Meet the faces
behind the posts
Rocio Cacho Orts
A soul with Spanish passport but international at heart, I was born and raised in Madrid but lived in three other countries which I can call also home. My year abroad in Canada at the age of 16 introduced me to global politics, and my multicultural adventures persuaded me to follow a career to help me understand the world from a political viewpoint. Hence I pursued a degree in International Relations at Nebrija University in my hometown and spent one year at the University of Hong Kong studying East Asian and Chinese affairs. My time in Hong Kong was my most personal and mentally shaping experience and allowed me to gain a more out-going, tolerant and open-minded approach to life. It also triggered my enthusiasm for human rights after gaining an insight into their political landscape and struggles against the mainland. After completing my internship at an environmental and community non-profit in London, I studied a MA in International Security and Terrorism at the University of Nottingham. My postgraduate program taught me the horrific aspects of warfare, terrorism, security and gender studies, and my drive to condemn injustices of any type has peaked since then. I want to connect and engage with people through this blog by either challenging their set perspectives or by reinforcing their opinion. I want to speak up about subjects that certainly cannot go unnoticed while looking for job opportunities in the human rights and security sectors.
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Joanna Hynds: @joannahynds
Born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, I've grown up in one of the most politically active countries in Europe, from what you wear to where you go on holiday can be political, I was fascinated at a young age in understanding politics. This interest led me to study Modern History and Politics at the University of Southampton and spent my penultimate year at the University of Hong Kong. Experiencing exchange in Hong Kong, an East meets West blending pot of rich culture, beautiful locations and international community was enriching, but what I learnt the most was how the state was ingrained by its handover from Britain back to China in 1997, which made political tension rife, and activism was common. When I arrived it was shortly after the Umbrella Movement and witnessing first hand protests and speaking to activists awakened my passion for journalism. On return home, I studied an MA in Journalism at Ulster University. After graduating I completed an internship with CNN International in London, and I am now a Freelance Planning Producer. Never has fair and honest journalism been so important, the stories of politically sensitive places from Northern Ireland to Hong Kong need to be told. Within this blog, I want to highlight political stories that deserve to be told, holding people to account and addressing inequalities within the world, with female rights and climate change being two of my biggest passions.
