Alumni Spotlight: Chehayeb and Grassroots Journalism
Kareem Chehayeb (Pardee ’12), came back to Boston University in March 2016 to participate in a panel hosted by the BU Lebanese Club on the rise of grassroots journalism in Beirut.
The panel was attended by 40 Boston University students and faculty members who turned out to hear Chehayeb speak about the role of grassroots journalism in Beirut during the “You Stink” garbage protest movement in 2015 and 2016 when thousands of protesters took to the streets to express frustration over a trash collection crisis.
Since graduating from the Pardee School, Chehayeb has contributed political analysis to Middle East Monitor and Huffington Post. He also started his own website, Beirut Syndrome, an independent website that provides perspective on social, economic and political issues.
Chehayeb said he didn’t take any journalism courses while at Boston University, but that his International Relations courses helped prepare him for launching and helming Beirut Syndrome.
“I actually didn’t take any journalism courses at Boston University, but the courses I took at the Pardee School definitely played a huge role in inspiring me. Even though I’m Lebanese and have been following Middle Eastern affairs for my whole life, there have been classes from my time at Boston University that I still think about to this day,” Chehayeb said. “The resources I had and the flexibility my professors gave me kept inspiring me to delve and investigate deeper into different issues. As a result, I guess it was inevitable that I co-founded a platform like Beirut Syndrome.”
Chehayeb said a pivotal moment after starting Beirut Syndrome was a story he worked on regarding the purchase and demolition of an Ottoman-era villa.
“There was a huge uproar about it, but we decided to talk about the three small businesses that are part of that property — those three businesses catered to students, working families, and other small businesses and have been operating for generations,” Chehayeb said. “So we revealed how not only would we have lost some historic architecture, but also seen the intensification of the gentrification of what is considered to be a district in Beirut where everyone from all walks off life come together.”
When asked about advice he would give to current Pardee School students about life after graduation, Chehayeb said persistence and involving yourself in something you’re passionate about are the two things he has found most valuable in his career.
“It’s important to make ends meet, and while it stinks to settle for less when you’re young and motivated, use that energy to create something you truly love,” Chehayeb. “It’s definitely worth the effort. We started with posting a few articles every now and then, but now we’re looking into working on documentaries, and organizing more “Beirut Syndrome Discussions” events, which are inclusive discussions about different issues.”