Pulitzer Center Photojournalists Share Insights With Journalism Students at Northwestern in Qatar

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Pulitzer Center grantees and photojournalists Pablo Albarenga and Lexi Parra presented their most recent project on Latin American communities at a session titled "From the Ground: Stories of Resistance," hosted by Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q)'s Journalism and Strategic Communication Program.

The grantees explored the powerful intersections of land, culture, and resilience through their documentary photography, inviting NU-Q students to learn more about regions of the world that are often overlooked.

Their visit is part of the long-standing partnership between the Pulitzer Center and NU-Q, which includes annual visits from Pulitzer Center grantees to the Qatar campus.

Northwestern University in Qatar is a member of the Campus Consortium, a network of partnerships between the Pulitzer Center and colleges and universities to engage with students and faculty on critical global issues. Under this partnership, students at NU-Q receive grants to lead field reporting projects.

Albarenga, a visual storyteller based between São Paulo, Brazil, and Montevideo, Uruguay, opened the session with “Seeds of Resistance,” a story that portrayed Indigenous communities in the Amazon and their close and profound relationship with their land. Through the use of drone and ground-level imagery, Albarenga illustrates how the land and its people are connected and, in fact, part of one another.

Albarenga, who has collaborated extensively with National Geographic and the Pulitzer Center, shared one of his storytelling philosophies: “Being poetic or artistic does not diminish its journalistic or scientific value, nor the importance of the subject. It builds a bridge to reach an audience and create resonance.”

Parra presented What Remains?, an intimate portrayal of Venezuelan communities. Parra is a Venezuelan-American based in Houston, Texas. Her work reflects a strong commitment to her homeland. What Remains? explores Venezuelan daily life, capturing moments of faith, motherhood, and traditions, including quinceañera celebrations.

Through her lens, Parra brings to light the persistence and resilience of those living amid economic and political challenges. “You only have the right to what people share with you, and you need to earn that.”

Parra, who founded Project MiRA, a photography community education initiative that empowers young women through education in Caracas, Venezuela, also presented Care and Limbo, her project on immigrant life in the United States.

The session offered NU-Q journalism students and attendees a deep dive into the significance of storytelling through imagery. 

“At Northwestern Qatar, storytelling plays a crucial role in our students’ education. The visit from the Pulitzer Center grantees enhances students’ journalism skills, helping them develop powerful visual narratives. The lecture and workshop led by renowned photojournalists Lexi Parra and Pablo Albarenga offered students unique, hands-on experiences in visual storytelling techniques,” said Ilhem Allagui, a professor and the director of the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program.

In addition to the Campus Consortium visit, journalism students had the opportunity to participate in a three-day photojournalism workshop led by Albarenga and Parra. The learning opportunity included an off-campus photography assignment and the production of a photo essay presented on the final day of the workshop.

Student Anudit Basnet photographed a shop owner at Souq Waqif, in Doha, for his project. An upcoming graduate, Basnet said he was grateful for this opportunity to be pushed out of his comfort zone. 

“I am very comfortable using a camera and taking pictures, but I am extremely uncomfortable talking to people and asking what their story is. This pushed me to go speak to people on the ground and, as a result, I found this really incredible person.”

Eddy Borges-Rey, a professor in the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program at NU-Q, said he was glad to contribute to this experience. 

“Having the opportunity to learn in a hands-on dynamic, where two well-established photojournalists get to work with you on one-to-one, teaching you how to produce a visual story, is something I believe is invaluable.”

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