123 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 3: on Twitter, and she contacted the Montel Williams Show for 124 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 3: crying out loud like she was doing everything and nobody 125 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 3: was paying attention. 126 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: It was not easy. 127 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 3: She screamed from the rooftops for so long, but she 128 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 3: got the media coverage. She is incredible and it shouldn't 129 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 3: have had to be that much of a struggle. 130 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: That was wrong. 131 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 3: That was the system working against her, just as it 132 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 3: has worked against people of color for generations. 133 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 2: Pretty Much everything I'm going to ask you is something 134 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: that I have experienced and just kind of tying it 135 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 2: together with someone who has experienced this in the media. 136 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 2: Where I found myself is that at some point I 137 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: realized this is trauma and their trauma is beginning to 138 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 2: impact me and become trauma on me. When did you 139 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 2: have that moment where you felt like you had that aha, 140 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 2: like this is not what I'm reporting. This is actually 141 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 2: something else and something needs to be done about it. 142 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 3: My specialty in my crime reporting be was the domestic 143 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 3: sex trafficking of women and girls in Canada. And when 144 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 3: I first was introduced to the term human trafficking, I, 145 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 3: like so many other people, thought, Oh, somebody's been brought 146 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: over in a box car from Russia or whatever. 147 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: You know. 148 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 3: I was reporting on all these international cases. A woman 149 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 3: from Russia who had answered an ad to work as 150 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 3: a model in Canada and has turned out as an escort, 151 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 3: you know. And then I got an email from a 152 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 3: vice investigator who said, why do you come out and 153 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 3: talk to us? They opened my eyes to all the 154 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 3: other human trafficking cases. They are impoverished, quite often, they 155 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 3: come from group homes, quite often, there was sexual abuse 156 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:52,439 Speaker 3: when they were younger. 157 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: And it's a lot of them followed the same. 158 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 3: Pattern, but none of them was what I had in 159 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 3: my mind is human trafficking. Some of them are white, 160 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 3: some of them are black, some of them are indigenous, 161 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 3: but marginalized in some way. That's when I started noticing 162 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 3: in the police news releases that would come out a 163 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,679 Speaker 3: runaway or somebody who's gone missing. 164 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 1: She's gone missing. 165 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 3: Before, and as a result, for years I dedicated a 166 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 3: big portion of my career to exposing that and to 167 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 3: writing about these stories that otherwise weren't being written about. 168 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 2: One thing that became clear to Tamara is that who 169 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 2: you are determines how the media reports your story. 170 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 3: Marginalized people in general are treated differently. How a young 171 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 3: marginalized woman from poverty and has gone missing many times 172 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 3: before might be referred to as somebody who has gone 173 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 3: missing several times before, even though she's a fifteen year 174 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 3: old girl and very vulnerable, and so she's immediately labeled 175 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,119 Speaker 3: as well habitual runaway who will just come back, whereas 176 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 3: if a more affluent white girl were to go missing, 177 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 3: there would be more immediate alarm bells. Right, the police 178 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 3: narrative is always the primary, very narrative. The journalists are 179 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 3: not getting proper training on communities, and in general, they're 180 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 3: never given the proper training to understand communities. There is 181 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 3: the systemic racism. I had mentioned the homicide of Gregory 182 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 3: Stewart in East Saint Louis, and what was interesting when 183 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 3: I was working on my book was going back and 184 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 3: into the history of East St. Louis and the segregation 185 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 3: and the role that the media played in that and 186 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 3: in inciting violence, like going back to like the nineteen 187 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 3: thirties and seeing the actual like racist roots that exist 188 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 3: in the media, even though journalists today there might not 189 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 3: realize it. 190 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 2: Something Tamera said that I relate to is that bias 191 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 2: comes from a number of issues. Yes, there are racist 192 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 2: roots to the media, but there are other kinds of 193 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 2: bias that combine to stack the deck. Against us. 194 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 3: One of the things I talked about in my book 195 00:11:55,440 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 3: is the fact that the media doesn't report on planes 196 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 3: that land. They see the news as uncommon things that 197 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 3: are happening. So they are much more likely, for example, 198 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:14,319 Speaker 3: to report on a white, affluent person who is murdered 199 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 3: because it doesn't happen statistically as often as a black, 200 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 3: impoverished person who is murdered. 201 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 2: You just said something unique to me, and that's that 202 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 2: they report on the white victim if he's affluent, rich, right, 203 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 2: But they don't report on the black. What they report 204 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 2: on the black is the criminal. They don't even report 205 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: on the victim. Here in Kansas City, Missouri and wyan 206 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 2: Dot County, the media doesn't portray us in a good light. 207 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 2: It doesn't want to tell our feel good stories. We 208 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 2: know that these problems of underreporting and misrepresentation are happening 209 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 2: on a mask. I want to hear more of what 210 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 2: we're doing about it. After the break, we're going to 211 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 2: talk about ways the media can do better. Journalism is 212 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 2: a major two for addressing injustice in our community. But 213 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: an issue we face so often is the people reporting 214 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 2: our problems are not us and don't know us. As 215 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty two, Black people made up six percent 216 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 2: of the journalists, which is a lot less than the 217 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 2: fourteen point four percent of the population which black people 218 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 2: make up in the US. Given the history of our community, 219 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 2: it's even more important for those in the media, especially 220 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 2: white journalists, to think carefully about how they report on 221 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 2: us when we're at our most vulnerable. We find that 222 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 2: most journalists want the victim in the rawest form, which 223 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 2: I think puts them in a very vulnerable place. 224 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 3: Oh, and I've seen it play out with sexual violence 225 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 3: survivors here in Canada, where they go to the media 226 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 3: first they share their story and then I go and 227 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 3: I'm sitting in the trial for the alleged perpetrator. And Oh, 228 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 3: you're saying this now, but you said it differently when 229 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 3: you spoke to this newspaper reporter a year ago. That's 230 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 3: something I advise sexual violence survivers in particular about as well. 231 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 3: When we're talking about journalists, you know that they want 232 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 3: them in the more vulnerable position. 233 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: And I was the same. 234 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 3: You want that raw emotion, You don't want them reading 235 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 3: from a prepared statement. 236 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 2: You say, knocking on somebody's door in that vulnerable space. 237 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 2: Did you feel like the media companies you were working 238 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: for were exploiting stories for capital gain. 239 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 3: Most news managers who are telling us to go cover 240 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 3: these stories, their intentions are overwhelmingly good. They want this 241 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 3: violence to stop, They want people to care. I don't 242 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 3: think that there's a conscious will to exploit. 243 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 2: There may not be a conscious will to exploit by 244 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 2: all media organizations and editors, but is often the result 245 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 2: of prioritizing the most shocking stories to sell newspapers and 246 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 2: get more clicks and subscribers. 247 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 3: You want it raw because it makes for a more 248 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 3: compelling story. What I teach journalists now, though, because I 249 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 3: do a lot of trauma informed storytelling training, is about 250 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 3: the impact that trauma has on the brain and recognizing 251 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 3: that if you bring that survivor into that unsafe zone 252 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 3: activating their trauma responses, then you might not actually be 253 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 3: getting an accurate story. A lot of journalists they're going 254 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 3: into newsrooms that are mostly white, and they don't reflect 255 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 3: the communities that they are reporting on. 256 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 2: Along with the crisis of representation, there's also a crisis 257 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: within the press industry. In the age of the Internet, 258 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 2: local reporting and investigating reporting has struggled to find resources 259 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 2: is to do good work. As Tamarra found in one 260 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: of her jobs. 261 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 3: We were so short staffed that I would come into 262 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 3: the office some days and be like, Hey, I've got 263 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 3: a really great scoop on this case. I need time 264 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 3: to work on it. And they'd say that's great, but 265 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 3: you're one of two reporters working today, so we need 266 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 3: you to write half the paper. So you're just going 267 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 3: to rewrite eight press releases instead. So in that way, 268 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 3: I'm regurgitating whatever's coming up from police by and large, 269 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 3: and I don't have the time or the resources to 270 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 3: actually dig into anything because it's just like I got 271 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 3: to get this stuff filed and then get out the door. 272 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 2: Ultimately, we need more black journalists and editors calling the shots, 273 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 2: and I can only hope that as awareness spreads about 274 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 2: the harm done by sensationalizing stories, there would be more 275 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 2: urgency to change things. 276 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 3: There are journalists out there who are becoming trauma informed, 277 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 3: and when I tell them that actually a lot of 278 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 3: what you're doing is harmful, they're surprised and they ask 279 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 3: me how can I do better? And then I teach them, 280 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 3: or they read my book or they listen to my podcasts, 281 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 3: and then they reach out to me and they say, Tamara, 282 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,479 Speaker 3: I've been doing this job for thirty three years and 283 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:11,199 Speaker 3: I just wanted you to know I just did this 284 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 3: interview differently because of what this survivor said was harmful 285 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 3: for her in the past. 286 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: So change is happening, Trauman. 287 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 3: Foreign practice still remains the exception rather than the expectation, 288 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 3: but it is happening. And if you can find that 289 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 3: good journalist or news your manager or advocate who has 290 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 3: those connections, you can actually have an experience with the 291 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 3: media that is healing instead of harmful and can help 292 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 3: you reach your goals. 293 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 2: I have to be honest, I am still skeptical about 294 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 2: the role the media has played and continues to play 295 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 2: in our communities. The news media is still by and 296 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 2: large a for profit business driven by what sales. But 297 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 2: what Tamara has described seems like a route forward and 298 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 2: maybe calls for optimist I hope Tamara is right that 299 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 2: we are moving to a more compassionate and thoughtful culture 300 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 2: of journalism. After the break, we're going to talk about 301 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 2: survivor empowerment and what advocates and survivors can do to 302 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 2: amplify their voices within the media. 303 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: I got you I got you, I got you. 304 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 2: When it comes to the media and getting your voice 305 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 2: out there, there is a lot stacked up against women, 306 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 2: especially marginalized and black women. We saw what that looked 307 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: like for so many of the women of Wyandot County 308 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 2: who got caught up in Galucy's web of abuse and 309 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 2: were ignored. But I know from my own experience the 310 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 2: media can work for us. We'll be talking through some 311 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 2: of those two and two's to help navigate the media 312 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 2: while dealing with trauma. And one of the most traumatic 313 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: things we'll deal with is when a loved one goes missing. 314 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 2: Getting the media's attention can be the difference between life 315 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 2: or death. The chances of being found after the first 316 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 2: forty eight hours go down sharply, so every moment counts. 317 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 3: If you're wanting to utilize the media after a loved 318 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 3: one goes missing, when you go to the media, if 319 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 3: a news release goes out forty eight hours later saying 320 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 3: a runaway quote unquote is gone, your number one mission 321 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 3: is to humanize your missing loved one. 322 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: It's not something that you should have to do. 323 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 3: But the unfortunate reality is if it's not getting media attention, 324 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 3: it's because they're being treated as just another statistic, another runaway. 325 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 2: You know, I have dealt with many of people who 326 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 2: said their loved one was missing. What I usually do 327 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 2: is I challenge the individual that is looking for the 328 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 2: miss loved one to let me know what organizations they 329 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 2: belong to. Are they disable, are they a veteran? Descriptions 330 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 2: about them that connect them to other people. If you 331 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 2: can find the people that associate with that individual, you 332 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,719 Speaker 2: can find the best help. It has helped rescue at 333 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 2: least five people that I know in my community. Another 334 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: situation where you might need to get your voice heard 335 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 2: by the media is if a loved one or a 336 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 2: community member is murdered. And if you're black, newsflash, you're 337 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 2: going to have a harder time getting your story heard. 338 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 2: According to a study by Stanford University, in majority white neighborhoods, 339 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 2: murder victims are around twice as likely to be covered 340 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 2: as a complex and rounded person than those in majority 341 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 2: black neighborhoods. And that goes to a whole new level. 342 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 2: When you're speaking out for young black men, You know 343 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 2: how it goes. They must have been in a game, 344 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 2: So breaking through prejudice takes some hard work. 345 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 3: So how can you humanize them. I think back to 346 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,719 Speaker 3: a campaign that I did about a teenage boy who 347 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 3: was murdered several years ago, and on the surface, this 348 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 3: homicide would have gotten not the most compassionate care from 349 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 3: the media. I had conversations with the family and we 350 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 3: put out this video of him, and it really showed 351 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 3: how young he was. It really tugged at the heartstrings. 352 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 3: And just by putting out that video, we got media 353 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 3: attention that we would not have otherwise gotten, and we 354 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 3: got the story covered because it humanized. It was no 355 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 3: longer just this teenage boy was murdered in this neighborhood. 356 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 3: It was this human being with loved ones who care 357 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 3: about him, who is now missing from our collective lives. 358 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 3: His family is hurting, and this is how you can 359 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 3: help them. 360 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 2: We like to call that empowerment. Do believe that the 361 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 2: more a person knows, the more experience and influence they 362 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 2: have with their own situation walking through it, the better 363 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 2: they can help the next person. You may find yourself 364 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 2: in a position of being a survivor of a crime, 365 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 2: navigating the media at a terrible experience. So what is 366 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 2: the best way for you to fight for your own justice? 367 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,919 Speaker 2: I do believe that there are so many ways to 368 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 2: use the media. One, don't overshare your story, but two, 369 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 2: make sure that when you tell it is powerful, it's impactful, 370 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 2: and you're telling it to the right people who can 371 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 2: help you. Most people don't know how to tell their 372 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 2: story and they think instantly something should happen. 373 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 3: As a journalist and somebody who has worked with trauma survivors, 374 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 3: my message is, first decide what you are comfortable sharing. 375 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 3: What message do you want to get out there. Think 376 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 3: about the trauma that you endured. Are you actually comfortable 377 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 3: talking about the event, or do you just want to 378 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 3: talk about the impact that event had on you and 379 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 3: your family, your loved ones. Identify as a survivor, but 380 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 3: talk about something else that you're seeing in the news, 381 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 3: because journalists will always try to get to that personal story. 382 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 3: But if you don't know going into that interview very 383 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 3: clearly what you want to talk about, you can end 384 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 3: up going down a very slippery road that can cause 385 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 3: you more harm. You need to have a clear understanding 386 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 3: of what are you comfortable talking about to everybody surrounding 387 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 3: that survivor. That survivor needs to be wrapped in support 388 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 3: when dealing with the media. They should never be doing 389 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,719 Speaker 3: it alone, whether it is with a lawyer or an 390 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 3: organization or like a nonprofit or whatever. 391 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 2: A part of the process of telling your story is 392 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 2: about making compelling, strategic campaigns that punch through the lack 393 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 2: of care and get your story heard. One way to 394 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 2: go about that is to focus on social media campaigning. 395 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,679 Speaker 2: It's free and anyone can do it, and if you 396 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 2: have a community behind you, it can really make a splash. 397 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 2: I don't know if you agree with this, but sometimes 398 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 2: when we don't get the coverage, we will share the 399 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: story on several social media outlets, tagging those news outlets 400 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 2: with that life that story, comment on that story, or 401 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 2: how viral that story goes. It sometimes get picked up 402 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 2: that way. 403 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 3: Social media can be a very powerful tool. One caution 404 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 3: I would give about social media is it can be 405 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 3: a very dark, awful place full of trolls. There needs 406 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 3: to be somebody there, ideally with some media literacy and 407 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 3: who's trauma informed and is looking out for the best 408 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 3: interest of that survivor. 409 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 2: I tell people there's a big difference between social media 410 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 2: influencers and one that's the credibility that is going to 411 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 2: go behind something that's published from a licensed journalist, as 412 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 2: if an article that said it came from the Washington Post. 413 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: That's what I'm saying. 414 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 3: You make that social media campaign with your vertical videos, 415 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 3: but you also produce those videos horizontally for mainstream media 416 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 3: to use, and so you're fighting it from both sides. 417 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 3: I work with a lot of organizations that have very 418 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 3: small social media followings, and so it's like, we create 419 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 3: this whole social media campaign, it's really not going to 420 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 3: be seen by a lot of people because they've only got, 421 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 3: you know, a few dozen followers. But we take that 422 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 3: to mainstream media and they amplify it in that way, 423 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 3: and it also drives followers then to their social media. 424 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,239 Speaker 2: Today, social media plays a bigger role than ever in 425 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 2: getting the word out, but traditional media platforms continue to 426 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 2: be important. To build momentum around your story, you need 427 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 2: to be smart and have multiple approaches to campaigning. Oftentimes, 428 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 2: when we think of media, I would say justice for 429 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 2: wine that not necessarily has fared well. We need to 430 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 2: be more impactful, and so how do we do that. 431 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,400 Speaker 1: Are not expected to be an expert in the media. 432 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 3: Surround yourself with people who already have that media literacy. 433 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 3: Learn about the media, create those relationships and magic can happen. 434 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 3: Back in November, which in Canada is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 435 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 3: one of my clients is an organization that provides wrap 436 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 3: around services for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence, 437 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 3: and they wanted to do an entire campaign around strangulation. 438 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 3: So we created a campaign called taking Your Breath Away, 439 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 3: and it was a social media campaign that included something 440 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 3: like eighteen or nineteen videos. Here's a survivor who is 441 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,199 Speaker 3: part of the campaign, and she doesn't want to do 442 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 3: media interviews, but here are video clips that we've created 443 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 3: with her protecting her identity, where she shares her story. 444 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 3: Here are these experts from San Diego who are experts 445 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 3: in strangulation that are a part of it. Here's the 446 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 3: executive director of the organization that we created a whole 447 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 3: mainstream media campaign around this, where we had a news 448 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 3: conference and with a campaign law video, we create a 449 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:05,719 Speaker 3: whole media frenzy around this. Whereas if somebody were to 450 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 3: just call a news station and say, why don't you 451 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 3: ever talk about strangulation, Well, that's a lot of work 452 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:12,680 Speaker 3: and I don't have time to do that because I'm 453 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 3: filing for six or I'm doing this, but if I 454 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,479 Speaker 3: hand you the story on a platter, then you're golden. 455 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 2: Once you start speaking the experts language, they're going to 456 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: want to talk about and dissect it and look at 457 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 2: it from a and in some cases give you strategies 458 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 2: that you would not have thought about before. And we 459 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 2: refer to that as being empowered. 460 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: Mm hmm for sure. 461 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 3: Another way to control the message is depending on what 462 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,359 Speaker 3: is happening in the news, write and off ed, like 463 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 3: write an opinion piece that you can then submit to 464 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 3: the local newspaper. That is a great way because you 465 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 3: can control that message and it doesn't need to be 466 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 3: tied to specific work you are doing. But it's presenting 467 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 3: yourself as the thought leader because you have done X, 468 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 3: Y and Z, and newspapers love to run a piece 469 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 3: that presents a different point of view to what has 470 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 3: already been reported. 471 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:10,360 Speaker 2: I've been working with the press for years and despite 472 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 2: the wins we've had, just being heard continues to be hard. 473 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 2: I don't think it would ever be easy. Working with 474 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 2: survivors whose stories are definitely newsworthy, we can struggle to 475 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 2: get the media's attention. That can be for a number 476 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 2: of reasons. Is the victim from the wrong neighborhood, the 477 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 2: wrong race, and the wrong line of work? Are they 478 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 2: too poor? Sometimes I feel like I'm being ignored, not 479 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 2: because of what I am saying, but because my face 480 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 2: just doesn't fit. In the beginning, I felt like the 481 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 2: princess of why and not because everyone wanted to hear 482 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 2: what I had to say and I was tied to 483 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 2: a white organization at that time. When we broke free 484 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 2: of the white organization, then we noticed that they would 485 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 2: put the white organization before our movement. 486 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 3: If you are working in a market where they're not 487 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 3: going to talk to you because you're black, go to 488 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 3: a different media market where you can talk about this 489 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 3: issue with a local news hook. That was like, Okay, 490 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:19,800 Speaker 3: let's find a news hook in Detroit, for example, where 491 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 3: there is a more friendly reporter perhaps who will do 492 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 3: this story, and then we can bring that story back 493 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 3: to social media and share it locally and say why 494 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 3: isn't the media talking about this here in Kansas? 495 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 2: There wasn't until we decided that we would not deal 496 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 2: with our media. I would gravitate toward activists outside of 497 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 2: Kansas City who had a media platform who could post 498 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 2: and share the things. And when they did that, that's 499 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 2: when we began to see the New York Times, Washington Posts, 500 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 2: and news outlets that put us on a national platform. 501 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 2: From where I'm standing, no one can stop you. If 502 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 2: you are set on your goal. If you hit but 503 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 2: it feels like a wall, don't give up, find another way. 504 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 3: Find the good reporters, get the good stories done, and 505 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 3: then all the rest of the media will start to 506 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 3: pay attention what you did. 507 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: It was brilliant. 508 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 2: I just want to say thank you again for sharing 509 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 2: with me. It is great speaking with you. Journalism. I 510 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 2: know it's not an easy job. You need it in 511 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 2: a lot of communities, and I appreciate the ideal of 512 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 2: having trauma response reporters. I would love to see trauma 513 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 2: inform journalist here in Kansas City. 514 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. It's been so 515 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 3: wonderful to learn about the work that you're doing, and 516 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 3: I look forward to following your journey. 517 00:30:54,520 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 2: That was tomorrow Cherry writer journalists and reformer, look up 518 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 2: her truly amazing book, The Trauma Beat, which is calling 519 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 2: for reform and showing the way to a better media 520 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 2: landscape which would be more victim centered. I got a 521 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: lot of hope listening to Tamara, seeing that we can 522 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 2: shape the media narrative and that change is happening in journalism. 523 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 2: There is racism at the heart of many of America's institutions. 524 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 2: The media is no exception, but we have to challenge 525 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 2: it and speak out for our communities. It's possible. I 526 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 2: know because at Justifuydot we have been able to make 527 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 2: a splash. You can make change too. You just have 528 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 2: to find the right partners and use the right tactics. 529 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 2: We need a mass movement to meet this challenge. Let's 530 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 2: do this together. 531 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 4: Hi, this is Nikki again. Nico Khadija and I have 532 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 4: been on a long, hard journey to fight for the 533 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:18,000 Speaker 4: women of Kansas City, and while this is the final 534 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 4: episode of the series, our story isn't over. We're still 535 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 4: fighting for police reform and doing what we can to 536 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 4: make sure the people most affected by this story feel 537 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 4: seen and heard. And we're not alone. There are thousands 538 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 4: of people across the world fighting to improve the places 539 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 4: they live, doing the often slow but necessary work needed 540 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 4: to hold the authorities to account. But as we've learned, 541 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 4: while the path to progress is long and winding, it's 542 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 4: worth the ride, because if we keep fighting back and 543 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:57,719 Speaker 4: refusing to accept the status quo, we can work together 544 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 4: to create a future where nobody, even people in positions 545 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:04,800 Speaker 4: of authority, can ever get to the point where they 546 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 4: think they're untouchable. Next time, Annisenfield will be back with 547 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 4: another season of The Girlfriend's Spotlight and more untold stories 548 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 4: of women winning. Until then, thanks for listening, and hold 549 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 4: your girlfriends tight. 550 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 2: The Girlfriend's Untouchable is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcast. 551 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 2: For more from novel, visit novel dot Audio. This episode 552 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 2: was hosted by me Kadija Hardaway. It was written and 553 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 2: produced by Mohammed Ahmed. The editor is Joe Whiller. The 554 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 2: researcher is Aiyana Yusef. Production management from Sharie Houston and 555 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 2: Joe Savage. The fact checker is Vindo Fulton. Sound design, 556 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 2: mixing and scoring by Daniel Kimpsen with additional engineering by 557 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 2: Nicholas Alexander. Music supervision by Refriro Masurura, Nicholas Alexander and 558 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 2: Joe Wheeler. Original music by Amanda Jones. The series artwork 559 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:14,320 Speaker 2: was designed by Christina Limku. Novels Director of Development in 560 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 2: Selena Metta, Willard Foxton is Novels. Creative Director of Development, 561 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 2: Max O'Brien and Craig Strackton are executive producers for Novel. 562 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 2: Katrina Novel and Nikki Etour are the executive producers for 563 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 2: iHeart Podcasts, and the marketing lead is Alison Cantour. And 564 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:35,440 Speaker 2: a special thanks to Carley Frankel and the whole team 565 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 2: at WM