Pulitzer Center

Join us Dec 3 @ 11 am EST for a conversation about ocean reporting and how to tell more impactful ocean stories. Vox's Benji Jones, Paige Vega (Blankenbuehler), and I will talk about our Pulitzer Center-funded reporting projects in Florida and Bonaire with Pulitzer's ocean editor Jessica Aldred ??

This month, the Pulitzer Center launched 'Making Waves', a report that explores the state of ocean reporting, identifies gaps in media coverage, and proposes new ways to enhance storytelling. It highlights the need for better public understanding of the ocean’s health and how it connects to environmental and human well-being. For journalists, editors, and newsrooms, there are three main takeaways from the report. Audiences seek ocean stories that are deeply reported and scientifically accurate; they want diverse perspectives coming from underrepresented voices, and they understand the content better when it is accompanied by powerful visuals. Two projects supported by the Pulitzer Center hit these marks. Lessons From the Healthiest Coral Reef in the Caribbean, and The Uncertain Future of America’s Most Iconic Coral Reef were published in Vox with words from Benji Jones and photographs from Jennifer Adler. We are partnering with Vox to host a webinar that will go behind the scenes of the project, talk about what environmental editors look for in stories, and explore how to engage audiences with compelling ocean storytelling. Register now! ?? https://bit.ly/4hZOzVp Check out our 'Making Waves' Ocean Report ?? https://lnkd.in/eSsRQHw3

The tropical glaciers that crown the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Peru are rapidly melting away. While the region grapples with diminishing supplies of freshwater and an eventual glacier-less future, concerns are also growing about the quality of the water that remains. As glaciers retreat, they can expose sulfide-rich rocks to the elements, triggering chemical reactions that turn meltwater acidic and release heavy metals into it. The process, known as “acid rock drainage,” has turned some glacier-fed rivers in the Cordillera Blanca a rusty-reddish color, rendering their water unsafe for drinking and farming in the communities they run through. While Indigenous villages in the high Andes bear the brunt of the problem, it has also led the water utility company in the city of Huaraz to plan a $10 million investment in a new water treatment plant in order to process acidified waters laden with metals. #WheretheRiversRun, a project by grantee Marco Garro with the support of Mitra Taj, documents how climate change and acid rock drainage are changing life in the Cordillera Blanca. Check this story for The New York Times. ?? https://bit.ly/3ZgcXKX

Short form videos have taken the digital media landscape by storm, with platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube. The Pulitzer Center is hosting a panel discussion called “Decoding Short-Form Videos for Education” addressing short form content in conversations about media literacy education. NAMLE’s executive director Michelle Ciulla Lipkin will be speaking on the panel this Wednesday, November 20. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/enTrNqxQ

For years researchers have predicted that human health will suffer as the climate warms, precipitation patterns change, and disease vectors spread. Now the warming is well underway. What impacts are emerging? How can the world mitigate them, and protect decades of progress in global health from new patterns of infectious disease and the sheer physical assault of unprecedented heat and humidity? 'Health on a Warming Planet' a Science Magazine project is part of the #BeyondTheNews Global Health series. Learn more ?? https://bit.ly/BeyondTNhwp

This in-person event is happening today in Washington, D.C. There is still time to join! ?? bit.ly/48AZd0v

Every climate story is a story about power—who controls resources and who is affected—and how journalists examine these dynamics. If you’re attending #COP29, join Flora Pereira da Silva, Chief Engagement and Education Officer at the Pulitzer Center, Detty Saluling, Senior Program Manager, in a conversation with grantees Hannah Lucinda Smith and Bukola Adebayo, and Inola Mapp, The Water Research Foundation (WRF) Board of Directors, to explore the intersection of climate change, water, agriculture, and vulnerable communities. Discover how investigative reporting and audience engagement can inspire action and improve policies. Learn more about the impact of development projects on communities and ecosystems and how intentional audience engagement can address power imbalances and spark change. ??? Tuesday, 19th November ?? COP29, Just Transition Pavilion (Blue Zone) ? 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (Baku Time) (Note: Please be at the site by 11.15 AM)

This third consecutive COP: it is getting a little bit easier to navigate the infinite rivers of people, ideas, and narratives that cross each other during these 14 days (and also the ones to avoid - as greenwashing is not hard to find around here). Our role here is to make bridges with those who believe and can make change, be a connector - from journalists, influencers, and academics to decision-makers, civil society leaders, and students. Pulitzer Center’s mission is putting the climate stories in front of the audience that needs to hear them so each word has the best impact it can hope for - might that be a policy change or a transformative “a-ha” moment from a 13 years-old student. Tomorrow, we will be sharing a bit more about that at the International Labour Organization panel (with the dream combination of Detty Saluling, Bukola Adebayo, Hannah Lucinda Smith and Inima Mapp) and later hosting a closed event with partners. On top, this time, luckily, accompanied by the unstoppable Lisa Gibbs throughout the journey.

Last week's Ai Kenya Townhall, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, led me to the realization that before we can solve problems in AI labor, we must first understand the humans at its heart. As an AI enthusiast passionate about responsible innovation, I witnessed a powerful shift from abstract discussion to human stories that demand action. The discussion centered on Kenya's growing AI workforce, particularly our data laborers and content moderators who form the backbone of AI systems we use daily. While we praise AI's amazing progress, the people behind it are struggling. They work with unclear contracts, race against time to earn basic pay, deal with disturbing content daily, and often feel ignored by their employers. As Kenya positions itself in the global AI labor market, we must address two critical aspects: Transparency: We need stronger communication between Business Process Outsourcing companies and AI workers. The industry's success depends on clear contracts, fair compensation, and open dialogue. Human-Centered Design: Just as we emphasize user experience in technology, we must apply the same principles to worker experience. This means listening to and empathizing with AI workers rather than making assumptions about their needs. The workplace has to be built with the AI workers' wellbeing in mind. With Africa's median age at 19 years, we have the world's youngest, most adaptable workforce. By 2100, nearly half of the world's youth will be African. This is an opportunity to shape AI's future, but only if we first create fair, supportive workplaces for them. #AIEthics #DigitalRights #ResponsibleAI #AIGovernance #Innovation #FutureOfWork

Last year #PowerTracker spoke to coal-affected communities across Mpumalanga province about how the country's energy transition affects them, including where and how money is spent. Now the Presidential Climate Commission's Project Management Unit has launched a tool to track these finances – see how money is spent in South Africa's energy heartland ?? https://bit.ly/3Cso1fe #FinancialJournalism #Oxpeckers #JustEnergyTransition #SouthAfrica New Economy Hub GIJN Africa Pulitzer Center Presidential Climate Commission