JWAM alumni Jesse Ferreras recently published the short story “Ultraviolet Night” in the brand new Gothic anthology Not As It Seems.
Jesse graduated with a Master of Journalism degree in 2008 and has since worked as a news reporter at Pique Newsmagazine, an online editor at Canada.com, an associate editor at The Huffington Post British Columbia and The Huffington Post Canada, and as an investigative journalist for Global News. He is currently an Issues Management Advisor at ICBC. We recently caught up with him to learn more about his turn towards writing fiction and his experience as an investigative journalist.
Jesse Ferreras, MJ alumni 2008
Tell us about your journey from JWAM to becoming an author.
I entered the UBC School of Journalism in 2006, hoping to become a movie critic. Through the school, I developed a passion for holding the powerful accountable. That led to a media career where I focused on the flood of foreign capital into Vancouver real estate, which played an outsized role in making housing unaffordable for the working class. I wrote stories about how powerful interests, both corporate and political, were trying to convince people that foreign capital wasn’t affecting affordability, which was just impossible to believe. Those experiences inform the theme of my short story, “Ultraviolet Night,” and while the story isn’t about journalism, it’s about hard truths that journalists have fought mightily to reveal.
Are there any current or past projects that you are proud of ?
As a journalist, the achievement I’m most proud of is working alongside fellow reporters and academics who endured ruthless efforts to disgrace them as they fought to tell the truth. These people didn’t care about winning awards, they didn’t think about pleasing people, they didn’t do anything to win them plaudits on social media. They were principled, caring people who were willing to tell the truth, no matter how unpopular it was, and “Ultraviolet Night” is dedicated to them.
Throughout my media career, I wanted to make an impact just like they did, and the closest I came was an investigation into the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP). That program allows wealthy people from other countries to invest money in Quebec in exchange for permanent residency. The program is supposed to foster investment in Quebec, but my investigation used Census data to show how many wealthy people were investing in Quebec and then ditching the province for Toronto and Vancouver, where they invested additional money in real estate. The investigation estimated an impact of billions of dollars on Vancouver real estate alone.
“I wrote stories about how powerful interests, both corporate and political, were trying to convince people that foreign capital wasn't affecting affordability, which was just impossible to believe.”
How did your MJ degree shape your career?
I finished my Master’s of Journalism in 2008. A simple gesture I saw in that program helped me understand what a news story is: two knuckles pressed up against each other, telling us to find the conflict. That conflict is the source of its interest and its truth. Lessons on journalism ethics taught us to do our jobs in a way that was harsh, but also fair, and those lessons have guided my work in journalism, in communications, and even in fiction. Because of the UBC program, I know what it means to tell the truth – how hard it is to uncover it, and how humbling it can be when you find it.
“Because of the UBC program, I know what it means to tell the truth - how hard it is to uncover it, and how humbling it can be when you find it.”
What are the key skills/knowledge required for recent graduates to succeed early in the current industry?
Curiosity – be the kind of person who doesn’t just wince when you hear something that doesn’t accord with your values. Try to understand what’s behind that view. Where do they live? Where do they work? Who are their parents, and how did they treat them? What have they seen, read and experienced to make them think this way? This not only helps to build characters in fiction, but in journalism, too.
“My writing has enjoyed incredible support from family, friends and professional colleagues, and I'm grateful every day to know they're there for me.”
Do you have any advice for our students?
Don’t let anyone tell you you’re wasting your time. While journalism has its challenges, it also provides you with an opportunity to learn about different communities from the ground up, to dig down to the core of nuanced issues and help people understand them in plain language. As a journalist, your job is to spread knowledge and understanding, and that mission is essential outside the industry, too.
What are your passions outside of your work?
I work in communications, which is very fulfilling. Writing is the passion I pursue outside of work. My writing has enjoyed incredible support from family, friends and professional colleagues, and I’m grateful every day to know they’re there for me.
