Talks @ Pulitzer: Migration, Economics and Prolonged Parent-Child Separations

Join us at the Pulitzer Center on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, to hear award-winning freelance multimedia journalist Melissa Noel discuss her reporting on the complexities of migration for children on the island of Jamaica.  

The Caribbean is a region where migration out of economic necessity is extremely common. Typically, such migration is viewed as having positive economic effects, for families and for the region. Children left behind range from those who are well taken care of by caregivers and in regular contact with parents to others who are left to fend for themselves. In either case, children left behind may suffer from depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of abandonment. Psychologists say these feelings can lead to behavioral problems, increased risk of poor academic performance and other issues.

Noel decided to examine the long-term impact that prolonged parental separation can have on Caribbean children. She interviewed health professionals who are pushing to create better ways to support these children and their families, both in the region and the diaspora. 

For her Pulitzer Center-supported reporting on this subject, Noel won a 2018 Salute to Excellence Award in the category of Digital Media: Single Story Feature for "Jamaica's 'Barrel Children' Often Come up Empty with a Parent Abroad" from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

Light reception begins at 5:30 pm, followed by Noel's talk at 6:00pm.

Free public event, but registration is requested. Please reserve your seat today!