Pulitzer Center Update December 26, 2025
The Butterfly Effect: Small Things, Big Impact
“Everything is connected. Small things matter,” reflects photojournalist Kurniadi Widodo, featured in “2025: A Year in Photos.” Widodo’s photographs, part of the Pulitzer Center-supported project The Butterfly Effect: When Butterflies Go Extinct, tell the story of birdwing butterflies in the Maluku Islands and Papua, whose existence is threatened by development and the careful efforts of conservationists to protect this delicate species.
"After the story was published, we had been receiving responses from readers who sent us their own photos of butterflies and other insects taken from their surroundings, sometimes noting or realizing their diminishing numbers. It really reminded us that stories from faraway places could not only inform but also persuade people to pay more attention to what's happening around them,” said Widodo.
Stories like these are what the Pulitzer Center’s work is all about, and is why we are heading into 2026 filled with hope and purpose. Over the past few weeks, our leadership team and founder shared perspectives on our mission and impact as we approach our 20th year as an organization. You’ve also heard from our staff, as we hand-selected over 40 stories that moved us this year in our annual “Year in Stories” publication.
We’ve also heard incredible testimonies from the photographers behind the lens, bringing new depth and context to “A Year in Photos,” which features photographs from close to 40 countries.
Now, we’d love to hear from you. What excites you about our work? What potential do you see in journalism to change the world? Help inform our work as we head into a milestone year.
“It starts, of course, with courageous journalism,” Pulitzer Center CEO Lisa Gibbs said earlier this week. We need bold, courageous journalism now more than ever.
See you in 2026,
This message appeared in the December 26, 2025, edition of the Pulitzer Center's weekly newsletter. Subscribe today.
