Can a river have rights? I drove up to Quebec's Côte-Nord region with photographer Stephanie Foden to find out how and why the Ekuanitshit Innu pushed to make the Magpie River a legal person. The story appeared on the front page of the Globe & Mail newspaper and was released online as a multimedia feature. … Continue reading Globe & Mail: Why The Magpie Is Legally A Person
Lonely Planet: Morocco 13
After six weeks on the ground, 100s of tagines and 1000s of olives, stray cats and za3za3, blood, sweat and a busted ligament, the first Lonely Planet guidebook I researched was finally released today. Buy it at LonelyPlanet.com
Beside: Sweet Survival For Quebec’s Sugar Shacks
The pandemic nearly killed Québec’s family-run sugar shacks, but the guardians of this centuries-old tradition wouldn’t let it die so easily. Read the story on Montreal's beautiful Beside Magazine, with photos by Stephanie Foden.
American Way: Sailing the Northwest Passage
Photographer Stephanie Foden and I travelled with Adventure Canada from western Nunavut to Greenland across the Northwest Passage, a route that's only recently become accessible due to climate change. Read the feature in the March 2020 edition of American Way (American Airlines in-flight)
Travel+Leisure: ‘Roma’ Is More Than Just a Movie — It’s One of Mexico City’s Most Vibrant Neighborhoods
I spent the beginning of 2019 living in Mexico City's Roma and wrote a story & guide to the neighborhood for Travel + Leisure on the weekend before the movie was nominated for 10 Oscars. Gorgeous black and white photos by Stephanie Foden!
TIME: He Saved the Largest Venomous Snake in the Americas. Now, He Hopes It Could Save Human Lives.
Which would you rather save, a cuddly panda or a deadly viper? The snake is more valuable than you think. I’m proud to finally share this story I’ve been working on since early 2018 about a man saving the world’s largest pit viper. Photos by Stephanie Foden Story on TIME
National Geographic Travel: Oaxaca welcomes spirits home with “bread of the dead”
While walking through 20 de Noviembre market in Oaxaca City, I felt the eerie feeling of being watched. It wasn't by somebody, but by some faces embedded in loaves of pan de muerto (bread of the dead). My quest to discover the significance of this bread within Día de Muertos led me to four towns, … Continue reading National Geographic Travel: Oaxaca welcomes spirits home with “bread of the dead”
Guardian: Black cowboys – Creole trail rides showcase unique culture
What do you think of when you think of a cowboy? A gun-slinging John Wayne type? As my first story for The Guardian shows, there's a whole other group of cowboys that this mainstream narrative leaves out. Photos by Stephanie Foden.
ESPN: Chasing River Monsters In The Brazilian Amazon
When I was in Brazil for five months, photographer Stephanie Foden and I heard about surfers riding waves on the Amazon River. Yes, rivers tend to be calm, especially the Amazon – but a couple of times a year a tidal bore wave comes thrashing through the lush forest. I reached out to tidal bore … Continue reading ESPN: Chasing River Monsters In The Brazilian Amazon
VICE: My Uncomfortable Stay in the BDSM Room of a Brazilian Sex Motel
Love motels. They seem weird, don't they? But in Brazil and many countries around the world they're a common sight. When I thought about going to one with my girlfriend Stephanie Foden, I didn't think she'd want to go, let alone do a story on it. But she loved the idea and we tried one … Continue reading VICE: My Uncomfortable Stay in the BDSM Room of a Brazilian Sex Motel
Joel Balsam 