Natalie Williams is a history major (class of 2015), and a photojournalist. She is also the former editor in chief of the Vermont Cynic. Here, she reflects on journalist Alfredo Corchado’s recent visit to UVM, along with photographs that she took at his Burack Lecture on April 9.
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Journalist Alfredo Corchado spoke to students, faculty and other attendees in the Waterman Memorial Lounge April 9.
Corchado gave a Burack Lecture in Waterman Memorial Lounge on May 9.
Corchado is the Mexico City Bureau Chief at the Dallas Morning News, and covers stories in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. He recently wrote the book, Midnight in Mexico (Penguin, 2013), which many of the students in attendance had read for their classes.
His stories ranged from the person to the professional. He spoke about his experiences covering Mexico and the challenges of maintaining his dual identity as Mexican and American, after immigrating to the U.S. as a child.
“I feel at home on the border,” Corchado said on splitting his time between El Paso, Texas and Mexico City.
He also clearly emphasized that he is not exclusively a “Narco” reporter. His mother even made him promise not to cover them saying, “they don’t know the word forgiveness.” Though in career he has since covered the topic.
The cartels in Mexico are fragmented, but more dangerous today. They have expanded their business to acts like extortions and kidnappings, in addition to the drug trade.
On the theme of drug violence, Corchado asserted there remains a “tragic beauty” to Mexico.
He also spoke about a death threat he faced in Mexico in June of 2007.
Corchado was called and told, “In 24 hours they are going to kill an American journalist and we think it is you.”
“I wanted to believe I was a son of Mexico and now someone wants me dead,” he said.
He ultimately was fine, but notes that there lies a discrepancy between the safety of Mexican and American journalists. Corchado feels he is still alive because he is American. The danger he faces pales in comparison to his Mexican colleagues, he said.
Corchado’s talk also stressed the power of story telling and importance of freedom of expression. He sought to honor the memories of fallen journalists in Mexico. “I write stories because I can,” he said because often his Mexican colleagues cannot.
“Mexico always reeled me back, it always gave me purpose,” he said.
Corchado referred to Mexico as a nation in transition. “I have faith in what Mexico can be,” he said.
His visit also included classroom visits and lunch with students in addition to his talk. To learn more visit www.alfredocorchado.com.
