What happens when your identity becomes part of the story you are telling?

In this episode of Behind the Investigations, we speak with Palestinian journalist Tala Halawa about her journey through journalism, from news reporting and working in established media organizations to content creation and training, and the professional and personal changes that have shaped her career.

Tala takes us behind the scenes of her experience as a Palestinian journalist, exploring how her identity has influenced her reporting and approach to storytelling. What does it mean to cover war and issues related to Palestine when your own identity and lived experiences are deeply connected to the events unfolding? And how do journalists navigate the pressures that arise when the stories they cover become personal?

We also reflect on the shifts in Tala’s career as she has moved between different roles in the media industry, eventually expanding into content creation and training. She shares how her perspective on journalism has evolved, what has changed in her relationship with the profession, and what she now looks for in the media work she chooses to pursue.