Human interest - Mariangel Garcia

Human Interest reporting

In this section, I look for small stories that create a big impact, individuals and the things they do to overcome adversity or inspire others. These are stories that often don't receive enough attention, although they remind us of the beauty of being human. Through on-the-ground reporting, this section brings you people's stories, some might resonate with your own, others might not. Either way, we learn something, not only about our own lives, but about what others in this world experience. Here, multiple aspects merge: creativity, music, hobbies, immigrant life, travel, and entertainment. What they all have in common is how individuals and communities contribute to this world through their own story.

Enjoy my selection of work in this section:

Articles

Reportage: Unique hobby • 8th September 2026

Inside Fire Jam Gent: Belgium's Fire Performance Underground

This piece follows a night with Fire Jam Gent, a community of fire performers who switch from PhD deadlines, hospital shifts, and dental clinics for flaming hula hoops and dragon staffs after dark. I explore what draws people to this niche built on trust, discipline, and the strange intimacy of fire.

Photo: Ella Pauwels

Reportage: Dub-reggae music • 26th May 2026

The loss of religion and culture in the rise of dub music

Through immersive storytelling, this piece explores Ghent’s dub-reggae community, a culture that has been quietly growing for years, mostly invisible to anyone who hasn’t stood in a room and felt the bass before hearing it.
Co-produced with Ella Pauwels.

Reportage: Music , Art, and Lifestyle • 19th December 2024

A Life Outside the System: How Handpan Music Changed Kone Moerman’s Life

Koné Moerman is a handpan musician who traded the conventional path for a life built around music and movement. From a childhood spent alone in forests to street performances, and a van rebuilt into a mobile studio, I follow how one instrument reshaped his sense of home and purpose.