Podcast: Values-Based Narratives

In the first-ever UN Human Rights podcast, we speak to Jose Antonio Vargas.

Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Tony-nominated producer, and a leading voice for the human rights of migrants. He founded Define American, an organisation that focuses on narrative change.

As Jose says, “[Narratives are] a system in which you understand the world. There are many, many, many, many stories to help shift the narrative. Our strategy has been: how do we help writers, producers, and directors better tell more authentic, more accurate stories of migrants?”

In the last five years, the entertainment and media division at Define America has worked with some 120 shows across 23 networks, including Netflix, CBC, ABC and Amazon.

Vargas talks about how his own experience as an undocumented migrant has shaped his view of the world, and how changing the dominant narrative towards one which focuses on what we have in common can help strengthen communities and break down divides.