Data-Driven Storytelling & Anti-Authoritarian Journalism | Mona Chalabi

Video Description

In this episode of The afikra Podcast, we're joined by renowned journalist Mona Chalabi who discusses her latest animated series "#1 Happy Family USA" with comedian Ramy Youssef, her unique data-driven and illustrated approach to journalism, and the use of humor as an effective communication tool. The conversation delves into Chalabi's upbringing, her views on authority and respect in journalism, the importance of lived experiences in storytelling, and the ethical complexities of representing marginalized voices. We also explore the challenges of the journalism industry, the impact of social media, and the significance of platforming diverse perspectives in media. 00:00 Introduction 03:18 Childhood Interests and Ambitions 04:53 No to Fan Culture 07:47 Data Journalism and Human Stories 12:15 Challenges in Journalism and Representation 16:39 Economic Crisis in Journalism 21:27 Growing Up During the Iraq Invasion 23:12 The Role of Journalists in Shaping Consent 24:35 The Challenges and Resilience of Protest Movements 26:41 The Importance of Local Reporting 29:12 Journalistic Integrity and Future Reflections 33:16 Balancing Activism and Media Consumption 34:33 The Process of Creating and Revising Work 39:23 The Debate on Platforming Opposing Views 44:46 Final Thoughts Mona Chalabi's work has earned her a Pulitzer Prize, a fellowship at the British Science Association, and an Emmy nomination and recognition from the Royal Statistical Society. In recent years, her art has been exhibited at the Tate, the Brooklyn Museum, the Design Museum, and the House of Illustration. She studied international relations in Paris and Arabic in Jordan. Mona works beside windows, sometimes in her hometown of London but usually in Brooklyn where she is writing a book about the ways we talk about money. It has been optioned by A24 as a documentary series. She is also the executive producer and creative director of an upcoming animated TV show with Ramy Youssef, A24 and Amazon Studios. Her writing and illustrations have been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Guardian where she is currently the data editor. Her video, audio, and production work has been featured on Netflix, NPR, the BBC, and National Geographic. Connect with Chalabi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/monachalabi/ Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST: » Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743 » Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze » Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869 THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared ABOUT AFIKRA afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity. 📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters 🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts ⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_ 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official 🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra