Winners and Finalists: Local Letters for Global Change 2022

Every year, the Local Letters for Global Change contest calls on students to identify issues they feel passionate about, explore underreported stories that offer global and historical context for those issues, and act on their knowledge by advocating for solutions. The twenty young leaders whose work is published below were selected from among some 500 entrants in six countries, 21 U.S. states, and the District of Columbia.

These letters are rooted in students' drive to address the problems facing their own communities. At the same time, they demonstrate the power of global solidarity. Through the journalism they cite and the personal connections they make, the letters illuminate how systemic issues affect people across the world, and how good solutions in one place can serve as a model for others to build on.

Students drew on diverse reporting projects about issues ranging from affordable housing to water sustainability, from cultural memory to corporate accountability. Winning entries address elected representatives at the local, state, and national level. By making direct appeals to people in a position to enact their proposed solutions, students further a goal shared by journalism: they hold power to account.

We are grateful to every participating student and teacher who engaged deeply with a global issue and inspired us with your passion and your insight. You can view the letter-writing workshop guide here and stay up to date on education opportunities and resources by signing up for our weekly education newsletter. The next Local Letters for Global Change contest will open in September 2023.

Letters were judged by the Pulitzer Center team based on content and structure according to the criteria in the Local Letters for Global Change judging rubric. The views expressed in these letters do not necessarily represent the views of the Pulitzer Center, its staff, or contest judges.

Thank you to our semifinal and final round judges: Elliott Adams, Hannah Berk, Maryel Cardenas, Kendra Grissom, Donnalie Jamnah, Jessica Mims, Fareed Mostoufi, S. Jaya Mukherjee, and Mark Schulte.