Stargazer: Nava Ghalili-Wuorenma
Imagine moving over 9,000 miles away from home, to a new country where you don’t know anyone. That’s what happened to Nava Ghalili-Wuorenma at age nine, when her family moved from California, U.S., to Perth, Australia. She was excited at first, but the shock of living in a new culture was overwhelming. Everything was new: the people, the school, the speech, and the environment. It was hard, but learning to adapt turned out to be great preparation for Nava’s career path. She earned a college degree in business and then studied broadcast journalism.
As a journalist, Nava created an Emmy-nominated news series. She wanted to help solve global problems, so she got a master’s degree focused on analyzing conflict in the Middle East. Today, she draws on all of that experience in her work as a media consultant, helping human service organizations with their communication efforts. Nava and her husband, Blake, live in California.
Q: What is your favorite childhood memory?
I would grab ... a fishing rod and go to the lake and fish or climb trees or play with my friends ... I could dream ... and imagine ... what was considered to be impossible.
Nava at age 6, attending kindergarten in California, U.S.
Q: What was the most challenging experience for you as a kid?
Culture shock [of moving to Australia] ... [and] the bullying I received ... My first day in class, the teacher made fun of my accent in front of everybody and laughed. And everybody laughed ... [That] gave permission for everyone to make fun of me ... But, you know, I think I became a more compassionate person because of it.
Q: What’s one of your favorite experiences from your career as a journalist?
It was the most humbling experience of my life ... When you ask questions [of] people that are experiencing something that they will remember for the rest of their lives, you actually share that moment with them ... I always tried to feel what ... [they] were feeling ...
Q: Have you ever encountered sexism or racism as a journalist?
Yes ... I didn’t always look like everybody else ... Mostly ... it was sexism ... More attention was being paid to my appearance and what I was wearing than what I was ... saying.
At age 12, Nava enjoys horseback riding during a family trip to New Zealand
Q: When you want to figure out if something is true, how do you do that?
One of the beautiful things that Bahá’u’lláh talks about is seeing through your own eyes and not through the eyes of others ... I think that’s the problem that ... we’re having right now ... we’re not using our own eyes and our own ... capacity to investigate the truth ... [When] I find myself getting into the habit of judging something based on appearances or the information that I’m given, I catch myself.
Q: What’s your advice for kids who are interested in a career in journalism?
First, I would say, ask yourself why ... If your intention is to investigate the truth or to convey truth or to serve your community ... it’s so very honorable. But be careful not to do it for reasons ... other than that ... Don’t ever, ever, ever listen to anybody saying that you can’t achieve something.
Q: What do you say when someone asks, “What’s the Bahá’í Faith”?
I always say it’s a faith that believes in the oneness of humanity, and its followers do whatever they can to serve humanity. And [we’re] ... led by principles like equality between men and women, universal education, science and religion should go hand in hand, and whatnot. And I think that in itself is enough for people to ... grasp the essence of the love of the Bahá’í Faith ... once that touches the hearts, then you can talk about the details ...
Q: What do you do in your work as a media consultant?
I’m doing everything that I have taken from my media life and contributing in any way possible to any organization that I feel is doing worthy work in the field of service ...
Nava married Blake Wuorenma in New York, U.S., in September 2017
Q: What virtues are most important for you to practice in your work?
Truthfulness is very important ... If you’re not truthful, then the credibility of your work entirely is undermined. And I think people are able to trust you as a result of your truthfulness ... Loyalty is important. And . . . you have to do everything with so much love ... If you just have the love of God in your heart and your intentions are pure ... then I think that will keep you going ...
Q: If you had one wish for Brilliant Star’s readers, what would it be?
I would wish for them that wish that I still have for myself ... to be fearless, with a heart full of love ... There’s enough in this world that puts people down and prevents them from achieving their potential to the service of humanity. And I think it requires a lot of courage, so to have courage, to be fearless, and to have the love of humanity and God always in their hearts.
Photo credits: Cambodia by Chamreoun Ly, wedding by Matt and Tish Photography, portrait by Vahid Amin
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