Embedded Files
Nancy-Amelia Collins: The Voice of the Public
Esme L.
April 22, 2024
Nancy-Amelia Collins posing at Intramuros, Manila. [Source: Taken by Rache Go, supplied by Nancy]
When Nancy was still searching for a career, she decided to leave America and travel the world. She went to in Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa. “At that time, it was very unusual for people [living in the USA] to leave America.” She admitted during our online interview on April 16, 2024.
“I started seeing all of these things that I thought were weird or surprising. I had no idea just how much inequality and unfairness that existed in the world. I also started to understand the world the US was creating; and it wasn’t always a good world.”
And so, she thought to herself, things needed to change.
While in Kenya, Africa, Nancy went to use a pool’s hotel. There, she met a group of men from NBC News - which she said was a very big deal at the time - and began to have a deep conversation about politics. “They told me, ‘well you know a lot about this and you seem so interested; why don’t you become a journalist?’ And I thought to myself, well, why not?”
The seed was planted.
Currently, Nancy-Amelia Collins is a foreign correspondent and war correspondent who works for her own production company Jaguarr Productions. As of April 17, she is still in the process of creating her human rights documentary. She is also working as a humanitarian aid worker for various international aid agencies. Formerly, she worked as a photojournalist; she was once so close to the action that she was hit with shrapnel!
In her time working as a journalist, she has moved from many organizations. I asked Nancy if gender has affected her experience as a journalist. She nodded immediately. “One hundred percent.” She mentioned that when she did photojournalism, there were very few women that worked in that field. Nancy also added they had to fight for the same pay as men while experiencing verbal and even sexual harassment.
According to the survey I conducted, most people in ISM believe journalists are well protected in the Philippines. When I told Nancy, she laughed. “Unfortunately, It feels like there is always a target at my back [now].” She shared. "[But] If I’m sitting outside and it’s raining, it's okay to say it’s raining.. You don’t have to say it's raining but the governor of the state said it's not raining; it is not the truth.”
Out of the 180 countries listed in the Reporters Without Borders freedom of the press rankings, the Philippines sits at 132nd. Since Ferdinand Marcos Jr was elected president, at least four journalists have been killed. RWF also listed Duterte as one of the global “press freedom predators.”
Under the Duterte administration, reporters were publicly threatened and oppressed. Thousands died between 2016 and 2022.
A poster made by Rappler displaying some of the known people killed under the Duterte administration. [Source: Rappler]
Nancy shared that “if you are trying to report on a mayor or governor and they don’t like what you are doing, they can send someone out to kill you. [People in power] could send someone out to kill you, to hurt your family; people receive threats here all the time.” She also said she no longer feels respected or protected as a journalist.
Even though she faces constant struggles as a female journalist in an interracial marriage, she absolutely adores her job. “This [information] should not discourage anyone from pursuing a career in journalism,” she assured me towards the end of the interview. Some people may believe journalists are drug addicts that are all unmarried. “I’m none of those things. I have a wonderful son, an adopted daughter [and a husband]; my life is very happy.”
If you are interested in becoming a journalist, Nancy provided some tips.
1. Expose yourself to excellent news sources such as the New York Times, The Atlantic, and MSNBC. This way, you can pick up new writing techniques and create your own gumbo writing.
2. Follow your passions. For example, one of my electives at school in journalism. I’ev written several articles in this class, most of which are about animals (a feature article about elephant poaching and five news articles about animal abuse). This is because I care deeply about animals and human consequences on the environment. “You don't have to be one thing or the other. You can dabble in [other career paths] and see what works best! It doesn’t have to be either/or.”
3. Take chances. If you have an opportunity to volunteer for an organization, take it! Don’t wait for CWW; join ISM when they go to PAWS or __. Again, it is important to expose yourself to other situations and viewpoints. Even if you are not planning to be a journalist, this is a super rule to follow.
4. Read, read, read! Fantasy is an incredible genre, but so are all the others. Historical fiction opens your eyes to the problems people used to face. Realistic fiction deals with the current issues, while sci-fi dystopian challenges our current lifestyle. Bibliographies, biographies and autobiographies are also very important. If you are interested in the challenges journalists face under Duterte, I recommend Maria Ressa’s How To Stand Up To a Dictator.
5. She believes that to be a journalist, you must have strong ethics and convictions, sticking to the truth no matter what. If you promise a source not to share any personal information, you must be true to your word. If your source won’t take precautions, take them for them. As she said, “Lives could be on the line. People are going through hell.” Nancy didn’t deny she has very strong opinions, especially concerning injustice and racism; however, she knows altering the truth won’t do any good.
All in all, journalism is a profession that fewer and fewer people are pursuing. It can be dangerous, especially in the Philippines, but the memories you make will stay with you forever. There must always be one person; one who is willing to make a change, to speak up, even at the cost of their well being. As a community, we must protect the voice of the public.
Page updated
Report abuse