The Journey Story
The MotM Journey Story is more than just a document of movement. It is a marker of encounter, meaningful connection, and an establishment of trust that allows textured stories from vulnerable, unheard people in the migrant community to emerge.
What is a Journey Story?
The Component Parts: Path Points
There is a structure of path points, or key components, that make up what we call a “Journey Story.” These path points (like dates, locations, travel details, etc) are recorded specifically to create an arc or framework of a person’s movement. We stick to this formula in our reporting and documentation for a few reasons.
First, to have an organized geographical record that traces a person’s path of migration; next, to keep a record of human rights abuses and violence to be drawn upon for accountability; and lastly, to allow the participant to view and conceptualize their journey holistically.
Telling the Journey Story offers a moment of confidence and dignity to emerge, things that will later be systematically interrogated in the social and legal travails that attend their asylum cases and newcomer statuses to a country.
The People: Individual and Correspondent
The construction of a Journey Story develops between an assigned regional correspondent who meets people at the port of entry (but also often elsewhere in a national territory) as close as possible to the arrival date of the person whose story is being documented.
Correspondents are responsible for maintaining the relationship between the people they meet on behalf of the organization. These relationships are the heart of what MotM defines as Humanitarian Journalism, and for its correspondents as “Humanitarian Journalists.”
How it works
It starts with trust
Journey Stories emerge from the trust built between the correspondent and the person being profiled.
We believe the people we work with.
This is why we rarely ask the question “why” a person fled home. Not because we’re not curious about life where they came from, but because our job is to not interrogate them, but give them a comfortable space to speak. The people in our community are innately believed and their lived experiences are not up to our evaluation.
Our philosophy is simple: when you believe people’s words the narrative changes.
We model encounter and connection as a sustained practice of human connection, empathy and solidarity, and we understand that no person can be liberated with a single charitable act.
OUR PHILOSOPHY:
When you believe people’s words the narrative changes
It’s a long-term relationship
Journey Stories don’t end at arrival. MotM serves as a place for people to continue sharing the experiences and the realities of their lives long after rescue or crossing at a port of entry.
Potentially, our relationships may last in perpetuity.
“It gave me some point of light, some encouragement.”
Andrew (Nigeria)
MotM community member since 2019
Further Resources
Migrants of the Mediterranean has collected readings and resources over the years to allow you to develop a deeper understanding of the value and impact of Humanitarian Storytelling in advocacy and public policy.
Teachers and educators will also find a hub where they can learn how to leverage the MotM Journey Story Archive for classroom work and curriculum development.
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