Meeting a True Inspiration

Photo Credit: Newhouse 2010 Tully Award Flickr

How many people can say that they met a journalist who risked her own life to report the truth? Well, I can. Lydia Cacho, the recipient of the 2010 Tully Free Speech Award, came to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication on February 16, to discuss her experiences as a Mexican investigative journalist. In 2005, Cacho published a book – “Los Demonios del Eden: El Poder Que Protege a la Pornografía Infantil” (The Demons of Eden: The Power that Protects Child Pornography) – exposing a Mexican child pornography ring, operating with protection from powerful Mexican politicians and businessmen. The book caused Cacho to be illegally arrested, detained, harassed and tortured by the wealthy people running the ring.

Cacho was also targeted by the corrupt police. One time, policemen arrested her, telling her that they were going to kill her, and drove her 1,000 miles across the country and threw her in jail. They tried to convince her to recant her story and say that she had lied about it all, but Cacho refused to. Thankfully, news spread about her disappearance, and thanks to a trained team – in case this sort of incident happened – she was released 20 hours later. Cacho’s response to those against her was to tell her story – about her abductions and about the corruption in Mexico – to everybody and anybody who would listen. She recorded everything that happened to her, and remembered every single police officer’s name, and later wrote a book about her experience. She reported the story about the child pornography ring to Amnesty International, as well as a police department. Of course, the police chief then tried and to sell the story to the black market for one million pesos, causing Cacho to later investigate the corrupt chief. Cacho also learned to stay as safe as possible – installing a camera in front of her office in case of other abductions and illegal arrests so that everything would be recorded on tape. She never stopped reporting or doing what she thought was right – because she is a reporter and she’s just doing a reporter’s job.

Cacho was the recipient of the 2010 Tully Free Speech Award because she is the first woman to bring a human rights case to the Mexican Supreme Court, and successfully change Mexican laws. A few years ago, defamation was a criminal offense in the country, but thanks to Cacho, it has now been decriminalized. Cacho believes that journalists have the power to change the world, and that every journalist should actually do his job and always report the truth, and only the truth. She hates what’s going on with media in the world today because it’s so centered on gaining revenue – if it can’t be sold, it’s not important, which isn’t what news should be about. According to Cacho, journalism is a way to contact human beings – anytime she can interview somebody and then get others to listen, her job has been done.

Anybody that aspires to be a journalist should use Cacho as an example. Don’t forget what reporting is all about – finding a story and reporting it. Don’t become corrupt and sell yourself out – always report the truth and nothing else. I mean, what’s more important – updating the world about Paris Hilton’s latest antics or exposing a child pornography ring run by powerful individuals? Most people would say Paris Hilton, but as a reporter you have to get people to care about the pornography ring, or any other graphic and delicate story. Reporting is all about getting people to listen to a story and care about it. And if your life is at risk – don’t stop. After all, if Lydia Cacho could do her job, report the truth, get people to care, get abducted, harassed, illegally arrested, and manage to survive through all odds – we can too. So always report the truth – and nothing else. Ever.