Visualizing the Invisible: Photojournalism in Underreported Communities

Join the Pulitzer Center and PublicSource to explore how photojournalist Quinn Glabicki built trust with local residents to document the everyday impacts of environmental degradation on vulnerable communities. Moderated by photojournalist Stephanie Strasburg, this panel explores how documentary photography can uniquely capture under-told stories of resilience and injustice—and inspire community-powered action and change.

This event marks the opening of the ‘Hollowed Out' exhibition at Photoville Festival at Brooklyn Bridge Park beginning on June 7, 2025. Pittsburgh gas giant EQT Corporation is the United States’ largest producer of fracked natural gas. Among rural communities in northern Appalachia where the company operates, the harsh realities of gas extraction hit home.  

Glabicki’s reporting chronicles four neighboring families who abandoned their homes after experiencing years of symptoms consistent with exposure to airborne volatile organic compounds. “These issues exist everywhere at some scale. It’s almost expected: illness in proximity to industry.” Photographer and writer Glabicki asks:  “How do we document this banality of horror?”

The conversation will explore building trust with underreported communities and responsibly sharing their stories. Glabicki will share how he creatively visualized unseen health issues and pollution and harnessed the power of local news to draw attention to these communities’ stories.

Panelists: 

• Quinn Glabicki is a photojournalist and writer based in Pittsburgh. Born and raised in the Rust Belt, Glabicki’s long-term work focuses on communities impacted by climate change and the footprint of industry in Appalachia. Glabicki’s work has been published by The New York Times, Reuters, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, among other outlets. Glabicki currently covers climate change and the environment for PublicSource. 
• Stephanie Strasburg is a photojournalist and filmmaker in Pittsburgh devoted to community journalism, long-term storytelling, and investigative projects. She is currently on staff at the nonprofit newsroom PublicSource and has been focusing on people impacted by issues of housing and shelter.

On Sunday, June 8th, join Glabicki and Strasburg for a student workshop "Visualizing the Invisible: Student Photojournalism Workshop" hosted by the Pulitzer Center & Press Pass NYC, in collaboration with The Bronx Documentary Center. Space is limited: Register to join us today!