Speakers:
Huda Ahmed, Iraqi correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers in Baghdad, covered combat during siege of Najaf, Iraq’s historic elections, women’s rights, and corruption.
Jenny Manrique Cortes, Colombian journalist, covered her country’s armed conflict for eight years, specializes in human rights.
Peta Thornycroft„ one of the few independent journalists remaining in Zimbabwe, covered  political corruption, apartheid, Mugabe’s rise to power, renounced British citizenship in 2001 in order to remain in Zimbabwe as a journalist.

I have plenty of thoughts on the first WAM! speakers, especially Peta Thornycroft who touched on several points I want to address. These women have lived such different circumstances from me. Though, Ahmed (the first speaker) began by suggesting the universality of female experiences, Thornycroft closes by discussing life in Zimbabwe where women’s rights and the women’s movement is irrelevant in the face of poverty and starvation. Though certainly commonalities exist, I think there are more differences than similarities when comparing an American woman to a woman in Iraq, Colombia, or Zimbabwe. For women in war-torn or impoverished regions, contemplating feminism is a luxury that they cannot afford. Even those in relative positions of privilege have a hard time making an impact, simply due to the lack of resources and press protections that we take for granted in the West. Thornycroft says of her life as a journalist, “A day will start with trying to get a dial-up connection.” Mobile phone connections are almost impossible. Her record is making 29 calls to get one sentence of a quote.

That’s just a taste of the conditions these reporters live and work in. For now, complete commentary and accompanying videos will have to wait until morning. In the meantime, Jennifer Pozner from Women In Media & News (WIMN) did a great job transcribing the first event.

Only six hours until I’m back at MIT.