Hariana Verás Victoria: Breaking The Glass Ceiling
Hariana Verás Victoria is an Angolan journalist practicing her profession in the United States. Victoria serves as the White House correspondent for TPA, which is an Angolan television network.
Besides being the first African White House correspondent, Victoria has had a successful career in various mediums of journalism including radio and television. She currently anchors her own news show that is named after her.
In an interview with LittleAfrica News, Victoria said she is a simple and open person who is willing to create new connections and friendships. She believes that journalism is a profession that thrives on the building of a network of relationships. One of the strongest relationships she has formed is with fellow journalist, Simon Ateba, with whom she fights alongside with to make sure African voices are heard.
Victoria believes that African voices are important despite the fact that she feels as though these voices are not given as big an opportunity to be amplified as others. She has done a lot of important work as a correspondent in major political and military spaces.
Victoria says she has carried out her work as a Senate and Pentagon correspondent without too many hurdles but she feels as though she has not been given ample opportunity to ask relevant questions in the White House Press Room. She says journalists in the White House Press Room are treated differently, specifically stating that some are treated with privilege.
Victoria alleges that these journalists even get invited to events relating to African matters, with African journalists being excluded from said events. Victoria is of the belief that when it comes to African matters, Africans should play a significant role in those discussions.
“Nothing about us, without us, should be done,” she said. Major decisions that are made in the United States usually have repercussions that are felt in Africa, she noted. It is important that questions be asked regarding how those decisions came up and if their consequences were thought through.
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Victoria believes that the American society has a perception of Africa that is not fully formed. She says this is why she started her show, Hariana. The show is meant to give a full reflection of Africa which is not all poverty, corruption, and war.
She says the program is meant to show the beautiful and undocumented side of the continent. It shows that Africa is not only a continent of tragedy but it is also a place of business and opportunity. One of the biggest purposes of Victoria’s work is to highlight the connections between Angola, Africa, and the United States.
Victoria is a native of Angola. She started her journey as a journalist at the very tender age of 18. Victoria studied journalism by accident. She had initially applied to study a course in Economics but ended up in the Journalism course because the class of the latter was full.
She immediately fell in love with the craft. While she was a first-year student, Victoria applied and got hired as a journalism intern. She speaks glowingly of internships, highlighting their value in adding experience and know-how. She encourages young people to apply for internships as soon as they get the chance to.
As she grew in the field of journalism, Victoria worked for various newspapers, radio, and television stations in Angola. The United States contacted her and one of the first opportunities she was offered was an internship with Telemundo, one of the largest Spanish-speaking media networks.
Her experience as press secretary for the Angolan Embassy in Washington D.C is another feather in her cap. Victoria is an advocate for Angola and Africa, playing an important role in being a representative for places that rarely have any.
Victoria is married and is a mother. She says one of the reasons she always puts her best foot forward is to be a great example to her children.
