How Trauma-Informed Reporting Built Trust—and Won an Emmy

When NotiVisión Georgia set out to report on domestic violence in Latino communities, their goal wasn’t accolades—it was healing. But the newsroom’s commitment to trust, cultural care, and deep listening led to a powerful, Emmy-award winning series that reframed the way domestic violence is understood and discussed in Middle Georgia.

Earlier this month, The Pivot Fund and Blue Shield of California Foundation hosted a virtual workshop on how journalists can strengthen domestic violence coverage. At the center of the conversation was Rafael Navarro, Editor-in-Chief of NotiVisión Georgia and a champion for community-rooted storytelling. He shared how the independent, Hispanic-owned newsroom earned its community’s trust—long before the cameras rolled.

“You can’t just parachute into a community and expect people to share the most painful parts of their lives,” Navarro said. “Trust is something you build every day, story by story.”

From Silence to Storytelling

In Latino communities, domestic violence is a subject cloaked in silence, often wrapped in layers of shame and cultural taboo. “There’s a lot of machismo, and people are taught to keep these things inside the family,” Navarro explained. “It’s not something people usually talk about—not even with their closest friends.”

NotiVisión had spent years building a reputation for honest, respectful reporting. When they decided to tackle domestic violence head-on, that reputation mattered.

“Our audience knew we would treat their stories with dignity,” Navarro said. “That’s why they trusted us.”

Once the first stories aired, more survivors came forward—some encouraged by family members, others by the hope of sparing someone else from similar trauma. Local organizations serving domestic violence victims also stepped up to make introductions and provide support.

“We weren’t just telling stories,” Navarro said. “We were creating a ripple effect—people saw that it was okay to speak out.”

Journalism Rooted in Healing and Agency

The series was centered around survivors, grieving families, and community advocates—not institutions. Each story was approached with sensitivity and care, shaped by the belief that those closest to the issue should guide how it’s told.

The Journalist Playbook, developed by Blue Shield Foundation of California, outlines exactly this kind of approach. It calls for trauma-informed, culturally responsive reporting, and encourages journalists to provide transparency and choice to sources—something Navarro emphasized as critical to their success.

“We let people decide how they wanted to participate,” he said. “Some didn’t want their names used. Others wanted to speak on camera. We respected all of it.”

This level of agency helped empower survivors and avoid retraumatization—while also educating the broader community and breaking cycles of silence.

Beyond Tragedy: Stories of Resilience

While the series included heartbreaking loss, it also highlighted resilience, strength, and the people working for change. “We didn’t just want to talk about pain,” Navarro said. “We wanted to show what healing looks like, what support looks like.”

That approach mirrors the Playbook’s call for solutions-based storytelling—reporting that not only raises awareness but also points to what’s working and what’s possible.

“It’s not enough to expose a problem,” Navarro added. “You have to show people that there are ways forward.”

A Blueprint for Community-Centered Journalism

The Emmy-award winning series is a testament to what’s possible when journalism is rooted in relationship, empathy, and accountability. It’s also a call to funders and media leaders to invest in local, culturally grounded outlets—newsrooms that reflect their communities and earn their trust over time.

“If we’re not close to the people we cover,” Navarro said, “we miss the real story. And when we earn their trust, they invite us into their truth.”