I just wanted to say that I think you do fantastic work and I applaud you for it. I just moved to Stanford to start a PhD in comparative literature and have a couple reporting projects of my own that I’m also trying to develop so it’s inspiring to follow your trajectory; I, too, share your appreciation for nature and good stories.
Anyway, now to what’s potentially relevant: before Stanford, I worked at AP for a bit as a freelancer in Beirut, Lebanon. One of my colleagues there is a veteran reporter who, almost weekly, if not bi-weekly for the last decade, chronicles the death of Syrians caused mainly by pro-government forces in rebel-held areas of Syria. Often times, he doesn’t have his byline on the story because it will be like a 400 word news blast and details of the victims are rarely given beyond the most simple facts (age, profession, and maybe name). In 2016, with the siege of Aleppo, and during other intense moments of carnage/fighting, reports obviously were more in-depth -- but what remains is the tragic continuity of Syrian civilian deaths. I’m sure my reporter friend shares sentiments with other journalists who have covered war zones. What’s also uncanny is that he’s been monitoring deaths in neighboring Syria while Lebanon, his home country, has been dying a metaphorical death; it’s hemorrhage has accelerated at an exorbitant rate, with now 80 percent of the country plunged into poverty in what the world bank has described as one of the world’s worst economic crises since the 1850s.
This is all maybe - probably - beyond the scope of your research. But I thought I’d quickly reach out with something that’s frequently on my mind.
Hey Meg,
I just wanted to say that I think you do fantastic work and I applaud you for it. I just moved to Stanford to start a PhD in comparative literature and have a couple reporting projects of my own that I’m also trying to develop so it’s inspiring to follow your trajectory; I, too, share your appreciation for nature and good stories.
Anyway, now to what’s potentially relevant: before Stanford, I worked at AP for a bit as a freelancer in Beirut, Lebanon. One of my colleagues there is a veteran reporter who, almost weekly, if not bi-weekly for the last decade, chronicles the death of Syrians caused mainly by pro-government forces in rebel-held areas of Syria. Often times, he doesn’t have his byline on the story because it will be like a 400 word news blast and details of the victims are rarely given beyond the most simple facts (age, profession, and maybe name). In 2016, with the siege of Aleppo, and during other intense moments of carnage/fighting, reports obviously were more in-depth -- but what remains is the tragic continuity of Syrian civilian deaths. I’m sure my reporter friend shares sentiments with other journalists who have covered war zones. What’s also uncanny is that he’s been monitoring deaths in neighboring Syria while Lebanon, his home country, has been dying a metaphorical death; it’s hemorrhage has accelerated at an exorbitant rate, with now 80 percent of the country plunged into poverty in what the world bank has described as one of the world’s worst economic crises since the 1850s.
This is all maybe - probably - beyond the scope of your research. But I thought I’d quickly reach out with something that’s frequently on my mind.
Keep up the important work.
AJ