New Media Project Bridges International Divides

Published April 28, 2025

Georgette Sow is successfully straddling two cultures across two continents to communicate in a uniquely international way. This 2024 graduate of Johns Hopkins MA in Communication program draws on her upbringing in Senegal, and her academic journey and work experiences in America, to create a new venture in shared understanding.

Utilizing her undergraduate studies in filmmaking and the expertise that she honed at Hopkins, she recently premiered “The GeoLens Show” on YouTube. Sow’s platform showcases diverse perspectives, celebrates cultural differences, and shares valuable information on research initiatives, as well as scientific and cultural advancements in Senegal, from her home-based studio in Manteca, CA.

“Studying communications at Johns Hopkins was a new beginning for me,” Sow said. “I took away everything I could from this program, including the power of efficient and ethical communications. Each class brought an addition to me, made me become a researcher and a better writer, helped me to look further and dig deeper. Dr. Karen Walker, who was my professor for international relations, my last class at Hopkins, saw something in me and really mentored and empowered me. I cannot thank her enough and am grateful for all the professors I had at Johns Hopkins. I have been living in America for over 20 years. When I am here, the Americans consider me as African. When I am there, they consider me American. I am in between cultures, and that is the interesting part of what I do. I want to show the Senegalese people how things are here, and I want to show Americans how things are there.”

Sow dedicated the show’s launch to a discussion on Senegal’s Artificial Intelligence for Early Detection and Warning for Zoonotic Diseases in the Context of Climate Change project. The episode highlights the country’s efforts to improve public health through the prevention of epidemics, such as Ebola, and pandemics, such as Covid-19. She incorporated interviews with Senegal public health leaders, including the Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, the Minister of Health and Social Action, and an engineer of artificial intelligence. They explained how the nation is embracing innovative tools, including AI, to monitor health challenges, prevent the spread of disease, and facilitate quick response to improve the quality of life in Senegal.

“The GeoLens Show,” for which Sow films, scripts, interviews, and assists with editing, incorporates English, her language of choice which she learned at age 12, her native Wolof, the most widely spoken language of Senegal, and French, the official language of the multilingual West African country.

“Although the idea of starting the show is something I wanted to do for a while, the concept for the first episode came to me as I was traveling with my husband,” Sow said. “He is very supportive of me because he knows I am trying to use all these skills that I have acquired to make stories and share information that inform and inspire people, and give people hope. I want to be a light for people who think it is just darkness. I want people, especially women, to see their worth. I also want to share that Senegal is a beautiful country, with beautiful, caring people. Senegal is often celebrated as the country of teranga, the country of hospitality. Teranga is a way of life that embodies values like generosity, sharing, and caring. It promotes a spirit of connection, exchange, and openness to others.”

Sow is hopeful that these attributes will be on display through her current work, and perhaps in a future film or book.

“What I have realized through my time at Johns Hopkins is that acquiring the right skills will lead to not just the right job, but the right career,” she said. “It has been fulfilling knowing that there is a purpose in what I am doing, that I didn’t have to abandon the part of me that is a filmmaker, but that I can find new opportunities by combining these skills with my communication skills and life experiences. It is meaningful work that allows me to not only research but to collaborate, effectively communicate, and disseminate important information. I took a leap of faith. I think this project was meant to be.”