Leah Harding

Photo Courtesy Of Leah Harding

WHERE WERE YOUR BORN AND RAISED AND WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN?
I was born in the U.S., but grew up in Jordan. My hometown is a short drive from the Dead Sea, ancient Biblical ruins, and is home to (quite possibly) the best shawarma and falafel sandwiches in the world.

WHAT WERE YOUR ASPIRATIONS AS A CHILD?
I raised chickens, parakeets, rabbits and hedgehogs as a kid and wanted to be a veterinarian. Then I started traveling and found a curiosity in politics the economy and the way people in different cultures choose to live. I became a Christian as a teenager and realized I had a duty to act and share these stories with others.

YOU PRESENTLY LIVE IN DOHA, WHAT’S LIFE LIKE THERE AND WHAT PLACES MUST ONE EXPERIENCE?
I call Doha “Dohallywood” because while it's glamorous and unique, it can easily chew you up and spit you out if you don't live on the optimistic side of things. It's a tiny country so happiness comes from community and traveling. If you come here, you have to go dune bashing and ride across the sand along the sea (the only other place besides Namibia where the dunes meets the sea!).

WHAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED TO BE ACCURATE?
The Middle East is like North America in that you can't really generalize it and say the people there are all a certain way. If you were to try, “hospitable” would land you closest to the truth. The greatest misconception is that this region is all in chaos. I've lived here for nearly a decade and have never seen war.

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A JOURNALIST?
I grew up in a post 9/11 world and defended my Arab home and friends for years. I made up my mind that I wanted to work for Al Jazeera and move back to the Middle East when I was 11. I lived in Ethiopia and Kenya for a season as a teenager and my time there really fueled my joy for storytelling that later turned into a passion.

WHAT IS YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND?
I studied Broadcast News and Arabic at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida and graduated in 2014. Go Gators! While I was in school I hosted a radio program and anchored and reported for a local news station.

YOU SPEAK ARABIC, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO LEARN, AND WHAT PROSE AND POETRY DO YOU LOVE IN THE LANGUAGE?
My parents put my siblings and I in an all-Arabic speaking school so we were forced to learn it right away. I was five. People would call our house and I would answer in Arabic and they would hang up and call again, convinced they had the wrong number. I was fluent before I was 10. I highly enjoy Arabic pick up lines and compliments. If someone says, “You're pretty” there's a phrase where the response back is, “It's because your eyes are beautiful”. Or, “You're the light in my eyes.” Like, who wouldn't love to hear that!

WHEN DID YOU START WORKING AT AL JAZEERA AND WHAT BEATS DO YOU COVER?
I first went to Al Jazeera as an intern in 2014. I was offered a job that summer and started working as a producer in 2015, after I graduated. I began presenting the news in 2016 with my debut on U.S. Election night. I spent 18 hours in the newsroom that day and feel like I haven't stopped covering it since. I try to report on stories that get their start on social media then bring them onto the mainstream media stage. So many great stories get their first bit of traction online. Countries with highly underreported headlines need journalism the most. If you can't point to Burundi, Zimbabwe, Argentina or Papua New Guinea on a map then chances are there's a conversation going on that not many people know about, but should.

WHAT NEWS AND STORIES DO YOU FEEL AREN’T GETTING THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE?
The war in Yemen. No Internet in parts of Cameroon. The reason Trump supporters actually support Trump. These are fascinating stories that have nothing to do with flashy headlines, but everything to do with true human suffering and perseverance.

WHY ARE THERE SO FEW PROMINENT WOMEN IN JOURNALISM?
There are incredible women in journalism. They sadly do not always get the recognition they deserve. Clarissa Ward, Holly Williams, Stefanie Dekker and Zeina Khodr are huge inspirations to me (Google them!), and are true pioneers in our profession. I hope to one day inspire young journalists the way they have motivated me.

WHERE DO YOU POSITION YOURSELF IN THE “FAKE NEWS” DEBATE?
Fake news is like gossip: you either know the truth but share it anyway, truly don't know it's false or you enjoy feeling like you have something to blab about. Sometimes rumors are true but it's usually just an inflamed version of the truth. If it 'smells' fake it probably is. Would the British PM actually publicly humiliate the Queen? Unlikely. Search for that same story on a news website you trust and see if you find anything. Going with your gut is a great tool for finding and defending yourself from fake news, so is reverse image search (Google that), TinEye and asking the person who posted where they found that information. As a journalist, I only report on a story if I can verify it with my team. If I can't bet my life on the story with the tools I have then I can't expect our audience to accept it. I'm a sleuth and gate keeper of tweets, reaction, grass root initiatives and underreported news. If I can prove it and cross check it so that it stands on its own two feet then it's good to go. If I can't, well, then I'm suddenly a part of the problem.

WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO OUTSIDE OF WORK?
I've been to more than 30 countries and am trying to do ten new ones a year. I'm actually writing this on my way to London but just got back from Budapest. I can't stay still for long!

HOW DO YOU UNWIND?
I love running. It's the cheapest therapist anyone could have. I've run two half marathons, one in Holland and another Qatar, and I plan to train for more. I'm also a sucker for a good book and drink on the beach (so basically the opposite of running).

For more on Leah visit, her here.