Announcing the 2025 Livingston Award Winners

2025 Livingston Award winners (clockwise from top-left) Jessika Harkey of The Connecticut Mirror, Nicole Sadek of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Norman Pearlstine, the Richard M. Clurman Award recipient, Sydney Brownstone and Esmy Jimenez of The Seattle Times and KUOW Public Radio.

Today the Livingston Awards honored exceptional journalists under the age of 35 for outstanding work in local, national and international reporting. This year’s winning stories include a local investigation into how Hartford, Connecticut’s public school system graduated a student with honors who, after 12 years in the district, could not read or write; a powerful podcast series exposing the systemic struggles of those living with severe mental illness in the U.S.; and a deeply reported investigation into the health and environmental consequences of Western oil operations on the village of Berezovka, Kazakhstan. The $10,000 prizes are for work released in 2024.

The Livingston Awards also honored Norman Pearlstine with the Richard M. Clurman Award for mentoring. Throughout a career spanning leadership roles at The Wall Street Journal, Time Inc., Bloomberg L.P., and the Los Angeles Times, Pearlstine has championed newsroom talent and guided generations of journalists. Named for the late Richard M. Clurman, former chief of correspondents for Time-Life News Service and the architect of the Livingston Awards, the prize is presented annually to a veteran journalist who has had a profound impact on the development and careers of journalists.

Livingston Awards national judges María Elena Salinas, independent journalist, formerly of ABC News and Univision, Lydia Polgreen, opinion columnist at The New York Times, Sally Buzbee, news editor for the United States and Canada, Reuters and Sewell Chan, senior fellow at the Annenberg Center of Communication Leadership and Policy, introduced the winners at a ceremony hosted by Livingston Awards judge Audie Cornish, anchor of “CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish.”

“At a time of escalating efforts to discredit the press and undermine the role of journalism in our society, recognizing the work of these young reporters is both urgent and necessary,” said Lynette Clemetson, Livingston Awards director. “Their stories uncovered fresh angles on familiar issues and offered compelling entry points that refocused our attention and spurred discourse and action, reminding us of journalism’s role in a healthy democracy.” 

Celebrating its 44th year, the awards bolster the work of young reporters, cultivate the next generation of journalism leaders and mentors, and advance civic engagement through powerful storytelling. Major sponsors include the University of Michigan, Knight Foundation, the Indian Trail Charitable Foundation, the Mollie Parnis Livingston Foundation and the Hochman and Allard Families, Christiane Amanpour, the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation, Dr. Gil Omenn and Martha Darling, CNN and The Joyce Foundation.

The 2025 winners for work released in 2024 are listed below.

Local Reporting

Jessika Harkay, 24, of The Connecticut Mirror for “Aleysha Ortiz,” a three-part story following a graduate of Hartford Public High School who completed her education without acquiring the ability to read or write. Despite attending Hartford public schools since age six and graduating with honors, Ortiz’s learning disabilities were inadequately addressed by the school system. Her case has sparked bipartisan concern among Connecticut lawmakers, highlighting systemic issues in special education and prompting calls for increased accountability and reform within the state’s educational institutions.

The first few paragraphs of the article grab you. How is it possible that a young lady who graduated from high school and is now entering college was never taught how to read and write? Aleysha Ortiz’s story is fascinating not just because of the obvious failure of the Hartford public school system, but because of how this remarkable young woman is fighting for her right to learn in spite of her learning disabilities. Jessika Harkay, a 24-year-old education reporter for The Connecticut Mirror, stumbled upon Aleysha’s story and ran with it. In doing so she gave Aleysha a voice and prompted efforts to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
María Elena Salinas, Livingston Awards national judge

National Reporting

Esmy Jimenez, 30 and Sydney Brownstone, 34, The Seattle Times in partnership with KUOW Public Radio, for three episodes from Season One of the podcast “Lost Patients.” Their stories explored the visceral experience of psychosis, the anguish of families whose loved ones are being endlessly “churned” through shelters, jails and hospitals, and the discovery of little-known archives — prompting descendants to discover institutionalized relatives for the first time.

When faced with a catastrophe that defies easy explanation, let alone solutions, the human impulse is usually to look away. But when Esmy Jimenez and Sydney Brownstone began reporting on people with
persistent psychosis, they did what great journalists have always done: look deeper, dig further and never lose sight of the human stories at the heart of America’s mental health crisis. There are few villains and no saints in their panoramic podcast ‘Lost Patients,’ which reaches back through decades — even centuries — to try to understand how as a society we abandoned the most gravely mentally ill people, and offer us an opportunity to rethink how we treat the most vulnerable among us
.”
Lydia Polgreen, Livingston Awards national judge

International Reporting

Nicole Sadek, 26, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) for “The Lost Village,” an investigation into how toxic emissions from Western oil operations in Berezovka, Kazakhstan, led to a suspected wave of illness and the forced relocation of residents. In 2014, about 20 children at the village’s only school fainted and suffered seizures. Though the companies funded the relocation starting in 2015, they never accepted responsibility for the health crisis and environmental devastation.

Nicole Sadek brought tenacity and sensitivity to the story of a decade-old tragedy – the relocation of an entire village in northwestern Kazakhstan because of serious health issues suffered by its people linked to a nearby Western-run oil and gas field. Her reporting, with its description of the difficulties the villagers of Berezovka faced in securing assistance or accountability, allowed a wider audience to understand this story and its clear warnings for the future.
Sally Buzbee, Livingston Awards national judge

Mentoring Award

Norman Pearlstine, who held top editorial roles at some of the nation’s most influential news organizations, including executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, editor-in-chief and chief content officer at Time Inc., chief content officer at Bloomberg L.P., managing editor and executive editor at The Wall Street Journal and executive editor at Forbes, was honored with the Richard M. Clurman Award for his commitment to counseling, nurturing and inspiring young journalists. In a video tribute, generations of journalists reflected on Pearlstine’s mentorship and his lasting influence on their careers.

“While many can claim Norm as a former boss, I feel particularly fortunate. He saw potential in me that I sometimes couldn’t see myself, building my confidence with each challenge he entrusted me to handle.”
Kimi Yoshino, The Baltimore Banner

In addition to Buzbee, Chan, Cornish, Polgreen and Salinas, the Livingston national judges panel includes Raney Aronson-Rath, Matt Murray, Bret Stephens, and Kara Swisher.

More on the winners here.

A Voice of Resistance and Renewal on World Press Freedom Day

My Fight for Freedom of Speech Began With, “You Are Listening to Radio Liberty!”

I was born in Kyrgyzstan, a small former Soviet Union country, where only the giant Tien Shan mountains separated us from China. I was raised by my grandparents. My grandfather was a dissident who had escaped Chinese communism only to live under Soviet totalitarianism. In his world, information was power, and the radio was a lifeline.

Besides the state-issued radio in our small home, my grandfather kept a smaller one powered by batteries. No matter the season –  whether through driving rain, annoying summer heat, or deep snow – he would slip the little radio into his pocket, mount his donkey, and ride into the mountains. 

Chynybaeva’s grandparents in the backyard of her home in At-Bashy, Kyrgyzstan, 2004

When I was nine, I begged him to take me along, and eventually, one early summer morning, he agreed. We saddled a donkey, my grandfather leading in front, me clinging to the saddle behind him. As we climbed higher into the hills, he kept glancing anxiously around, urging the donkey to move faster.

When we reached a remote ridge, invisible from the valley and village below, he turned to me. “Promise me,” he said, “you won’t tell anyone — not even your grandmother — what we are about to do.” I nodded solemnly.

He switched on the radio and tuned it carefully, searching for the right frequency. Through the static, a voice broke out. “Good morning, Kyrgyzstan! You are listening to Radio Azattyk!” The word Azattyk in Kyrgyz means liberty. Back then, listening to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) was a crime, as it is today in Russia and many other former Soviet countries.

At that moment, I understood that beyond the brutally curated broadcasts of Soviet media, there existed another voice. A voice that spoke of a world outside of official propaganda — which was always in Russian. A voice that reported not only about Soviet parades but about the lives of ordinary people – lives like ours in my language, in Kyrgyz.

On that mountain, with a crackling radio in my grandfather’s hands, my journey for freedom of speech and my fight for freedom began. 

Chynybaeva and her son, At-Bashy, Kyrgyzstan, 2010

More than 20 years later,  I had fulfilled my childhood dream of becoming a journalist. Now it was my voice greeting eager listeners in my country: “Good morning, Kyrgyzstan! You are listening to Radio Azattyk.”

My grandfather passed away five years before I joined Radio Azattyk, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Kyrgyz Service in Bishkek. 

Through Radio Azattyk, ordinary people, many for the first time, heard that their own Kyrgyz language was not something to be hidden or silenced by Moscow’s demand but something to be valued, that democracy was not a distant dream, but a right they deserved; and that corruption, injustice, and inequality could be discussed openly, without fear. Azattyk offered investigative journalism  — when state media was scared or censored — covering corruption, government failures and human rights abuses, and amplifying the voices of the oppressed.  

Facing Repression – Finding New Hope

Except for the Baltic states, almost all former Soviet Union countries are now governed by authoritarian regimes, where building a free press at the grassroots level is often an impossible task.

In the past five years, the crackdown on independent media in most of the countries of the Former Soviet Union has become brutal. A recent example from Kyrgyzstan: in January of last year, 11 independent investigative journalists were detained in a single morning, with some later sentenced to five or six years in prison.

Living in an environment hostile to free speech, every journalist in Kyrgyzstan knows that seeking to report the truth inevitably invites intimidation – both online and offline. Physical threats and police interrogations have become a routine part of life for reporters.

Chynybaeva reporting for RFE/RL at the UN Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, 2021

In this climate of constant threats, burnout, and isolation I often felt crushed by fear and doubt. Like many of my colleagues, I was losing hope — feeling that the fight for free speech had become like battling windmills.

That’s when Wallace House stepped in.

The Knight-Wallace Fellowship didn’t just offer me an academic opportunity. It gave me something even more precious: a community. A place where I could finally share what I had carried, where I could reflect, and begin to heal – personally and professionally. 

Wallace House welcomed me into a global family of journalists who believe, as I do, in the fearless pursuit of truth. It allowed me to take classes at the University of Michigan and to be in conversation with journalism leaders and innovators – the former editor of The Washington Post, reporters with the digital investigations team at The New York Times –  people who I could never even dream of meeting from my remote post in Kyrgyzstan.

Through the Knight-Wallace Fellowship, I found new strength. New purpose. New allies. New friends. And I gained support to think strategically about how to continue my work.

The world is now witnessing the slow erosion of independent journalism – from the steppes of Central Asia to small-town America. Under the weight of misinformation, digital surveillance, financial hardship, and rising autocratic pressure, dozens of small-scale newsrooms have been forced to halt their operations. 

In this environment, organizations like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Wallace House can offer a vital lifeline. Without them, thousands of voices will fall silent. Hundreds of my colleagues – brave journalists seeking justice and truth – will be left without support and face life-threatening danger.

And when our voices are gone, the people who suffer most are not the journalists: it’s the communities we serve.

On this World Press Freedom Day, I hope people will remember millions of grandfathers like mine, who are still secretly climbing a mountain top in search of truth, despite their fear of an authoritarian regime. Today’s fight for free speech is for a world where truth doesn’t require a donkey ride into the mountains.

Baktygul Chynybaeva is a 2024-2025 Knight Wallace Fellow and former correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty covering issues in Central Asia and across her home country of Kyrgyzstan. During her fellowship year, she focused on developing training programs for journalists in exile from Central Asia and Russia.


Join us in supporting journalists on World Press Freedom Day and beyond. Donate now.

To learn more about how to make a major gift in support of these efforts, please contact Jennifer Halseth, Financial Administrator, at [email protected]

Wallace House Presents Our 2024-2025 Events

Wallace House Presents our 2024-2025 lineup of live events with Mazin Sidahmed, Bret Stephens, Lydia Polgreen, María Elena Salinas and Stephen Henderson. Please mark your calendars for the events below and join us.

The 37th Annual Hovey Lecture with Mazin Sidahmed of Documented
“Sorting Immigration Facts from Fiction: The Power of Local Reporting Amid National Politics”

Tuesday, September 10, 2024 | 5 PM
Reception following lecture

Wallace House Gardens, 620 Oxford Road
An in-person outdoor event

Join Mazin Sidahmed, 2021 Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow and co-founder of the non-profit newsroom Documented, for a discussion on how shifting our journalism focus from national coverage to local news outlets and from “reporting about” to “reporting for and with” immigrant communities can help us discern immigration fact from fiction and improve outcomes for everyone.

This is an in-person event and will not be live-streamed. However, a recording of the lecture will be available on our website following the event.

More information about this event.


2025 Knight-Wallace Fellow Dieu-Nalio Chery

“Contextualize Haiti’s Demising Situation” Photo Project with Dieu-Nalio Chery

Friday, September 13, 2024 | 10:20 AM

Michigan Union Room 2210 2nd Floor
530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Free and open to the public

Our 2025 Knight-Wallace Fellow, Dieu-Nalio Chery, will present his photojournalistic work showcasing Haiti’s descent at the first annual symposium titled: “Contextualize Haiti’s Demising Situation.” Dieu-Nalio Chery is a freelance photojournalist from Haiti who is now based in Michigan. For over a decade, Chery worked for The Associated Press, documenting the profound beauty, searing pain and upheaval in his homeland.

The symposium will bring together scholars and specialists in Haitian Studies, filmmakers, photographers and community leaders to discuss current issues relevant to Haiti, the Haitian diaspora, and actors involved in development in Haiti.

More information about this event.

Co-Sponsors:
College of Literature, Science and the Arts

Office of Academic Mulicultural Initiatives (OAMI)
School of Social Work (Diversity Equity and Inclusion)
Rackham Graduate School
International Institute


A Conversation with NYT Technology Reporter Kashmir Hill

Monday, October 7, 2024 | 4:15 PM

Annenberg Auditorium, Weill Hall
735 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Free and open to the public

Please join us for an engaging conversation with New York Times technology reporter Kashmir Hill and Shobita Parthasarathy, Faculty Director of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP) Program. Our speakers will explore the intersection of technology and privacy, addressing some of today’s most salient issues.

More information about this event.

Co-Sponsors:
Gerald R. Ford School


2025 Knight-Wallace Fellow Joseph Sywnkyj

WCEE Exhibition. Verses from a Nation in Transition. Ukraine in Photographs by Joseph Sywenkyj

Tuesday, October 1 – Friday, November 29, 2024
International Institute Gallery, Weiser Hall Room 547 | 500 Church Street

WCEE Distinguished Lecture
Monday, October 21, 2024 | 5:30 PM
Weiser Hall Room 1010 | 500 Church Street

Free and open to the public

Joseph Sywenkyj is the 2024-25 Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia’s Distinguished Fellow, and a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. An award-winning American photographer of Ukrainian descent, Sywenkyj has lived and worked in Ukraine for the last two decades. He is a frequent contributor to publications in Europe and Eurasia and to The Wall Street Journal, and his photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums, including the United Nations Visitor’s Lobby in New York and the Taras Shevchenko National Museum in Kyiv.

More information about the photo exhibit.
More information about this event.

Hosted by:
Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia

Co-sponsors:
International Institute


One Nation, Divergent Views: A Roundtable Discussion

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 | 6 PM

Rackham Auditorium
915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Free and open to the public

Watch the video recording.

Join Wallace House and the Institute for Social Research for a live conversation driven by journalism and social science in the run-up to the presidential election. Hear special guests Bret Stephens and Lydia Polgreen of The New York Times, María Elena Salinas of ABC News, and Vince Hutchings of U-M Center for Political Studies in conversation with veteran Michigan journalist Stephen Henderson. As part of the University of Michigan’s Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement initiative, this special event will provide insights on critical issues shaping the 2024 election and social science research on the American voting public.

More information about this event.

Co-Sponsors:
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Institute for Social Research
U-M’s Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment and Global Engagement initiative
DPTV


Holger Roonemaa and Inga Springe

Investigative Journalism in the Baltics: Breaking the Kremlin’s Operations in Estonia and Latvia

CREES Noon Lecture
Wednesday, January 15 | Noon to 1:20 PM
555 Weiser Hall

Holger Roonemaa and Inga Springe are two of the foremost investigative journalists covering the ongoing hybrid war between Russia and the Baltic states. Roonemaa, a 2025 Knight-Wallace Fellow from Estonia, and Springe, from Latvia, have spent years uncovering the covert tactics Russia employs to destabilize their countries—efforts that include funding political parties, spreading disinformation, inciting violence, and launching cyber-attacks. Their work has exposed the persistent threat Russia poses to these NATO allies, despite their integration into the European Union and the alliance two decades ago.

More information about this event.

Hosted by:
Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies


An MLK Symposium Event

“Where Do We Go From Here? Perspectives on Race, Democracy and Justice”

Wednesday, January 29 | 6:30 PM
Helmut Stern Auditorium, Musuem of Art

Free and open to the public.





As part of the University of Michigan’s MLK Symposium, please join us for a conversation with three prominent scholars of African American political history about possible futures for movements for racial justice and democratic change during the new presidential administration.

Join Jelani Cobb, Dean of Columbia Journalism School, staff writer for The New Yorker and MSNBC political commentator, alongside U-M professors Angela Dillard and Stephen Ward, to discuss the challenges, and opportunities, facing advocates for Martin Luther King’s vision of racial equality and multiracial democracy in the coming years. 

Lynette Clemetson, director of U-M’s Wallace House Center for Journalists, will be the event’s moderator.

More information about this event.

Co-Sponsor:
Department of Afroamerican and African Studies

Department of History
Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies


Eisendrath Symposium and WCEE Panel Event

“Press Freedom in Central and Eastern Europe in the Age of Putin”

Thursday, February 13 | 4:30 PM
Rackham Amphitheater

Free and open to the public

With journalists Baktygul Chynybaeva of Kyrgyzstan, Holger Roonemaa of Estonia and Joseph Sywenkyj of Ukraine and the U.S., in conversation with Geneviève Zubrzycki, Director of the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia

As the Kremlin tries to silence independent media through bans, censorship and “foreign agent” labels, this repression has spread to Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where some governments are replicating Putin’s laws and tactics. How can journalists safeguard access to accurate information in the face of these escalating threats?

More information about this event.

The Eisendrath Symposium honors Charles R. Eisendrath, former director of Wallace House, and his lifelong commitment to international journalism.

Co-Sponsor:
Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia


17 Blocks Premiere Screening and Conversation

Tuesday, March 18 | 6 PM
Michigan Theater

Reserve your free ticket here.

In 1999, filmmaker Davy Rothgart gave nine-year-old Emmanual Sanford-Durant a camera. The boy and his family began filming their daily lives in America’s most dangerous neighborhood — just 17 blocks behind the U.S. Capitol. Together, Davy and the Sanfords kept filming and collaborating for 20 years. This critically acclaimed documentary illuminates a nation’s ongoing crisis through one family’s raw, stirring and deeply personal saga.

Watch the trailer.

More information about this event.

Co-Sponsor:
Center for Racial Justice


Laura Santhanam

Disappearing Federal Data: Implications and Preservation Efforts

Tuesday, April 29 | Noon
Institute for Social Research | Room 143
426 Thompson Street

In-person and Live stream

Join Wallace House Center for Journalists and the Institute for Social Research for an expert panel on disappearing federal data. The panel includes Knight-Wallace Fellow Laura Santhanam, Professor of Communication and Media Josh Pasek, Director, Digital Scholarship and Creative Spaces Justin Schell, Government Information, Law and Political Science Librarian Catherine Morse. Moderated by Associate Professor of Information Libby Hemphill, the panel will discuss the current threat to federal data, societal implications, and preservation efforts.

More information

Hosted by:
Institute for Social Research


Announcing the 2025 Livingston Awards Finalists

“In a world where algorithms and devices often constrict our view and narrow our understanding, these finalists exemplify the fierce commitment of reporters to dig beyond dominant narratives. Their work uncovers overlooked stories and voices that demand our attention,” said Lynette Clemetson, director of the awards and the Wallace House Center for Journalists. “We invite you to read, watch, and listen to some of the most compelling journalism of the past year.”

Now in its 44th year, the awards continue to bolster the work of young reporters, encourage the next generation of journalism leaders and mentors, and foster civic engagement around powerful storytelling.

The Livingston Awards regional judges read all qualifying entries to select the finalists in local, national and international reporting. The regional judging panel includes Molly Ball, senior political correspondent, The Wall Street Journal; Meghna Chakrabarti, host and editor, “On Point,” WBUR; Stella Chávez, investigative reporter, The Texas Newsroom; Adam Ganucheau, editor in chief, Mississippi Today; David Greene, co-founder, Fearless Media; Stephen Henderson, host, WDET, public radio Detroit and Detroit Public Television; and Amna Nawaz, co-anchor, PBS “NewsHour.”

A panel of national judges reviews all finalist entries and selects the winners. The national judges are Audie Cornish; Raney Aronson-Rath, executive producer, “FRONTLINE”; Sally Buzbee, news editor for the United States and Canada, Reuters; Sewell Chan, former executive editor, Columbia Journalism Review; Matt Murray, executive editor, The Washington Post; Lydia Polgreen, opinion columnist, The New York Times; María Elena Salinas, independent journalist, formerly of ABC News; Bret Stephens, opinion columnist, The New York Times; and Kara Swisher, podcast host, New York Media.

The Livingston Awards are made possible with support from generous sponsors, including the University of Michigan, the Knight Foundation, the Indian Trail Charitable Foundation, the Mollie Parnis Livingston Foundation, Christiane Amanpour, Dr. Gil Omenn and Martha Darling, the Judy and Fred Wilpon Foundation, and The Joyce Foundation.

We present the 2025 Livingston Awards finalists. You can find their submitted work here.

Local Reporting

  • Hadley Barndollar, MassLive
  • Ana Claudia Chacin and Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald
  • Shannon Chaffers, New York Amsterdam News
  • Wilson Criscione and Kelsey Turner, InvestigateWest
  • Luis Ferré-Sadurní, The New York Times
  • Caroline Ghisolfi, Amelia Winger and Matt deGrood, Houston Chronicle
  • Quinn Glabicki, PublicSource
  • Jessika Harkay, The Connecticut Mirror
  • Grace Hauck and Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project and Better Government Association
  • Ivana Hrynkiw, AL.com
  • Andrea Igliozzi, Rashel Cedeño de Abreu, Christian Vazquez-García and Bryan Albor, Univision 19
  • Cleo Krejci, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • Asher Lehrer-Small, Houston Landing
  • Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times 
  • Katie Mettler, The Washington Post
  • Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman

 National Reporting

  • Thomas Birmingham, In These Times
  • Eric Boodman, STAT
  • Chip Brownlee, The Trace
  • Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th
  • Nicole Einbinder and Hannah Beckler, Business Insider
  • Lev Facher, STAT
  • Lauren Gill and Daniel Moritz-Rabson, Bolts in partnership with The Intercept
  • Emily Gogolak, Harper’s Magazine
  • Emma Goldberg, The New York Times
  • Benjamin Guggenheim, POLITICO
  • Esmy Jimenez and Sydney Brownstone, The Seattle Times in partnership with KUOW Public Radio
  • George Joseph and Will Craft, The Guardian US
  • Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica
  • Joseph Lee, Vox
  • Daniel Lombroso, The New Yorker
  • Mark Olalde and Nick Bowlin, ProPublica and Capital & Main
  • Cecilia Reyes, Business Insider
  • Christie Thompson, The Marshall Project

 International Reporting

  • Anna-Catherine Brigida, Houston Landing
  • Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone
  • Mari Cohen, Jewish Currents
  • Jeremy Diamond, CNN Worldwide
  • Jessica Fu, Popular Mechanics
  • Raffaele Huang and Tracy Qu, The Wall Street Journal
  • Lizzie Johnson, Anastacia Galouchka and Kamila Hrabchuk, The Washington Post
  • Lasha Madan, 99% Invisible, SiriusXM
  • Charlie Metcalfe, MIT Technology Review
  • David Pan and Fasika Tadesse Yimer, Bloomberg News
  • Nicole Sadek, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
  • Liam Scott, Voice of America

More on the finalists’ work and links to watch, listen and read here.

One Nation, Divergent Views: A Pre-Election Roundtable

(left to right) New York Times columnists Bret Stephens and Lydia Polgreen, ABC News’ María Elena Salinas, University of Michigan professor Vincent Hutchings
and WDET’s Stephen Henderson

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024 | 6 PM

Rackham Auditorium
915 E Washington St
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Watch the video recording.

A Special Election Event

Join Wallace House and the Institute for Social Research for a live conversation driven by journalism and social science in the run-up to the presidential election. Hear special guests Bret Stephens and Lydia Polgreen of The New York Times, María Elena Salinas of ABC News, and Vincent Hutchings of U-M Center for Political Studies in conversation with veteran Michigan journalist Stephen Henderson. As part of the University of Michigan’s Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement initiative, this special event will provide insights on critical issues shaping the 2024 election and social science research on the American voting public.

Drawing on findings from the 75-year-long American National Election Studies, the discussion will explore the dramatic rise of political polarization, the significant decline in public trust in government — which has dropped from 80% in the 1950s to just 20% today — and other key factors influencing voter behavior. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear diverse perspectives on the forces shaping the upcoming election.

About the Speakers

Vincent Hutchings is a professor of political science at the University of Michigan and an expert in public opinion, elections, voting behavior and African American politics. He was one of the principal investigators for the American National Election Studies (ANES) from 2010 to 2017.  The ANES is the premier academic survey of American voting, public opinion, and political participation. The ANES was launched at the University of Michigan during the 1948 presidential election and has collected the highest quality national survey data, with questions dating as far back as the 1950s and 1960s, in every presidential election since then.

Lydia Polgreen is an opinion columnist at The New York Times and a co-host of the “Matter of Opinion” podcast. Previously, she served as managing director of Gimlet, a podcast studio at Spotify, and as editor-in-chief of HuffPost, leading a team of hundreds of journalists publishing 16 editions across the globe in nine languages. Her leadership at HuffPost followed a 15-year career at The New York Times that included roles as associate masthead editor, deputy international editor, South Africa bureau chief, a correspondent for the New Delhi bureau and chief of the West Africa bureau. Before joining The Times, Polgreen was a staff writer for the Orlando Sentinel and the Albany Times Union. She received the 2009 Livingston Award for international reporting for her series, “The Spoils,” an account of how mineral wealth brought misery and exploitation to much of Africa.

María Elena Salinas is a contributor to ABC News. For more than 30 years, she served as co-anchor of Univision Network’s flagship daily newscast, “Noticiero Univision,” and for 18 years she was the co-host and correspondent for the network’s weekly newsmagazine, “Aquí y Ahora.” Called the “Voice of Hispanic America” by The New York Times, Salinas is the most recognized Hispanic female journalist in the United States. Most recently, Salinas served as a contributor for CBS News, where she reported across platforms and on coverage of the 2020 presidential election. She also anchored the award-winning documentary, “Pandemia: Latinos in Crisis,” which looked at how COVID-19 has affected the Latinx community.

Bret Stephens is an opinion columnist for The New York Times, writing about foreign policy, domestic politics and cultural issues. He also has a weekly published conversation on current affairs with his colleague, Gail Collins. Previously, he was the foreign affairs columnist for The Wall Street Journal, a member of the Journal’s editorial board and the deputy editor of the editorial page, responsible for international opinion. Stephens was awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his column “Global View,” receiving the honor for “his incisive columns on American foreign policy and domestic politics, often enlivened by a contrarian twist.”

About the moderator

Stephen Henderson hosts the daily radio show “Created Equal” on WDET, Detroit’s public radio station, and is the longtime host of “American Black Journal” and a regular contributor to “One Detroit” on Detroit PBS. Previously, he was the editorial page editor and a columnist for the Detroit Free Press. He has also worked for the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun and spent four years covering the Supreme Court for Knight Ridder’s Washington Bureau. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a former editorial page editor of The Michigan Daily, the school’s 125-year-old daily student newspaper.

Co-Sponsors
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Institute for Social Research
U-M’s Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment and Global Engagement initiative
DPTV

EXPLORE MORE WALLACE HOUSE EVENTS

The Song Foundation and The Joyce Foundation Commit $1.28 Million to Wallace House Center for Journalists to Launch the Great Lakes Local News Initiative

Wallace House Center for Journalists at the University of Michigan is pleased to announce an innovation-driven $1.28 million gift from the Song Foundation and the Joyce Foundation. This funding will launch the Great Lakes Local News Initiative and bolster the Knight-Wallace Fellowships, providing targeted support for journalists dedicated to revitalizing local news across the midwestern Great Lakes states.

The initiative will grant specialized fellowships within the Knight-Wallace program, offering entrepreneurship training from experts at Wallace House, the University of Michigan, and national and regional journalism partners. These fellowships will empower journalists to build or grow new journalism outlets or lead innovative initiatives within existing newsrooms, ensuring local communities have access to reliable, sustainable and equitable information.

The Great Lakes Local News Initiative is an effort to address the alarming decline of local journalism and the resulting breakdown in social cohesion necessary for informed, functioning communities. Nearly one-third of U.S. newspapers have closed since 2005, leaving behind news deserts and communities vulnerable to disinformation and unaccountable leadership, threatening the fabric of democracy. By building on the 50-year history of the Knight-Wallace Fellowships, this initiative will support journalists committed to creating or rebuilding strong, inclusive local news outlets essential to fostering community engagement, action and change. The effort aligns with numerous local news initiatives across the country.

“At a time when the strength of our democracy is under intense pressure, these generous gifts shine a bright light on the vital connection between journalism and an informed, civically engaged society,” said Lynette Clemetson, director of Wallace House. “Journalists in our region have the ideas, energy and dedication to design new strategies for reaching their local communities. Our ability to add directed training, tools and support networks will propel their efforts and foster a durable news ecosystem. We are deeply grateful to the Song Foundation and the Joyce Foundation for providing this transformative catalyst.”

The Michigan-based Song Foundation has pledged a $1 million challenge grant designed to inspire additional support from foundations and individual donors across the Great Lakes states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This gift will seed an endowment and build long-term sustainability over the next five years.

“We believe that collective investments are urgently needed to preserve local journalism and ensure residents of the Great Lakes region have access to credible information to help guide their engagement and advocacy at all levels of government,” said Khalilah Burt Gaston, executive director of the Song Foundation. “The Foundation’s commitment to building this ongoing endowment to support the Great Lakes Local News Initiative is our call for individuals and organizations to join us in supporting journalists with a vision and passion to chart new paths in their field.”

The Joyce Foundation, based in Illinois, has embraced this challenge with a $280,000 grant, reinforcing their shared commitment to equity and economic mobility in the Great Lakes region.

“It’s so important to give sharp minds the support they need to build the stronger local journalism we all need,” said Hugh Dellios, director of Joyce’s Journalism Program. “The Great Lakes region has been a fountain of innovative ideas for how to strengthen local news. We’re proud to partner with Wallace House and the Song Foundation to promote more successful entrepreneurship, and we hope others will join us in this effort.”

Applications for the Great Lakes Local News Fellowship will open in October to journalists committed to building or growing local news outlets across Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Like the traditional Knight-Wallace Fellowship, applicants must have at least five years of journalism experience and currently work in some aspect of journalism. The application deadline is February 1, 2025. The first recipients will be selected in May 2025 to join the 2025-2026 Knight-Wallace Fellowship cohort.

Meet the 2025-2026 inaugural Great Lakes News Fellows

Elizabeth Jensen of Press Forward Northern Michigan and Irene Romulo of Cicero Independiente.

About The Song Foundation

The Song Foundation, inspired by Southeast Michigan’s spirit of progress and creative risk-taking, supports ideas, people, and organizations that further its shared vision of an equitable, thriving community. It embraces disruptors and amplifies the signal of people already working, every day to create opportunities for neighbors in need and to foster economic, social, environmental, and cultural wealth—community wealth—for a more free, prosperous, and joyful future.
song.foundation

About The Joyce Foundation

The Joyce Foundation is a private, nonpartisan philanthropy that invests in public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region.
joycefdn.org

About Wallace House Center for Journalists

Wallace Center for Journalists at the University of Michigan is committed to fostering excellence in journalism. We are home to programs that recognize, sustain and elevate the careers of journalists to address the challenges of journalism today, foster civic engagement and uphold the role of a free press in a democratic society. We believe in the fundamental mission of journalism to document, interpret, analyze and investigate the forces shaping society.

The 37th Graham Hovey Lecture with Mazin Sidahmed of Documented

“Sorting Immigration Facts from Fiction: The Power of Local Reporting Amid National Politics”

September 10, 2024 | 5 p.m.
Reception following the lecture

Wallace House Gardens
620 Oxford Road, Ann Arbor

Welcome remarks by Valeria Bertacco,
Vice Provost for Engaged Learning, University of Michigan

Watch the video recording.

In a deeply polarizing election year, immigration remains one of the most contentious, sensationalized issues in American politics. Beyond the partisan rallying cries influencing the presidential race, immigration plays out in individual communities where needs, resources and actions often transcend party lines and knee-jerk responses. How journalists cover immigration – and who their coverage ultimately serves – can shape how Americans understand and debate this issue for generations.

Join Mazin Sidahmed, 2021 Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow and co-founder of the non-profit newsroom Documented, for a discussion on how shifting our journalism focus from national coverage to local news outlets and from “reporting about” to “reporting for and with” immigrant communities can help us discern immigration fact from fiction and improve outcomes for everyone.

This is an in-person event and will not be live-streamed. However, a recording of the lecture will be available on our website following the event.

About the Speaker

Mazin Sidahmed is the co-founder and co-executive editor of Documented, an independent, non-profit newsroom dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City. He previously worked for the Guardian US in New York during the 2016 US elections, covering various issues, including surveillance and criminal justice, and the rise of hate crimes following the election. Sidahmed left the news desk to join the award-winning Guardian Mobile Innovation Lab, where he helped develop new mobile-specific story formats. He started his career writing for The Daily Star in Beirut, where he reported on the Syrian refugee crisis, weapons transfers to Lebanon and the plight of migrant domestic workers.

As a 2021 Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow, Sidahmed reported for Documented on the role of local police in federal immigration enforcement.

About the Graham Hovey Lecture

The annual Graham Hovey Lecture recognizes a Knight-Wallace journalist whose career exemplifies the benefits of a fellowship at the University of Michigan and whose ensuing work is at the forefront of our national conversations. The event is named for the late Graham Hovey, director of the fellowship program from 1980 to 1986 and a distinguished journalist for The New York Times.

Michigan Public is a co-sponsor of this event.

Announcing the 2024 Livingston Award Winners

2024 Livingston Award winners (clockwise from top-left) Samantha Hogan of The Maine Monitor, Renata Brito of The Associated Press, Kevin Merida, the Richard M. Clurman Award recipient, Allison Behringer and Lila Hassan of KCRW Public Radio (Southern California).

Today the Livingston Awards honor stories that represent the best in local, national and international reporting by journalists under the age of 35. The winning stories include a local news investigation exposing the systematic failures of Maine’s illusive probate courts, a documentary podcast probing timely gender-specific health challenges, and a visually-driven investigation retracing the tragic voyages of West African migrants lost in the Atlantic Ocean on their quest to reach Europe. The $10,000 prizes are for work released in 2023.

The Livingston Awards also honored Kevin Merida, former executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, with the Richard M. Clurman Award for mentoring. The prize is given each year to an experienced journalist who has played a pivotal role in guiding and nurturing the careers of young reporters. The award is named for the late Richard M. Clurman, former chief of correspondents for Time-Life News Service and architect of the Livingston Awards.

Livingston Awards national judges Kara Swisher of New York Magazine, Lydia Polgreen of The New York Times, Raney Aronson-Rath of Frontline and Lynette Clemetson, director of Wallace House, introduced the winners at a ceremony hosted by Livingston Awards emeritus judge Ken Auletta.

“We are honored to recognize this exceptional reporting that uses text, audio and visual storytelling to full effect,” said Lynette Clemetson. “It is especially inspiring to honor the doggedness of these journalists during a period of painful retrenchment in many news organizations. The persistence of young reporters to pursue challenging work with such ambition and creativity pushes our entire industry forward.” 

Celebrating its 43rd year, the awards bolster the work of young reporters, cultivate the next generation of journalism leaders and mentors and advance civic engagement around powerful storytelling. Major sponsors include the University of Michigan, Knight Foundation, the Indian Trail Charitable Foundation, the Mollie Parnis Livingston Foundation, Christiane Amanpour, the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation, Dr. Gil Omenn and Martha Darling and The Joyce Foundation.

The 2024 winners for work released in 2023 are listed below.

Local Reporting

Samantha Hogan, 30, of The Maine Monitor for “Maine’s Part-Time Court,” a year-long investigation into the state’s illusive probate courts. Her reporting exposed stories of individuals whose life savings may have been pocketed by their conservators and revealed eight unexplained deaths of people who were under Maine’s state guardianship.

“Samantha Hogan’s multi-year investigation into an alarming lack of oversight within Maine’s probate courts is a shining example of local journalism at its finest. Her efforts were creative and meticulous: She conducted in-depth interviews with those in the probate system. She crafted and sent surveys to the probate courts. She dove into the research on alternative probate systems. And she submitted public records requests that ultimately revealed the suspicious deaths of eight people under the court’s guardianship. Samantha’s reporting catalyzed grassroots change and strengthened civic engagement and democracy.”
Kara Swisher, Livingston Awards national judge

National Reporting

Allison Behringer, 33 and Lila Hassan, 28, KCRW Public Radio, for three episodes from Season Four of the podcast “Bodies.” Their stories explored early-onset puberty, postpartum psychosis and the fight for abortion training in a Post-Roe America through the lens of feminism, systemic discrimination and marginalization.

“I have done a lot of tough and dangerous reporting — interviewing warlords, trekking across deserts, dodging bullets in urban warfare. But years of experience have taught me that one of the hardest things to do is to get children to talk — openly, authentically and enthusiastically talk. Allison Behringer and Lila Hassan got kids to open up about some of the most intimate and private parts of their lives — their changing bodies. The “Bodies” episodes honored here are stories of huge social and political importance told in the most intimate and human ways. Innovative and first-rate journalism from start to finish.”
Lydia Polgreen, Livingston Awards national judge

International Reporting

Renata Brito, 31, The Associated Press for “Adrift/36 Days,” a visually-driven investigation that seamlessly weaves together graphic illustrations, evocative imagery and powerful storytelling. Through meticulous detail, Brito reconstructs the journey of a boat discovered on Tobago’s coast, identifies its deceased passengers and humanizes the plight of migrants.

“Renata Brito’s investigation into a ‘ghost boat’ found in Trinidad and Tobago turned into a two-year cinematic investigation tracking the fatal journey for 43 Mauritanian immigrants trying to make their way to the Canary Islands and ultimately Europe. Despite challenges in accessing information from different governments and not knowing who might have been on this boat, she persisted. The results brought closure to families who had previously been unable to declare their sons dead. Her investigation also spurred a wider look into the ‘ghost boat’ phenomenon and resulted in Renata documenting another horrific journey of a boat at sea for 36 days and the deaths of 63 of the 101 migrants onboard.”
Raney Aronson-Rath, Livingston Awards national judge

Mentoring Award

Kevin Merida, former executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, former editor-in-chief of The Undefeated and former managing editor of The Washington Post, was honored with the Richard M. Clurman Award for his commitment to counseling, nurturing and inspiring young journalists. In a video tribute, journalists from the Los Angeles Times, ESPN and The Washington Post talked about Merida’s encouragement of young reporters and his influence on their careers.

“Nearly every piece of journalism that changed me, challenged me and upped my game as a reporter had Kevin’s imprint and genius behind it. He is the kind of leader I now strive to be – empowering, innovative, accessible, no B.S. He showed so many of us that we could lead in newsrooms as ourselves.”
— Krissah Thompson, The Washington Post

In addition to Swisher, Polgreen and Aronson-Rath, the Livingston national judges panel includes Sally Buzbee, Sewell Chan, Audie Cornish, Matt Murray, María Elena Salinas and Bret Stephens.

More on the winners here.

Announcing the 2024-2025 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellows

Wallace House Center for Journalists and the University of Michigan are pleased to announce the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year. This cohort of 18 accomplished journalists from nine countries and a broad cross-section of the U.S. marks the 51st class of Fellows in our program’s history.

The Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellows will pursue ambitious journalism projects, immerse themselves in university courses and participate in weekly seminars with journalism leaders, renowned scholars, media innovators and social change agents.

“We’re honored to introduce the newest cohort of Knight-Wallace Fellows, whose expertise spans a diverse array of critical topics,” said Lynette Clemetson, Director of Wallace House. “Their projects will delve into pressing issues such as protecting vulnerable sources, navigating the implications of technological advancements and supporting reporters in hostile environments. Through their collaborative, cross-disciplinary efforts, they’re poised to make a profound impact not only within journalism but also in the communities they serve.”

In addition to the academic and intellectual resources provided, Fellows will receive $90,000 in stipend and relocation support over nine months, an increase to help the journalists in our program weather industry instability and rising housing prices. Fellows will reside in the Ann Arbor area and enjoy most seminars at Wallace House, a gift from the late newsman Mike Wallace and his wife Mary, and the program’s home base.

Wallace House’s Knight-Wallace Fellowship program is funded through endowment gifts from foundations, news organizations, individuals and ongoing contributions from funders committed to journalism’s role in fostering an informed and engaged public.

The 2024-2025 Knight-Wallace Fellows and Their Journalism Projects:

Dieu-Nalio Chery is a freelance photojournalist from Haiti. He has documented the profound beauty, searing pain and upheaval in his homeland for The Associated Press, and many of his images have become iconic records of Haiti in the 21st century. His work will illuminate the larger story of the Haitian diaspora and combat common stereotypes.

Baktygul Chynybaeva is a journalist from Kyrgyzstan who has covered healthcare, environmental and human rights issues. She will explore avenues for achieving media independence in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan despite the countries’ economic and media dependencies on Russia.

Denise Guerra is an audio journalist and co-founder of popular news podcasts who focuses on breaking news and narrative storytelling. She will examine how short-form videos affect news consumption and how both news consumers and news creators can best utilize this evolving medium.

Cassie Haynes, J.D., M.P.H., the co-founder of the nonprofit journalism organization, Resolve Philly, is a journalism strategist with executive experience in government, corporate and nonprofit sectors. She will research mechanisms that enable newsrooms to quantify and predict the impact of their reporting on the evolution of social narratives.

Fatemeh Jamalpour is an Iranian journalist who has been interrogated, arrested and jailed by the Iranian government because of her human rights-focused reporting. Her study project will examine Iranian society’s move towards secularization.

Kwanseok Jang is a political reporter with the Seoul-based daily newspaper Dong-A Ilbo. He has 15 years of experience in journalism, including three years covering presidential and administrative policy-making processes. He will explore tensions between the public’s right to information, individual privacy rights and political partisanship, with a focus on the U.S. presidential elections.

Ally Jarmanning is a senior reporter at WBUR in Boston, where she focuses on accountability stories using data and public records. Based on her work with victims of police brutality and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, Jarmanning will create a guide for working with vulnerable sources.

Kunāl Majumder serves as the India Representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, where he documents and researches press freedom issues and advocates for journalists’ safety. He will engage with diverse experts in public policy, democracy and media studies, exploring ways to advance protections for journalists.

Zahra Nader is the founding editor-in-chief of Zan Times, a non-profit news outlet that covers women, gender-based issues and human rights in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. She will study business models and management strategies tailored to the needs of entrepreneurial journalists in exile.

Katie O’Brien is a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer at ABC News. She has reported from more than 30 U.S. states and covered dynamic and pivotal stories. She will explore multiple facets of juror biases, including studying juror selection processes and cutting-edge strategies for detecting juror biases through Artificial Intelligence algorithms.

Sarah Rahal is the lead city reporter for The Detroit News, where she covers developments within Detroit City Hall and spotlights important local issues. She will research the challenges and successes that municipalities face as they support refugees and asylum seekers as well as the impact of growing refugee communities on local politics, economics and culture.

Nada Rashwan reports on the Middle East and North Africa with a focus on politics and society in Egypt. She will investigate strategies for engaging youth and producing nuanced journalism under repressive governments, particularly in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East that actively censor the media.

Holger Roonemaa manages the investigative and fact-checking team at the daily news site Delfi Estonia. He is also an editor with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). He will develop an investigative journalism hub designed to bridge resource gaps, make use of high-tech investigative methods and bolster data-driven regional partnerships.

Davy Rothbart is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, journalist, bestselling author, creator of Found Magazine and a frequent contributor to public radio’s “This American Life.” He will explore the challenges facing wrongfully convicted inmates who lack DNA evidence and examine cases where innocence has still been established despite the obstacles.

Laura Santhanam is a health reporter and coordinating producer for polling at “PBS NewsHour.” She will study what both health professionals and journalists learned about public health messaging from the COVID pandemic and how to more effectively combat misinformation and build trust going forward.

Summer Sewell is an independent journalist who most recently worked as a contributing editor for special packages at Mother Jones. Through narrative storytelling, Sewell will trace the trajectories of two families, one black and one white, who have farmed over generations– recounting the families’ setbacks and triumphs and directly comparing their lost and gained generational wealth.

Joseph Sywenkyj is an American photographer of Ukrainian descent who has lived and worked in Ukraine for approximately 20 years. He will study how the psychology and sociology of war trauma change the identity of individual Ukrainians as well as the shared identity of the nation.

Anastasia Tsioulcas is a correspondent on NPR’s Culture desk and also contributes as a classical music critic to The New York Times, the first journalist to hold such a dual role. As a joint fellow with the University of Michigan Arts Initiative, Tsioulcas will research the effectiveness of recent diversity efforts, with a focus on Detroit and the surrounding region.

Read more about the 2024-2025 Knight-Wallace Fellows and their journalism projects »


About Wallace House Center for Journalists

Committed to fostering excellence in journalism, Wallace House at the University of Michigan is home to the Knight-Wallace Fellowships, the Livingston Awards and the Wallace House Presents event series, programs that recognize exceptional journalists for their work, leadership and potential.
wallacehouse.umich.edu

A Lifeline for Journalists at Risk

Roberson Alphonse, an investigative reporter from Haiti, survived an assassination attempt in October 2022, fleeing to Miami before finding refuge as a 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellow in Ann Arbor, where he could continue his work.

Stand with Us on World Press Freedom Day

For five decades, Wallace House Center for Journalists at the University of Michigan has been a steadfast advocate for press freedom, providing vital support for journalists at risk. Today, as we commemorate World Press Freedom Day, we urge you to join us in standing resolute in support of journalists under siege across the globe.

 

Through the Knight-Wallace Fellowships for Journalists, we provide an academic year of support, serving as a life-saving bridge for journalists confronting crises in their home countries. From Kashmir to Mexico, Haiti to Russia, and Afghanistan to Iran, our Fellows’ stories underscore the sacrifices journalists make and the critical need for organizations like Wallace House to safeguard their pursuit of truth.

Roberson Alphonse, an investigative reporter from Haiti, is just one of many journalists targeted for his reporting in recent years and one of many helped by Wallace House. Since 2022, at least six journalists in Haiti have been murdered in retaliation for their work, making it one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists. Alphonse narrowly survived an assassination attempt in October 2022, fleeing to Miami before finding refuge as a 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellow in Ann Arbor. With the financial, structural and emotional support offered through the fellowship, Alphonse has been able to continue his vital work, writing and hosting a radio show while researching methods to safeguard journalists working in hostile environments. 

Watch Alphonse discuss his journey in the video above.

Yet, the challenges facing journalists persist. With conflicts raging in Gaza and Ukraine and autocracies tightening their grip around the world, the statistics are sobering: The Committee to Protect Journalists documented 320 journalists imprisoned around the world near the end of 2023, with nearly 20% of them serving sentences of 10 years or more in retaliation for their coverage. Ongoing wars indicate an alarming rate of death, injury and imprisonment of journalists in 2024. 

Your support can make a tangible difference in the lives of journalists like Alphonse and countless others who risk everything to inform and empower their communities. Your generosity helps us provide emergency assistance, advocate for press freedom and enable journalists to tell the truth without fear.

Join us in supporting journalists on World Press Freedom Day and beyond. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that voices of truth are not silenced. Donate now.

Thank you for standing with us.


To learn more about how to make a major gift in support of these efforts, please contact Jennifer Halseth, Financial Administrator, at [email protected]