Shilpa Jindia knows how to frame a question. Articulate and astute, she has the linguistic prowess to affirm one’s experience and simultaneously draw out layers of meaning in a single, well-crafted sentence. I know, because I’ve had the privilege of working with Shilpa during the International Women’s Media Foundation “Adelante” fellowship in Medellín, Colombia.

After completing an undergraduate degree in political science, Shilpa spent nearly two years in the Middle East. “The Iraq War was a very formative experience for me,” she says, “It shaped my political consciousness.” Her interest to understand the impact of foreign policy on the ground led her to study Arabic while living and working in Syria. After leaving Syria in 2011, her experiences in the region led her to complete a Master’s degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science in Human Rights.

A freelance journalist and researcher, Shilpa reports on the politics of impunity, which she defines as a “lack of justice and accountability.” For her, the politics of impunity are a fascinating lens to investigate histories of political violence; these are subjects that have always driven her to deeper levels of journalistic inquiry. She’s fascinated by civil society’s efforts to find the truth and hold the powerful to account both in the United States and abroad. By exploring issues of justice and accountability, she values how these insights allow one to better understand the history of a people or a country.

On this IWMF fellowship, she is looking forward to reporting from the field while working on character-driven stories. Shilpa is currently based in Washington D.C. and her work has appeared in The Intercept, Latterly, Mother Jones, Pacific Standard, Truthout, Yahoo News, among other outlets.