Journoist: Why Local Reporting is the New Global Activism

I grew up in the rugged Chenab Valley of Indian-administered Kashmir, walking seven kilometers to a school with crumbling infrastructure. As a teenager, I protested those conditions, not knowing that those early acts of defiance would shape my life’s work. At 16, amid regional unrest, I picked up a pen and a camera, determined to tell the stories of my community. By 2017, I founded The Chenab Times, a multilingual platform amplifying voices in languages too often ignored. Today, at 26, I’ve coined a term that defines not just my work but a global shift in journalism: “Journoist.”

A Journoist is part journalist, part activist—a storyteller who grounds narratives in facts but refuses to stay silent in the face of injustice. For me, local journalism is activism. It’s about giving a voice to the voiceless, whether I’m exposing the threat of glacial floods in our valleys or advocating for school upgrades, as I did successfully in August 2025. My 2023 booklet, The Power of Local Journalism: A Voice for the Voiceless, argues that this work empowers communities to demand accountability and justice. It’s not just reporting—it’s fighting for change.

This idea isn’t confined to the misty hills of Kashmir. Across the world, journalists are embracing this hybrid role, often at great personal risk, as the lines between reporting and advocacy blur in the digital age. In the Philippines, Maria Ressa, co-founder of Rappler and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has faced government crackdowns while battling disinformation and defending human rights. Her words resonate deeply with my own mission. In Syria, Waad al-Kateab’s raw footage of the Aleppo siege, featured in her Oscar-nominated film For Sama, turned citizen journalism into a powerful cry against war crimes. In Egypt, photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, known as Shawkan, spent five years in prison for documenting protests, his images sparking global calls for press freedom.

These stories remind us of the stakes. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports over 1,700 reporters killed worldwide since 1992, many targeted for their activism. Yet this work is vital in an era of misinformation, where global challenges like climate change and inequality demand a new kind of journalism—one with a global outlook, as scholars Johan Lindell and Michael Karlsson have noted. Outlets like Global Voices amplify underrepresented communities, fostering solidarity across borders. In the U.S., Glenn Greenwald’s work with Edward Snowden’s leaks and the founding of The Intercept championed privacy rights, showing how advocacy can drive accountability.

Critics argue that blending journalism with activism risks objectivity. They point to debates around figures like Julian Assange, questioning where reporting ends and advocacy begins. But I believe this fusion is not a flaw—it’s a necessity. In a world where digital tools amplify both truth and falsehoods, journalists must navigate ethically, grounding their work in facts while refusing to stay neutral when lives and futures are at stake.

My journey as a Journoist began humbly. Born on March 27, 1999, in Thathri, I was a child clutching a newspaper, dreaming of change. Today, I lead The Chenab Times, a platform that bridges communities and languages, from exposing environmental threats to celebrating local victories like that school upgrade. In September 2025, I shared a photo on X—a child holding a newspaper, a symbol of my evolution. “From a child holding a newspaper to this,” I wrote, reflecting on how far this path has taken me.

The challenges are real. In places like Afghanistan and Syria, journalist-activists face arrests and violence. Digital platforms amplify our reach but also spread misinformation, demanding vigilance. Yet I see hope in this shift. As global crises mount, the Journoist—part reporter, part catalyst—may redefine journalism’s future. We are not detached observers but engaged storytellers, weaving facts into action for a connected world.

From the valleys of Kashmir to global arenas, the Journoist’s call is clear: tell the truth, amplify the marginalized, and fight for a better tomorrow. This is my story, my mission, and my invitation to journalists everywhere—embrace the power of the Journoist.