Deconstructing the Frame
Written by: Victoria Salazar, Mokhtar Ahmed, Lulu Andare & Storay Mohmand.
Session contributions and insights by: Andrea Orza.
(Note: This blog post is a co-created reflection from VOICIFY’s first “Migration & Belonging” Co-Creation Lab. The insights, quotes, and structural critiques presented below were generated collectively by the participants during our live session.)
For too long, the narrative surrounding migration in Europe has been dictated by external lenses. Lenses clouded by political agendas, threat framing, and a heavy reliance on victimhood. As part of VOICIFY’s MOVIMEN-TOO project, the first live session of the “Migration & Belonging” Co-Creation Lab sought to actively challenge and shatter this dynamic.
VOICIFY serves as the first-ever umbrella organisation for organisations led by young people with lived migration experiences, specifically Young Refugees, Exiled, Migrants, Asylum Seekers, and Undocumented individuals (YREMASUD). Operating across 17 countries through 40 organisations, the overarching goal of this initiative is clear: collectively generate knowledge, drive advocacy, and lead local and European action. The co-creation labs provide a creative, safe platform to challenge old stereotypes and prove we are the true experts on our own lives.
The Politics of the Frame
In our opening session, “Deconstructing the Frame,” participants confronted the systemic erasure of migrant agency. When searching the internet for the “daily lives of migrants in Europe,” media imagery consistently defaults to gloomy, crowded settings depicting people holding documents or sleeping in parks. While these struggles and waiting periods are a very real part of the lived experience for many, they are only a fraction of the reality.
One participant perfectly captured this structural dehumanization:
“It depicts them in this very faceless, humanity-less, passive way, as if there is something to be done with them, rather than people with agency in their lives.”
The images we see in the media are a political choice. As one of the participants brilliantly analyzed:
“Every single thing you’ve ever experienced, all the power structures, all the racism, colonialism, everything, that’s what determines what is within the frame.”
Reclaiming the Lens: Our Photovoice
Refusing to be passive subjects of media framing, our participants used their own images to tell the true, complex stories of migration. Stories of resilience, unseen labor, and the deep desire for connection.
Storay presented her Finnish language textbook. While Finnish is incredibly difficult, learning it is her path to agency: “By learning Finnish, I will convey my voice to what I want; it will connect me to the people and to the society.
Lulu shared a photo of her living room where three housemates peacefully coexist, each absorbed in a different task. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the migration journey: “You don’t really know the story of the person next to you unless you inquire.”
Mokhtar shared a photo of a tram to reflect on the many untold stories of immigrants who have become an essential part of the social fabric of European cities like Antwerp and Brussels. He observed that a large majority of passengers on some trams in Antwerp come from migrant backgrounds, each carrying a unique story of migration, belonging, struggle, and hope that often remains unheard.e person next to you unless you inquire.”
Andrea shared a photo taken outside a relative’s house back home, confronting the painful reality of time and distance that doesn’t get easier with time: “Every time I go and leave, I’m not sure if there will be a person to visit next time I come.”
What the Media Gets Wrong
During a collaborative exercise, participants directly challenged the dominant right-wing and mainstream narratives that reduce their lives to burdens or statistics by writing six-word stories on a shared Miro board answering the prompt: “What does media get wrong about my life in Europe?”
- Lulu refuses the narrative of immigrants being passive recipients of help that attempts to erase her achievements: “I am a skilled, resilient, and politically conscious healthcare worker, contributing meaningfully to society.” She also noted how her reality is often erased: “My life is invisible; it’s an invisible nonstory.”
- Andrea pointed out the hypocrisy of integration narratives: “Free movement does not guarantee belonging.” Even after gaining citizenship, belonging in Europe remains deeply racialized and class-based. Furthermore, right-wing media ignores the economic reality: “We give more than we take.”
- Mokhtar challenged the stereotype that Arab communities are unable to integrate because they live in close-knit “mini-communities.” He argued that such communities are a natural part of diverse societies, providing belonging, identity, and support rather than representing failed integration. He also highlighted that immigrants do not only adapt to society; they also reshape its social and religious fabric. Integration, therefore, means participating and contributing while maintaining one’s cultural identity.
- Storay noted how media narratives often focus on the negative sides of migration, portraying migrants mainly as people who need help, while overlooking the hard work, resilience, and achievements that are part of building a new life.
Closing Reflections: “I am leaving with…”
We are not just surviving; we are the ones creating meaning of the journey itself, refusing to have it created on our behalf. The systemic framing of migration is a lose-lose situation for host countries, countries of origin, and migrants alike.
As we closed the session, participants reflected on what they are taking away from this first meeting:
- Andrea: “I am leaving with excitement for the next sessions, to reflect together, challenge myself, and get to know each participant.”
- Lulu: “I am leaving with hope to change the narrative and to invite the system itself into the conversation, believing the system is the root cause of these experiences.”
- Mokhtar: “I am leaving with a strong sense of hope and responsibility to make a positive impact on Belgian society, contribute to the community that has welcomed me, and use my own experiences to support newcomers as they navigate the challenges of starting a new life. I hope to help them feel welcomed, understood, and confident as they find their place, build connections, and become active members of their new society.”
- Storay: “I am leaving with hope; hearing shared experiences made me realize many face the same stereotypes. I believe that sharing authentic stories collectively can gradually shift migration narratives.”
*Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this blog post are entirely those of the co-authors and contributing participants. They do not necessarily reflect the official policies, positions, or views of VOICIFY or its affiliated member organizations. VOICIFY provides the Co-Creation Labs as a platform for youth with lived migration experiences to safely share their insights and shape narratives.
