Laura Bourjolly, who has spent the last 10 years working for various international NGOs, recounts her personal experience in overcoming hurdles listening to locals in the context of humanitarian work. Regularly navigating linguistic and cultural differences in low resource areas or conflict zones — from Togo, Malawi, Haiti, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Gaza and Afghanistan — she shares with Sheila how she learns customs and insights from local staff, receives outpourings of struggle and trauma from community members, as well as maintains essential relationships with family and friends back home.
Laura recommends... seeking out locals in their own voices, directly, wherever they are: books, news articles, Twitter, Instagram, films and documentaries.
