Featured Story

God Is Still Moving —And We're Here to Tell You About It

An Interview with Alana de la Cruz, Jennie Bravata, and Michele Snyder

By SOLWIN TV News

In a media landscape often dominated by breaking news, uncertainty, and stories of hardship, three women working in news and media are choosing to look a little deeper.

Behind the headlines are people. Behind the statistics are families. And behind some of the most difficult circumstances are stories of perseverance, restoration, courage, and faith.

For Alana de la Cruz, Texas News Anchor for SOLWIN TV News; Jennie Bravata, New York News Reporter; and Michele Snyder, Tampa Bay News Reporter, journalism is more than reporting what happened. It is also about recognizing the stories that remind audiences that hope has not disappeared.

"God is still moving — and we're here to tell you about it."

The women recently shared their perspectives on journalism, faith, community, and the responsibility of telling stories that can inform while also encouraging the people watching.

Alana de la Cruz

Alana de la Cruz

Texas

Q: What does the phrase "God is still moving" mean to you as a journalist?

To me, it means that even when circumstances appear uncertain, there is always more happening than what we can see on the surface. As journalists, we report what is happening in front of us, but sometimes the most powerful part of a story is what happens afterward — the person who finds strength, the family that comes together, or the community that chooses to help someone in need.

Those stories matter. They remind us that there is still good happening, even in difficult seasons.

Q: How do you balance professional journalism with a message of hope?

Credibility has to come first. People deserve accurate information and responsible reporting. But telling the truth does not mean we have to ignore hope.

There are stories of people overcoming tremendous challenges, serving their communities, rebuilding their lives, and extending compassion to others. Those are real stories, too.

For me, faith in Jesus Christ encourages me to recognize those moments and give them the attention they deserve.

Q: What do you hope viewers take away from your reporting?

I hope they walk away informed, but also encouraged. Sometimes a person watching the news may be going through something privately that no one else knows about.

If one story gives someone the courage to keep going, reach out for help, forgive, serve someone else, or simply believe that tomorrow can be different, then that story has accomplished something important.

Jennie Bravata

Jennie Bravata

New York

From New York, reporter Jennie Bravata brings another perspective to the conversation — one shaped by the fast pace of news and the human stories that can easily become lost in the rush of the day's events. Bravata has also been involved with faith-oriented media efforts alongside SOLWIN, including prayer-focused initiatives with Alana de la Cruz.

Q: What has journalism taught you about people?

Journalism has taught me that everyone has a story.

You can meet someone during what may be the most difficult moment of their life, and you may never know the battles they have already overcome to get there. That has made me more compassionate.

It has also reminded me that we should never underestimate what one person can do when they decide to keep moving forward.

Q: Where do you see faith intersecting with storytelling?

I believe faith gives us another lens through which we can see people and circumstances. It doesn't mean ignoring reality or pretending difficult things don't happen. It means believing that difficulty doesn't have to be the final chapter.

Sometimes the testimony is found in the middle of the struggle.

A story may begin with loss, disappointment, or uncertainty, but that doesn't necessarily mean that is where the story ends.

Q: Why do you think stories of hope are especially important right now?

Because people are overwhelmed.

There is so much information coming at us every day. People can become discouraged without even realizing it.

We need responsible journalism, but we also need reminders that people are still helping one another, families are still fighting for one another, communities are still coming together, and lives are still changing.

Those stories deserve to be told.

Michele Snyder

Michele Snyder

Tampa Bay

In the Tampa Bay region, Michele Snyder brings the perspective of a reporter who understands the importance of local stories and the people behind them. Local journalism has a unique ability to bring major issues down to a personal level. It can show how events affect neighborhoods, families, businesses, churches, community organizations, and individuals.

Q: What makes a story worth telling?

A story is worth telling when the Truth matters to the people, and they want solid and truthful information.

Sometimes that means covering a major event. Other times, it's meeting an individual who has quietly made a difference in the lives of others.

I believe some of the most meaningful stories are the ones that remind us of our shared humanity with honesty, accountability, and transparency. That is a rare find in news reporting in today's culture.

Q: What role can reporters play in strengthening a community?

We can give people a voice to share their perspective, however understanding perspective is their view and maybe they do not have all the facts, yet their view is vital to give a picture of the whole story.

A reporter has an opportunity to bring attention to issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. We can introduce audiences to people doing meaningful work and help communities understand what is happening around them.

But with that responsibility comes the need for integrity. People trust us with their stories, and we have to respect that trust and deliver the facts and then we have the privilege to bring the Good News to that story.

Q: What would you say to someone who feels discouraged by what they see in the news?

Don't allow the difficult stories to convince you that there is no good left. Let the false and bought news be a catalyst of standing firm in what is true, and using your voice to speak the Truth in Love, no matter who is shouting the lies and deception.

There is still kindness. There is still courage. There are people serving others when no cameras are present. There are people praying, rebuilding, forgiving, volunteering, and starting again.

Sometimes you simply have to look for those stories and other times, you need to highlight the ones who are trying to stifle those stories by manipulation and corruption. Solwin TV News will highlight both as we are the Good News, the Truth that Can Not be Bought.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

John 1:5