As we wrap up 2024, we are proud and excited to share a hand-picked selection of Pulitzer Center-supported stories that shaped our year. Every December, our team takes a moment to reflect on the journalism that moved us, surprised us, challenged us, or made an impact.
These stories—reporting from more than 20 countries—include the big breakthroughs and the quieter moments that require sustained attention as public discourse shifts.
While we often spotlight our incredible grantees and partners, our staff are also at the heart of the Pulitzer Center’s mission. Now based in over 15 countries around the globe, they embody our commitment to championing the power of storytelling and intentional connections with people to drive positive change.
This is an opportunity to hear directly from the stewards of Pulitzer Center projects—from our editors guiding the journalistic process, to educators implementing civic literacy programs that reach classrooms around the world, to outreach specialists bringing Center-supported journalism to audiences and communities who need it most.
Dive into these 37 stories across our focus areas, and learn why they resonated with our staff.
Climate & Environment
"In the Amazon, a New Way To Live off Nature"
By Isabel Alarcón and Misha Vallejo Prut for The Washington Post
Nature has long been sacrificed for the sake of a better way of life. One Achuar community is using solar energy to break that dynamic.
Amid Ecuador's current energy crisis, stories like this bring hope that we don't have to feel limited in the path forward.
— Alexandra Waddell
Digital Content Coordinator and Research Assistant
United States
"The Road to a Just Energy Transition"
By Laura Grant and Alastair Otter for The Outlier
South Africa faces a pivotal energy transition and the data news website The Outlier provided a remarkable road trip to five provinces, exploring the risks and opportunities of the transition to cleaner energy, in a nimble online presentation.
— Christine Spolar
Climate and Labor Editor
United Kingdom
"Without Environmental Criteria, the Stock Exchange Channels Over R$ 560 Billion to Brazilian Agribusiness (Portuguese)"
By Bruna Bronoski for O Joio e O Trigo
While Brazilian bank credit comes with environmental and climate criteria, the capital market remains a loophole, allowing deforesters unfettered access to funding. Bruna Bronoski identifies the financial instruments, the money flows, and the main players benefiting from lack of regulation.
— Fernanda Buffa
Program Coordinator and Research Assistant
Portugal
"One Atoll's Fight: Micronesian Community and Scientists Unite To Protect Remote Atoll by Reawakening Traditions"
By Carl Smith for Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The challenge of reporting from one of the most remote places in the world was huge and depended on building trust with the community. Carl Smith's stories highlighted the many existential threats this atoll faces and examined how the community is fighting back with traditional knowledge and modern science.
— Jessica Aldred
Ocean Editor
United Kingdom
"A Kurdish Photographer Records the Brutal Transformation of the Rivers That Nurtured the Cradle of Civilization"
By Murat Yazar for National Geographic
A story about river pollution, noteworthy also because our grantee and Out of Eden Walk partner Murat Yazar was detained for almost a week by Kurdish security forces. He was released after our Editorial team mobilized on his behalf, an example of the sometimes-necessary depth of our support for journalists.
— Mark Schulte
Director of K-12 Education
United States
"How Congo’s Trees Are Smuggled Through East Africa"
By Musinguzi Blanshe for The Africa Report
This story reveals the timber smuggling route from the Democratic Republic of Congo to other countries in East Africa. It's an outstanding cross-border piece that exposes a multi-million-dollar plunder of protected natural resources, facilitated by corruption and lack of government control.
— Federico Acosta Rainis
Data Specialist, Environmental Investigations
Spain
"Secrets of the ‘Black Box’ of ‘Mare Doricum’"
By Daniel Yovera for Epicentro
On January 14, 2022, Peru experienced one of its worst environmental disasters: an oil spill that released nearly 14,000 barrels of oil into the sea. This investigation by Daniel Yovera reveals the devastating impact on the rich marine ecosystem and the thousands of families who depend on it.
— Alonso Balbuena
Social Media Coordinator
Peru
"The Island Where Environmentalism Implodes"
By Ben Crair for The New Yorker
The small Pacific island country of New Caledonia is home to thousands of native species, and, the much sought nickel. Now, the botanists are wary of giant companies, like Tesla, that flock to the island to mine the deposit and potentially destroy the island's biodiversity.
— Detty Saluling
Senior Manager, Environmental Investigations Unit
Thailand
"Fishing on the Frontier: Fishermen Can No Longer Make a Living From Fishing on Lake Edward in the DRC"
By Jonas Kiriko and Annika McGinnis for InfoNile
Through local investigative reporting, data and science interrogation, and cross-border multimedia production, this story investigates the complex and interlinked drivers of fish decline in the Nile basin, with a focus on illegal fishing activities and their roles in driving conflict. This story is strong, thanks to the collaboration with local journalists who have limited investigative experience.
— Madeleine Ngeunga
Africa Editor
Cameroon
"The Sun Illuminates the Achuar’s Struggle in the Ecuadorian Amazon (Spanish)"
By Misha Vallejo Prut and Isabel Alarcón for El País
I selected this story as my favorite of the year because I had the chance to learn about the Achuar people's struggle and their innovative approach to energy in the Ecuadorian Amazon during COP16. It’s a powerful example of resilience, showing how communities can collaborate with science and technology to drive a just and fair energy transition.
— Jonatan Rodríguez
Outreach Program Manager, Latin America and International Outreach & Education Digital Campaigns
Colombia
Global Health
"Hollowed Out"
By Quinn Glabicki for PublicSource
Grantee Quinn Glabicki combines narrative writing, intimate photography, and official document gathering to tell a compelling story about how one company impacts the health of families living near its natural gas extraction sites.
— Daniel Vasta
Multimedia and Digital Marketing Coordinator
United States
"Doctors Grapple With How To Save Women’s Lives Amid ‘Confusion and Angst’ Over New Louisiana Law"
By Lorena O’Neil for The Louisiana Illuminator
As Louisiana became the first state to reclassify life-saving pregnancy care drugs as controlled dangerous substances, Lorena O'Neil’s reporting helped health providers navigate new precedents to provide the best care possible to pregnant people. O'Neil is one of our inaugural StoryReach U.S. Fellows, and her reporting exemplifies the importance of quality, reliable, and responsive local news.
— Mikaela Schmitt
Program Coordinator, Campus Consortium & Outreach
United States
"Could a Conflict-Borne Superbug Bring On Our Next Pandemic?"
By Eli Cahan for Rolling Stone
This reporting is a wake-up call about “superbugs,” antimicrobial-resistant organisms, long seen in battlefield injuries. Weaving together key scientific findings with intimate portraits of individuals, journalist physician Eli Cahan examines how these superbugs could spread beyond soldiers to civilians—and why governments must act now.
— Ann Peters
Director of University and Community Outreach
United States
"In a Rural Small Town, a Group of Locals Steps Up To Support Senior Health"
By Tim Evans and Juliana Kim for NPR
This series portrays the inequities that rural senior Americans face when it comes to long-term health care while showing how communities fill the care void left by our health care system. While America's division is a particularly relevant topic, it is equally vital that we also see examples of people showing up for one another.
— Katherine Jossi
Program Coordinator, Editorial and Communications
United States
"Forgotten Mothers of Arkansas: State With Worst Maternal Health Outcomes Fails To Support Postpartum Mothers"
By Florence Middleton for the Pulitzer Center
Most pregnancy-related deaths do not occur during pregnancy or birth. Instead, the postpartum period is considered the deadliest—and most regularly ignored—stage. This led 2023 Reporting Fellow Florence Middleton to report in Arkansas, the state with the highest maternal mortality rate in the U.S. Her project offers a compelling and compassionate look at the maternal mortality crisis.
— Jazmyn Gray
Program Coordinator, Reporting Fellows
United States
"‘You Can’t Gangster a Horse’: Native Youth Connect With Culture To Break Cycles of Addiction"
By Elyse Wild for Native News Online
The outlook may seem bleak for Native American teens who come from communities ravaged by alcoholism and drug addiction. However, Elyse Wild introduces a tribal elder whose horse-handling skills connect disengaged youths to their culture. Wild chronicles the youths’ journey from disillusionment to enlightenment as they discover their intrinsic value.
— Karima Haynes
Director of Reporting Fellows Program
United States
"They Stood Sentry Over America’s Nuclear Missile Arsenal. Many Worry It Gave Them Cancer."
By Thomas Novelly for Military.com
These stories reached a huge, diverse audience. They revealed veteran mental health neglect and how military leadership knew that service members risked cancer. They show the value of skilled reporting and why access to government records is worth fighting to preserve.
— Susan Ferriss
Senior Editor
United States
"Neglected and Exposed: Toxic Air Lingers in a Texas Latino Community, Revealing Failures in State’s Air Monitoring System"
By Alejandra Martinez, Wendy Selene Pérez, Danielle Villasana, Go Nakamura, Greta Díaz González Vázquez, and Jimmy Evans for The Texas Tribune
This multidisciplinary story, published in English and Spanish, illuminates the importance of accurate air quality tracking and the impacts of manufacturers’ pollution on a person's health.
— Fareed Mostoufi
Associate Director of K-12 Education and DEI Lead
United States
"Softly Into the Night: An End of Life Love Story"
By Joseph Scheller for The Montana Standard
With empathy and care, this photographic essay followed a Montana husband who lovingly cared for his wife, a dementia patient, until her death. The photos and text were intimate, but not intrusive, and shed light on a disease that affects millions of Americans.
— Dana Thompson
Publishing Manager
United States
Human Rights
"The Extractive Industries Filling Public University Coffers on Stolen Land"
By Tristan Ahtone, Robert Lee, Amanda Tachine, An Garagiola, Audrianna Goodwin, Maria Parazo Rose, and Clayton Aldern for Grist
Grist’s Misplaced Trust series reveals how 8.2 million acres of land taken from nearly 130 Indigenous nations generate billions for 14 land-grant universities through industries like mining and timber. A multidisciplinary team built upon the groundbreaking High Country News Land-grab Universities investigation to further expose how stolen wealth reshaped institutions.
— Steve Sapienza
Senior Editor, U.S. News Partnerships
United States
"What's It Like To Live in a News Desert? (Portuguese)"
By Vagner de Alencar for Agência Mural
This was a timely and innovative project during the municipal elections in Brazil. The Agência Mural team shed light on the challenge of living in a news desert by profiling the life of the citizens of Pirapora do Bom Jesus, a small city. What they found out speaks to our global failure of combating disinformation.
— Gustavo Faleiros
Director of Environment Investigations Unit
Brazil
"An Iranian Woman Finds Her Might, in 'The Smallest Power'"
By Andy Sarjahani, Naghmeh Farzaneh, and Robin Wright for The New Yorker
This animated documentary is not only a brilliant use of art as a disguise for dissenters, but it also showcases how small acts of protest can contribute to a nationwide protest and ultimately a sense of pride and responsibility in one's country.
— Lucy Crelli
Design and Digital Campaign Manager
United States
"Breaking the Nets: An Oral History of India’s Fisherwomen"
By Shamsheer Yousaf, Monica Jha, and Sriram Vittalamurthy for The Wire
Over 12.3 million women in India work in fishing, but their contribution is largely unacknowledged, both in government policies and within fishing communities. Visually rich and character-driven, this reporting captures the many ways the industry has both empowered women and failed them.
— Sushmita Mukherjee
Program Manager, K-12 Education
United States
"Misery on a Russian Ship"
By Abdus Somad for Jaring.id
This year-long investigation looked into the exploitation of Indonesian crew members on "dark vessels" involved in illegal fishing in the Arafura Sea. It exposed that the family members of two Indonesian ministers held business interests in such crimes. To reach a wider audience, the investigation was published as an interactive webpage, a series of long-form reports, and an eight-minute video.
— Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Data Editor, Environmental Investigations
Malaysia
"Politicians Said To Be Descendants of Enslavers Investigated for Modern Slavery (Portuguese)"
By Amanda Audi for Agência Pública
After a year of investigative work, this story proved the relationship between many Brazilian authorities and slavery. The family trees of representatives of the executive and legislative branches showed that some families have remained in power for centuries, benefiting from the economic, political, and legal system of slavery in Brazil
— Bruna Wagner
Senior Program Manager, International Education and Outreach
Brazil
"Don’t Count Them Out: The Impact of Basketball on the Youth of Cairo, Illinois"
By Simeon Hardley for The Daily Egyptian
From the opening lines of his story, Reporting Fellow Simeon Hardley paints us a clear and intimate portrait of Cairo, Illinois, and its passion for basketball. I love how Hardley captures the journeys of his subjects and how basketball fits in, both through text and photography.
— Libby Moeller
Program Manager, Reporting Fellows
United States
"'Who Is the Captain of the Cayuco?' The Question Behind the Growing Number of Migrants in Spain Prisons (Spanish)"
By Ngone Ndiaye and Isabella Zerpa for Público
This collaborative reporting investigated the migratory flows from Africa toward Europe. It showed the failures of the Spanish judicial and security system that are causing a high number of migrants to be accused of smuggling and sent to jail.
— Augustine Kasambule
Program Coordinator, Congo Basin
Congo (DRC)
Information and Artificial Intelligence
"AI-Powered Productivity Tools That Can Make Life Harder"
By Joanna S. Kao for Financial Times
It's easy to get lost in conversation about the necessity of some AI tools, but here, Joanna S. Kao takes time to consider the effectiveness of AI tools deployed to meet an essential need. The project is a reminder that a truly inclusive digital space and "AI-powered" future requires that we all pay attention to and ask critical questions about the tools and platforms available to us.
— Donnalie Jamnah
Senior Program Manager, K-12 Education
United States
"Grab Fares Surge Under Opaque Algorithm"
By Karol Ilagan and Federico Acosta Rainis for Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Our lives, livelihoods, and costs of living are increasingly determined by algorithms and AI. Opening with a relatable scene and using innovative data reporting, this story shows how a ride-sharing app's opaque algorithms are prone to inflating prices. A good illustration of a growing issue that affects everyone.
— Jelter Meers
Research Editor, Environmental Investigations
Portugal
"Can an AI Companion Really Care?"
By Patricia Clarke and Matt Russell for Tortoise
This story captures the pivotal moment between reality and augmented reality, highlighting the urgent issues surrounding big tech. Through an intimate character portrayal, it reveals the solutions and new challenges that technology offers to our identities. The reporter maintains strong ethics with her source, making it a compelling and important piece of journalism.
— Vijitra Duangdee
Program Manager, Outreach, Southeast Asia
Thailand
"The Platform Proletariat"
By Tatiana Dias and Sofia Schurig for The Intercept Brasil
AI and algorithms affect everyone, but even more so the invisible workers behind tech platforms. This story highlights the precarious working conditions of data workers and content moderators and discusses the opportunities for decent work standards in tech platforms.
— Intan Febriani
Director of International Education and Outreach
Indonesia
"Grab Fares Surge Under Opaque Algorithm"
By Karol Ilagan and Federico Acosta Rainis for Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
This story is vital for delivery app consumers in Southeast Asia, where these platforms have become an integral part of daily life. With Grab's dominant presence in the region, I hope the key findings will be thoughtfully analyzed and spark meaningful reforms, especially in enhancing drivers' welfare. The 8,000 data points collected during this investigation highlights the pressing need for AI systems that prioritize fairness and the well-being of drivers.
— Grenti Paramitha
Program Manager, Education, Southeast Asia
Indonesia
"Podcast: 'Denial to Delay'"
By Amy Westervelt, Maddie Stone, and Andy Rowell for Drilled
This climate accountability podcast from Drilled deconstructs environmental reforms that exacerbate environmental problems. It serves as a broadly applicable decoding device for corporate disinformation tactics through its breakdown of how fossil fuel companies infiltrate curricula, distort studies, and delay action.
— Hannah Berk
Senior Program Manager, K-12 Education
United States
Peace and Conflict
"Sudan: Khartoum, a City Devastated by Civil War (French)"
By Arthur Larie and Bastien Massa for TV5Monde
This story and the larger series provide timely and insightful reporting that sheds light, and context, on the current war in Sudan that has resulted in an estimated 150,000 deaths and 8 million people displaced—and yet has received scarce attention. Alongside the PBS NewsHour series, it’s filling a critical gap in coverage, and highlighting stories of resilience and hope.
— Nathalie Applewhite
Director of Strategic Partnerships
United States
"Podcast: 'In the Dark' Examines a Crime That Went Unpunished"
By Madeleine Baran for The New Yorker
An investigative podcast that exposed not only how U.S. Marines killed 24 innocent men, women, and children in Haditha, Iraq, but also the failure of the military justice system that allowed each one of the perpetrators to avoid prison. A first-of-its-kind database created by the reporters showed that the impunity of the Haditha massacre is not an outlier but the norm in the U.S. military.
— Marina Walker Guevara
Executive Editor
United States, Argentina
"In Congo, Embroidery Artist Stitches an Archive of War"
By Sophie Neiman and Hugh Kinsella Cunningham for Christian Science Monitor
This story captures the essential role of art in documenting and interpreting history, as Lucie Kamuswekera’s tapestries preserve the painful realities of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her intricate embroidery ensures that future generations will not forget the human toll of war.
— Sarah Swan
Director of Communications and Audience Engagement
United States
"Young Palestinians Face a Steep Toll on Mental Health"
By Kern Hendricks for Undark Magazine
Young people account for nearly half of the population of the West Bank and Gaza. This human-centered short documentary shows firsthand how children bear the mental weight of the ongoing conflict. The lasting trauma from this conflict will be a challenge for the region in order to rebuild.
— Grace Jensen
Digital Production Coordinator
United States
"Behind the New Iron Curtain"
By Marzio Mian and Alessandro Cosmelli for Harper's Magazine
In their cover story for Harper’s, journalist Marzio Mian and photographer Alessandro Cosmelli journeyed the length of the Volga River to give readers a rare and revealing look at how ordinary Russians view Vladimir Putin, the war in Ukraine, the outside world, and themselves.
— Tom Hundley
Senior Editor
United States
