There are moments in a young journalist’s life that quietly reshape how they see the world. Participating in a recent class with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Arelis Hernandez was one of those moments. Educada project lead Caden Choi worked with Rohingyatographer to put together a session bridging human rights, photography and journalism. It was a powerful reminder of what journalism can and should be: a tool for truth, dignity, and human connection.
Arelis Hernandez, a national reporter for The Washington Post and a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, George Polk Award, World Press Photo Award and Peabody Award, is known for her deeply human-centered reporting. During the session, she spoke about the responsibility that comes with telling other people’s stories.
Drawing from her experience covering immigration in the United States, Hernandez grounded her insights within the framework of Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)—the right to freedom from arbitrary arrest. She shared stories from her reporting that illuminated how this principle plays out in real lives, offering a sobering look at the complexities and human stakes behind policy and enforcement. Through these examples, the abstract language of human rights became immediate and tangible.
Through the course Human Rights and Human Wrongs, Rohingya students in Cox’s Bazar—many of them young photographers and aspiring journalists—are learning the 30 articles of the United Nations’ UDHR. But they aren’t just memorizing these principles; they’re living them, documenting their realities through images and words. After this class, students will go out on their photography assignment, continuing to document life in their refugee camp, their creative outputs an act of identity, storytelling and resistance.
This course isn’t just about improving reporting skills. It’s about recognizing that storytelling can cross borders, even when people cannot.
