Mabuhay Canada hires its first full-time reporter through the Changing Narratives Fund-Local Journalism Initiative grant
Mabuhay Canada is thrilled to announce that we hired our first full-time reporter, Luis Miguel De Castro, thanks to the Changing Narratives Fund-Local Journalism Initiative grant.
De Castro is a recent Humber Polytechnic journalism graduate, hailing from Biñan, Laguna, Philippines.
The Changing Narratives Fund (CNF) is “an initiative that supports diverse communities to share their stories, experiences, and perspectives so that their voices are accurately and authentically represented in the media, and culture sectors in Canada”, according to their website.
De Castro will be covering civic journalism for Mabuhay Canada—immigration, health, education, labour—spanning the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and its neighbouring communities.
To get to know him better, we asked him a few questions:
Tell us a little about yourself: what brought you to Canada, and what’s a fun fact people might not know about you?
I went to Canada to study journalism at Humber Polytechnic, hoping to become a successful journalist.
A fun fact about me is that I have played soccer my whole life, starting at the age of four.
I competed locally and internationally with my old school, and different soccer clubs I played for throughout my childhood. I stopped playing soccer when I came to Canada.
What inspired you to become a writer or reporter?
Honestly, I didn’t have a clue what course I would be taking in college.
With the help of my mom, she asked me about my interests, and I realized that I loved writing, the English language, sports, and media.
With all of those things combined, it helped me realize that my interests and skills complement journalism.
Eventually, I ended up applying to take journalism at different schools in the Philippines and in Canada.
What kinds of stories are you most passionate about telling?
I really have a passion for writing sports stories, as I was the official photographer and sports reporter for Humber Et Cetera, our school’s newspaper website/publication.
Over the course of my studies, however, I learned to grow an appreciation for community reporting, especially when I got an internship for OMNI News Filipino.
Now, I really enjoy covering stories that concern the Filipino community.
Why did you decide to join Mabuhay Canada, and what excites you most about reporting on the Filipino community?
I decided to join Mabuhay Canada because I wanted to take on a new challenge.
Having been comfortable with reporting sports stories, I wanted to take on a new challenge of reporting stories that concern and will be about my own Filipino community.
I am excited to report on the Filipino community because not only do I get to talk and connect with my fellow Filipinos, but I also get to be involved and help spread information that might be useful to any kababayans who stumble upon Mabuhay Canada.
Being a person who could report and help the community gives me a sense of belonging and happiness.
What’s one story about the Filipino community you’ve always wanted to tell — or hope to cover someday?
I’ve always wanted to tell stories that show the everyday realities of Filipinos in Canada, not just the successes, but also the sacrifices and challenges behind them.
One story I hope to cover someday is how Filipino international students navigate starting over in a new country while balancing their identity, financial pressures, and continuously supporting family back home.
I think those stories are personal because they are relatable to so many people in the community.
Outside of writing, what are your favourite Pinoy things: food, music, hobbies, traditions, or guilty pleasures?
Outside of writing, some of my favourite Pinoy things to do are definitely spending time with my family.
Even simple things like going out and eating meals with them are special to me.
Coming from a musically inclined family, one tradition we always do at parties is that whenever a guitar or an instrument is lying around, we always find a way to have jamming sessions filled with music and singing.
Moments like these make me so proud to be a Filipino.
It shows our togetherness and love for one another.
