Leah Pattem

Background

About Leah Pattem

I'm a freelance journalist covering current affairs and underreported community stories from Spain. I've worked with BBC World Service, BBC Arabic, RTÉ Irish Radio, The Times, The Guardian, Al Jazeera and El País, as well as numerous grassroots publications and channels. I'm also part of a cross-border investigative team funded by European Journalism Centre scrutinising how the EU handles migration deaths en route to Europe. In 2016, I founded Madrid No Frills, an online platform for the stories and images that define Madrid today. I've been invited to speak about my work on BBC Radio, Ser Radio and M21 Radio, and by Spanish newspapers El País, El Diario, El Confidencial, El Mundo and more, and am regularly cited in daily international newspapers. I'm a qualified teacher with 15 years' experience. I run journalism and photography courses for amateurs and professionals looking to expand their field, and have been a guest speaker at New York University and Harvard. I've also created and curated numerous photography exhibitions in Madrid. As a woman of colour from a working-class background, I'm a strong advocate of representative discourse in the media and am proud to be part of the shift towards equality. I also regularly campaign for ethical journalism, and deliver training on the topic.