Chantal Da Silva has always had a keen interest in finding the Truth. Since she was a child, she has been a detective, snooping on her family members and searching through their garbage to discover the Truth behind the events in her house. Her curiosity brought her to an internship with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, where she started her career as an investigator.
Since then, she has been featured on BBC World and MSNBC was a reporter at the Independent and was awarded the Migration Media Award for reporting on a community of women from the migrant community who seek to make themselves stronger and others. As the Chief Correspondent for Newsweek, Her reporting is still focused on asylum seekers and immigration, as well as freedom of movement and human rights.
Chantal met with Photographers Without Borders (PWB) founder Danielle Da Silva as part of the ongoing ” Storytelling for Change” webinar series. Below are edited extracts from their conversation that focused on the intricate aspects of determining the Truth behind telling stories, why specific stories are more prominent than others, and ways to make newsworthy content in the current world.
Chantal was interviewed by Photographers Without Borders (PWB) founder Danielle Da Silva as part of the ongoing ” Storytelling for Change” webinar series. Below are edited portions of their conversation, which focused on the intricate aspects of determining the Truth behind storytelling, why some stories have more space than others and the best way to make newsworthy content today.
Danielle Da Silva: What made you decide to become a journalist? And why did you choose to follow the kinds of stories you write about?
Chantal Da Silva: How I’ve been raised has led me to love finding Truth and becoming a detective. I was always interested in seeing the core of what people believe and how they concluded that they have the way they do. That’s why I studied anthropology at university since it explores human nature. I’m fascinated by the reasons why people do what they do.
One of the biggest questions that has shaped my professional life is one I was able to answer in a book written by Chris Kraus: Who is allowed to speak, and for what reason? This is, to me, the essence of everything I do. Which voices are heard, and what’s the reason? What can I do to raise the voices that aren’t getting listened to? How can I build an opportunity for those not being heard? I’ve always been awed by justice and how it benefits only a few and doesn’t give others the same advantages. That’s why I decided to go to pursue a degree in journalism.
Danielle Da Silva: I’ve met you as someone who fights to open an environment for the under-served. Why do you need to fight for these types of stories? Is it something in the media or the production aspect of information, making it hard to move these stories forward?
Chantal Da Silva The list is endless facets to this. From a production standpoint, I’m not constantly fighting for the rights of these authors. It differs from publication to publication. I cannot speak for the profession, but I can discuss my experiences. I have the privilege and advantage of being able to pick several stories I write. I decided to write about what is essential and relevant. This is the story I attempt to share. Most of the time, it’s about asylum seekers, immigration, or human rights.
The freedom to move attracts Chantal Da Silva and who is entitled to in which location and for what reason. It’s all about the luck of the draw – where you’re born, the rights you’re granted, the access you have. There’s so much excitement and anxiety over keeping other people from their countries, and it’s been an intriguing issue for me.
