Pulitzer Center Update December 30, 2022

Revisiting Underreported Investigations

Author:
Rostam, 40, and Farzaneh, 37. She was seven months pregnant and awaiting the birth of their sixth child when this photo was taken in June 2021. The couple use binoculars to keep an eye on their 95 goats—and keep an eye out for wild animals that could threaten them. Image by Enayat Asadi for NPR. Iran, 2022.

Looking Back As We Look Ahead

As 2022 comes to a close, we are looking back at some of the projects that you may have missed during a year marked by conflict, elections, economic turmoil, grief, and climate catastrophe. We supported more than 250 projects this past year in at least 10 languages and across multiple continents and regions. 

In a series for Quartz, grantee Michael Coren wrote about the devastating impacts of heightened exposure to airborne lead pollution; some small airports in the U.S. still operate planes that use lead-burning fuel. Coren and his team created interactive maps of 95 of the top lead-emitting airports, and their proximity to nearby schools, parks, and dense residential neighborhoods.

In an unpredictable and intriguing profile, Marzio Mian spent time in Russia with Vladika Lakov, an Orthodox bishop and Putin confidant. In four parts for Heidi.news, Mian unravels the beliefs and influence of Lakov. The profile also explores the relationship between Russian nationalism and theology, highlighting religion’s role in the tension between Russia and Western democracies.

Gafira Qadir tells the stories of stateless women trapped in Kashmir, yearning to return to their families in Pakistan. As stateless wives of ex-militants, they face immense hurdles in getting mental health treatment. In a documentary for The Wire, Qadir chronicles their community and entrepreneurship. 

Post-Grad Reporting Fellow Pesha Magid reported for The Intercept on the lack of accountability in an airstrike that killed at least 85 people in the Iraqi town of Hawija. From 2014 to the present day, between 8,000 and 13,000 civilians have died as a result of bombing by the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. 

For NPR, photojournalist Enayat Asadi captures the life of three nomadic Bakhtiari tribes in Iran. Through black-and-white photographs, Asadi focuses on the women laboring to maintain traditions and keep families together.

As we head into the new year, you can explore more from the Pulitzer Center’s year-end projects—from our Year in Stories, which includes 36 staff favorites, to our Year in Photos featuring over 50 images that capture the year’s most definitive moments. 

Thank you for being a part of the Pulitzer Center community. Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy and Happy New Year!

Best,


IMPACT

Participating in our 2022 Local Letters for Global Change student writing contest, some 30 students wrote letters to their local representatives related to the use of AI technology in their communities. High school sophomore Taliyah Langston wrote to her Atlanta City Council member advocating for an end to the use of ShotSpotter gunshot technology by the Atlanta Police Department; at the end of November, the APD discontinued its trial with ShotSpotter technology.


This message first appeared in the December 30, 2022, edition of the Pulitzer Center's weekly newsletter. Subscribe today.

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