Nieman Reports
Fall 2006 Issue
Fall 2006 Table of Contents > Global Migration and Immigration > On the Narrative Approach

Global Migration and Immigration
About the Journey
On the Narrative Approach

By Sonia Nazario

I think it's a couple of things in terms of the craft and being able to tell a story well. I'm a big believer in fly-on-the-wall
REFERRED ARTICLES
Also by Sonia Nazario
• "Ethical Dilemmas in   Telling Enrique's Story"
• Preparing for the Journey
• On Ways of the Road
stories and trying to be there and watching things play out. I think the result is much more immediate and powerful. I don't think we do enough of it in newspapers. I was motivated to do this story because I was kind of peeved that a lot of immigration stories were told from the point of view of men. The face of immigration is changing. It's much more now about these women and children.

I thought it was important to tell that broader story and what that journey is like for those kids and to bring that home. Immigration is a huge issue in California and in the whole country. I thought it was a way to try to get people to think about immigration again.

In general, I take risks, but very calculated risks. I build in as many safety nets as possible along the way by getting permissions and researching. -- S.N.

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