Hailing from a country like Pakistan, where news stories have often been tightly controlled by organizations which have their own parochial interests has always been a frustrating experience for me as a student. When I first arrived at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey as a post graduate student aiming to earn my certificate in Non Proliferation and Terrorism Studies, coming across and being actively involved with The WIP not only changed my perspective as to how stories should actually be presented to the general public, but also enlightened me on how unique perspectives – which deserve plenty of coverage – have often been neglected in the mainstream media across the globe, let alone Pakistan.
When one talks about issues such as maintaining peace between nuclear armed rivals or resolving conflicts through negotiations instead of warmongering, The WIP as an organization stands out. I noticed as soon as I applied for a Graduate Editorial Assistant position early in my second semester how similar The WIP’s mission was to the work that publications back home such as the Friday Times and Pakistan Tea House for which I have extensively contributed for as a freelancer. Given that I wished to write and highlight aspects of Pakistan, such as the neglected cultural heritage and women’s rights issues, this organization provided me with a platform where I could express myself on the problems confronting the world today and in the process contribute towards developing new perspectives on issues at hand back home as well as here.
What goes to the credit of Kate Daniels, The Director of The WIP, is that a voice for women is provided which is often overlooked due to a number of diverse reasons. Diffusing conflicts, ensuring that negotiations take place instead of warmongering, helping individuals view issues such as the Nepal Earthquake or the Crisis in Ukraine from a feminine perspective are initiatives which deserve plenty of coverage.
On a personal note, there are reasons why I believe that The WIP stands out. Firstly, as an organization, it’s unbelievably flexible and promotes and encourages critical as well as creative thinking. Secondly, The WIP considers quality to be of utmost importance as far as publications are concerned, where feminine perspectives are highlighted only if the content of the articles posted carry significant amount of weight as far as issues overall are concerned. The friendly atmosphere, the relentless hard work as well as ensuring that each Graduate Assistant (GA) or contributor is properly accommodated all goes to Kate Daniels’ credit. As I depart back to Pakistan to continue with my professional endeavors, I do not doubt that I benefited from such a unique organization which is not only flexible and accommodating, but also resilient in terms of getting unique perspectives out there for the general public to digest and develop their own conclusions from.
In a nutshell, this experience has transformed me as an individual. As someone who hails from a country such as Pakistan, feminine perspectives and viewing issues from a unique perspective was a concept which was alien to me but after working with The WIP, uploading bylines, examining headlines, and most importantly coming across fantastic features as well as contributing to The WIP Talk, I feel well equipped to discuss issues from a perspective which could hopefully enlighten the people of my country. It will be challenging, but as a former GA for The WIP, this experience has undoubtedly given me confidence to believe that it is certainly not impossible.
Hamzah Rifaat is a certificate student in the Non Proliferation and Terrorism Studies Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and is currently a graduate assistant for The WIP. He has been a regular contributor to publications such as the Friday Times, South Asian Voices and the Pakistan Tea House.
Yes, let’s hear more for theWIP and for Kate Daniels !