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Farah Otero-Amad, born and raised in California with Colombian roots from Barranquilla, is a video producer at The Wall Street Journal. She creates short-form videos for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Snapchat, making high-quality journalism accessible and engaging for digital audiences. From pitching and scripting to editing, publishing, and even hosting on camera, Otero-Amad brings stories to life while shaping the Journal’s visual strategy for social media.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
In May 2024, I traveled to Medellín, Colombia to direct and produce my first short documentary, Breaking the Cycle. The film takes viewers inside 4Eskuela, a vibrant hip-hop school where students and teachers unlock the power of self-expression through dance, while competing for the title of Medellín’s top breakdancer. In April 2025, Breaking the Cycle won Best Short documentary at the New York Cinefest, and it will make its West Coast premiere at the Noho cinefest in Los Angeles in August 2025.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
I started playing soccer at five years old on an all-boys team, and went on to become a four-year varsity letterwinner in high school and a Division I athlete at the University of Pennsylvania. Competing at that level taught me discipline, the value of teamwork, and how to stay accountable to a shared goal—lessons that continue to shape how I show up in both my career and everyday life.
What do you do today to impact your community?
I mentor high school students in filmmaking at Reel Works, a nonprofit in Brooklyn dedicated to empowering young people through storytelling. I help students create short, personal films about their lives and communities because I believe young people bring fresh, powerful perspectives, and I want to help them build confidence, develop their skills, and take ownership of their narratives.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I see myself working as a foreign correspondent for a major news network, reporting from around the world to bring important, nuanced stories to global audiences. My motivation is to tell the stories of people whose voices often go unheard, and I’ve always been in awe of those who press on in defiance of the odds.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
One of the biggest issues I want to help address is media literacy. In a time of misinformation, fragmented news sources, and censorship, it’s critical that people understand where information comes from and what agendas may be behind it. I believe everyone should be equipped to evaluate the credibility of news and make informed decisions based on facts.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
While working on The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+, I helped produce an episode titled “The War Over Gender.” I conducted research to explain complex topics like the gender binary and gender spectrum in a clear, accessible way, and prepped Jon Stewart’s interview with Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, challenging the state’s decision to ban gender-affirming care for minors. The episode sparked national conversation, received a GLAAD Award, and reminded me that impactful journalism can drive real cultural and political dialogue.
What advice would 10-year-old you be shocked to hear you followed?
To follow your initial passions. At 10, I knew I wanted to be a journalist. When I was 15, I visited New York for the first time and took a photo in front of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism. I even met with the dean and told her I would be back one day as a student. Eight years later, at 22, I graduated from Columbia’s Journalism School. Since then, I’ve been invited back multiple times to speak to current students. It’s a full-circle moment that reminds me how far vision, grit, and self-belief can take you.
What’s a cultural tradition that always brings you joy?
Latin music and dance bring me so much joy. I love dancing salsa because it makes me feel alive and connected to my roots. I still remember traveling to Puerto Rico at 13 years old and hearing reggaeton for the first time—it opened up a whole new world and is still my favorite musical genre.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
“BAILE INoLVIDABLE” by Bad Bunny.
