One of the most rewarding parts of this trip to Rwanda has been having the opportunity to tag along and collaborate with other female journalists working in different formats and on vastly different stories. As a freelancer, journalism and documentary work can sometimes be lonely; being able to adventure and learn alongside this group of talented women has been a gift. I’ve been inspired by so many of the qualities and values they exhibit in the field—warmth, humor, discernment, technical prowess, and deep curiosity. Today I watched Neha navigate an interview with grace and a page full of thorough and well-researched questions. Yesterday I woke up at sunrise and witnessed Claudia conducting a fun 360-degree video shoot with a woman who had come to think of her as a “sister/friend.” I worked with Ema on a smart, unexpected story she found after many days of on-the-ground research, and followed Shaina while she dove deep into the world of mushroom farming with incredible enthusiasm. I’ll be walking away from this IWMF journey thinking about new ways to partner with other journalists and creators in the field (especially other women!) to make our work more creative and expansive. Watching these reporters do what they do has given me a new burst of inspiration and energy to keep hustling hard in the work that I love so much too.

-Jess