S2.E20. | Ginella Massa
Breaking Through
Ginella Massa, an Afro-Latina Muslim, is a Canadian television journalist who turned her “gift of gab” into her career in reporting, anchoring, and journalism. In 2015, Ginella was the first hijab-wearing reporter on Canadian television, and then the first news anchor, when she anchored the 11pm newscast for CityNews.
In 2020, the CBC announced that she would join the network as host of a prime time show, and be a special correspondent for The National. Her show: Canada Tonight, premiered on January 11.
As highly educated, hard-working, and talented Ginella is, working your way up in her industry is no easy feat. We are grateful for her honest and open discussion this week on The Afterglow Podcast.
What went down:
3:20 Ginella grew up in Toronto, her mother immigrated from Panama.
4:00 Her other converted from Catholic to Islam when Ginella was 3 years old
5:00 Her mother's fearless attitude was a powerful role model for her.
7:45 what was the draw about Islam that her mother connected with?
9:15 What does spirituality mean for Ginella?
10:00 What wearing the Hijab means to Ginella
14:00 Ginella's mother encouraged her to do anything
16:00 The development of Canada Tonight
17:00 The limitation of impartiality being a WOC journalist
20:30 New perspectives and diversity
23:00 Ginella is Black, Spanish, Indigenous
25:00 Her pancreatic surgery and how that affected her body
30:00 Ginella's experience moving from producer behind the camera to in front of the camera
33:00 Persistence is imperative
34:00 Does Ginella have a practice for self care?
37:00 What would Ginella say to her 15 year old self? Don't be so worried about being liked!
This podcast episode is sponsored by:
