Interview with Noemi Mena Montes– Lecturer, Journalist and Storyteller

By Nikki Jennings

13 April 2021

Noemi Mena Montes is Head of the Media Communications Department at Webster Leiden. She has over 10 years of experience as a lecturer of media, journalism and intercultural communication. Noemi is a storyteller at heart– her extensive career as a journalist and researcher helps her share the stories of people that go untold.

In this Interview, Noemi talks about her passions for journalism and discusses her most recent projects and work. In addition, she shares the inspiration and story behind WebsterCanal, and where the website is likely headed in the future.  

Nikki: What do you enjoy the most about your work, and what really inspires you?

Noemi: One of the reasons why I became a journalist and studied communications is because I wanted to tell the stories that weren’t being told– the stories from people who don’t have a voice. Not the politicians, businesspeople or celebrities, but the stories of normal citizens. Those who belong to groups with little power in society. I thought, how can we give them a voice or a chance to speak?

A theory that really impacted me as a student was the one about the spiral of silence. This is about the silence of the topics and stories that are not told, and how media and political agendas result in some people in the spotlight over others. I wanted to change the focus and help to tell the stories of these people. I wanted to talk about the themes that are considered taboo and don’t sell. Sometimes news editors see the potential of a story like this, however sponsors and advertisements have a very different idea.

Nikki: What are some of your current projects outside of Webster? 

Noemi: I’ve recently worked on a social media and webinar campaign regarding the Canary Islands and the current migrant crisis. In the past year, more than 20,000 migrants have arrived in these Spanish Islands. Several hundreds have died while attempting the journey. There are so many stories of asylum seekers who endure terrible conditions. Especially the stories of women can be very traumatic and difficult to tell. 

This type of migrant crisis has made headlines in Spain in the past but is getting hardly any media coverage right now because Journalists have been unable to travel, and COVID-19 related topics have taken over global news coverage. 

Nikki: I’ve also heard you have been working on another journalism-media project. Can you tell us a bit more about this?

Noemi: One of the new projects I’ve started is called the African Development Media Network.

I run this initiative together with Consultancy Research Organization (Kagins Consulting). It is a project to give the floor to the journalist and build up a network of independent journalists throughout Africa. We just published a series of stories about the impact of Covid-19 on the economy. But we will also look at stories of people who have a unique initiative, entrepreneurial business or educational project, to help increase their exposure. Now that we cannot travel, we want to hear the stories from local people who are telling us what is happening in their area. Moreover, I truly believe we need to let people tell their own stories, in their own voices.

Nikki: At Webster, you’ve been a driving force behind WebsterCanal. Can you talk a bit about the initiative for the website?

Noemi: WebsterCanal is all about connecting. One of the reasons behind the WebsterCanal initiative was to connect the students with other students, as well as with faculty, alumni and other professionals. Another reason was to give visibility to student work, and their stories, through an online platform.

It was interesting to see that we started creating the website in a good momentum, right before the beginning of Covid times. Now the only way we can communicate is online. Building an online community and connecting with one another has helped us listen to the stories of students and their experiences.

Nikki: Moving forward, what do you see for the future of WebsterCanal?

Noemi: I would love to increase new student participation with WebsterCanal. It is very important for students and for all of us to realize that we need to have a portfolio online so recruiters, colleagues and clients know what we do and where to find us. WebsterCanal offers students the opportunity to practice their skills (interviews, stories, pictures, videos…) and encourage them to work as a team and to publish their work.

Nikki: What are your favorite hobbies during your free time?

Noemi: To be honest, one of my biggest hobbies is traveling. I also love running and walking. I realized during the lockdown, whatever phase we are in now, I’m a people person. Most of my hobbies were with people. I enjoy doing things with people, for people. I like cooking because when you cook, it’s something you enjoy, and other people can enjoy too.

Check out the links below to read more about Noemi’s work outside of Webster.

–African Development Media Network, Building a network of independent journalist in Africa: https://admn.press/

–Co-founder, Re-starter (www.re-starter.org)

–Canary Islands Campaign (Social Media and Webinar): https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6768586956373946368