Gianna Toboni: 'You won't get anywhere if you don't raise your hand'

While Consider This mostly consists of conversations between host Antonio Mora and special experts and newsmakers, the show also features in-depth, on-location reports by correspondent Gianna Toboni. Originally from San Francisco, Toboni has contributed documentaries to VICE Media, covered news stories across the United States and overseas, and received an Emmy nomination for her work with ABC News. In this interview, Toboni shares highlights from her career and insights into her life as a broadcast reporter.

Q. What made you decide to pursue journalism?

A. I come from a family of storytellers and when I realized I could do that for a living, it was over. It's a special opportunity to be able to give voiceless people the opportunity to share their plights, their triumphs, their beliefs — every day.

Q. What forms of journalism inspired you growing up?

A. My family watched a lot of 60 Minutes and 20/20 in the '90s. As I got a little bit older, [Oprah Winfrey Network host and former CNN correspondent] Lisa Ling became an inspiration for me. She has her own style and her stories are original.

Q.  How did you become involved in reporting?

A. The day I moved to New York, I started harassing ABC News for an internship. Finally, they agreed. I had a great boss there who sent me into the field on big breaking news stories early on. It was scary and also very addictive. I wouldn't be where I am without her.

Q. What did you learn from reporting breaking news?

A. A lot of people will rush to be the first to report the facts, even if they're unconfirmed. It's never worth it. But also move fast. It never feels good to be second.

Q. What was the most challenging story that you’ve covered and what did you learn from it?

A. When the Joplin tornado touched down [in Missouri] in 2011, it was late on a Sunday night and I happened to be at the office. The aforementioned boss called me and said to pack up — I was boarding a charter flight to Missouri at midnight. Over 150 people died from that tornado. I learned a lot from the survivors there, a seriously resilient group of people. There's always someone who has it harder. And there's a lot in this world for which to be thankful.

Q. What's your favorite story that you've covered and what did you learn from it?

A. It was pretty fascinating watching Warren Jeffs, the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, interrupt court, stand up — minutes from being convicted of sexual assault of underage girls he took as brides — to tell the judge that God had just told him to pass along a message to her. The message was that she should be removed from the case. The judge's response: "Recess."

Q. What particular issues are you interested in reporting on?

A. Al Jazeera won me over with two missions: Report the underreported and give a voice to the voiceless. More specifically: Any kind of abuse of power, oppression of women, religious persecution, societal change that scares people, plights of veterans, the science of pedophilia, prison, et al.

Q. What advice would you give someone getting started in journalism?

A. You won’t get anywhere if you don't raise your hand.