How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future: Summary & Key Insights

I spent my childhood moving between worlds — between the Philippines, where I was born, and the United States, where I was raised. This constant shifting taught me to observe, to question, and to adapt. When I first joined CNN as a young reporter, I learned in the field that journalism was more than recording facts; it was about placing truth at the center of human affairs. As CNN’s bureau chief in Manila and later in Jakarta, I covered political transitions, coups, terror networks, and natural disasters. Through it all, I found that power fears scrutiny. When people in power fear storytelling, it is proof that facts still matter. These early years shaped my understanding of journalism as both a craft and a moral responsibility — a belief that would later define every decision I made.

In 2012, I co-founded Rappler with three other women. We wanted to build a news platform that could harness the power of social media to do good — to create informed communities, not polarized mobs. At the time, it felt exciting to be at the frontier of digital innovation. We believed that if citizens could connect through stories and data, they would collaborate to strengthen democracy. Our newsroom began small, a startup fueled by idealism, curiosity, and coffee. We were part of a joyful experiment in participatory journalism, blending technology with integrity. The word 'Rappler' came from 'rap' — for conversation — and 'ripple' — for impact. We believed that a single story could create ripples of truth strong enough to challenge misinformation. That faith would soon be tested.