Leila Fadel (born 1981) is a Lebanese American journalist and the cohost of National Public Radio's Morning Edition, a role she assumed in 2022. She was previously the network's Cairo bureau chief.[1][2] Fadel has chiefly worked in the Middle East, and received a George Polk Award for her coverage of the Iraq War. She is also known for her coverage of the Arab Spring.
Leila Fadel | |
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![]() Fadel at SXSW 2024 | |
Born | 1981 (age 42–43) Lebanon |
Citizenship | United States |
Alma mater | Northeastern University |
Occupation | journalist |
Years active | 2004–present |
Employer | National Public Radio |
Awards | George Polk Award |
Background
editFadel grew up in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.[1] She was a Jack Shaheen Mass Communications scholar and graduated from Northeastern University School of Journalism in 2004.[3]
Career
editIn 2004, Fadel began her career in journalism at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as a crime and higher education reporter.[1] She began covering the Iraq War in 2005 for Knight Ridder. By early 2006, she had completed two postings in Baghdad, Iraq. Then, she returned to Baghdad for McClatchy. She also covered the 2006 Lebanon War. She continued in Baghdad for McClatchy through 2009, where she contributed to McClatchy's Baghdad Observer.[3][4][5]
In 2010, she joined The Washington Post's Middle East team.[1][2] On February 2, 2011, Fadel and photographer Linda Davidson were among some two dozen journalists arrested by the Egyptian Interior Ministry.[6][7][8] The next day, Fadel and Davidson were released, but placed under house arrest at a hotel. Two local Post employees remained in custody, interpreter Sufian Taha and driver Mansour el-Sayed Mohammed Abo Gouda; according to Fadel, Abo Gouda was beaten.[9]
She covered the Arab Spring and its aftermaths in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria for The Washington Post.[1] In July 2012, Fadel was hired by NPR as Cairo bureau chief and covered the aftermath of the Arab Spring.[1] She was a national correspondent at NPR reporting on race and diversity until she became host of Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First..[10]
Personal
editFadel speaks conversational Arabic.[1]
In 2006, she stated:
My goal is to find the missing voices, the ones I heard on the streets of Beirut and Saudi Arabia but which were often missing in American media... Great journalism is the ability to capture moments in time, weave them together, and tell the story of all people without condescension, without judgment and without an agenda.[3]
Awards
edit- 2007 - George Polk Award[2][11][12]
- 2006 - Katie Award from the Dallas Press Club[13]
- 2005 - Print Journalist of the Year honors from the Houston Press Club[citation needed]
Recognition
edit- In 2008, Bill Moyers interviewed Fadel on Bill Moyers' Journal.[13]
- In 2011, Charlie Rose interviewed her on The Charlie Rose Show with mentor Anthony Shadid.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Leila Fadel". National Public Radio. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ a b c "Leila Fadel". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ a b c David Chambers (April 2006). "Calling Helen Thomas". Saudi Aramco World. Saudi Aramco. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ "Baghdad Observer". McClatchy. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ Altadonna, Nathan (5 October 2007). "The Iraq Story: 'Why am I here?'". Society of Professional Journalists. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "Egypt news day 10: Army steps in; journalists arrested and more live updates". The Washington Post. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ Stanglin, Douglas (3 February 2011). "Post's Cairo bureau chief among two dozen journalists arrested". USA Today. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "Egypt crisis: At least two humanitarian workers detained, Amnesty reports". CNN. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Englund, Will (3 February 2011). "During 2nd day of bloody clashes in Egypt, foreign journalists arrested". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "Leila Fadel". NPR.
- ^ "George Polk Awards - Previous Award Winners". Long Island University. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ "McClatchy Baghdad chief wins Polk award for Iraq reporting". McClatchy. 19 February 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ a b "Leila Fadel: News From Sadr City". PBS - Bill Moyers' Journal. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ "Update on Egypt with Leila Fadhel and Anthony Shadid". The Charlie Rose Show. 4 August 2011. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
External links
edit- NPR: Leila Fadel
- "Leila Fadel: News From Sadr City", BillMoyers, April 18, 2008
- "Farewell to Iraq", McClatchy
- "Interview with News Correspondents in Iraq, Leila Fadel and Ben Lando, at IE University " March 8, 2010
- "Journalist Leila Fadel reflects upon returning from Iraq", Daily Kos, Aug 05, 2009