Pulitzer Center Retro: 10 Years and Counting

October 31, 2016 | General news

Kem Knapp Sawyer

Jon Sawyer, Pulitzer Center Executive Director, recognizes the many grantees at the 10th anniversary celebration on October 8, at the National Press Club, saying, "You have taught us so much about how to harness the evolving tools of storytelling, how to engage the broadest possible public in these big global issues that affect us all." Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Student fellow alum Jalesa Tucker, Westchester Community College Professor Carol Passariellow, Managing Director Nathalie Applewhite. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Michael Bodley, student fellow from Elon University, and Christopher de Bellaigue, Pulitzer Center grantee. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Barbara Moore, Pulitzer Center Board Member Richard Moore, and Cooky Donaldson. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Executive Director Jon Sawyer, Southern Illinois University Carbondale Professor William Freivogel, and Christopher Sawyer. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Chair of the Department of Journalism at Texas Christian University’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication Uche Onyebadi, former staff members Caroline D'Angelo and Rebecca Gibian, Westchester Community College Professor Carol Passariello, and Director of Development and Outreach Ann Peters. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Grantees, education and media partners, and friends of the Pulitzer Center. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

UCTV Executive Producer Shannon Bradley, Pulitzer Center grantee and "Science" reporter, Contributing Editor Kem Knapp Sawyer. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Professor William Freivogel, Kate Sawyer Keane, Brian Keane. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

"A Changing World?" Pulitzer Center student fellow alum photography exhibit at the National Press Club. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Managing Director Nathalie Applewhite welcomes grantees, student fellows, media and education partners, friends, and family to the 10th anniversary celebration. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Michael Pulitzer and Pulitzer Center Board Member Betsy Dietel. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Executive Director Jon Sawyer discusses "Facing Risk," a film that explores the risks associated with reporting and the conversations journalists owe their loved ones. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Michael Scott Moore, a freelance journalist and Pulitzer Center grantee held hostage in Somalia for 977 days. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Board Chair Emily Rauh Pulitzer, whose initial support made the Pulitzer Center possible. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Documentary photographer Tomas Van Houtryve: "“Like many of the other freelancers here tonight, I initially came knocking on the doors of the Pulitzer Center for money. But, ultimately, I’m proud to say, what keeps me coming back is trust, admiration and friendship.” Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Photojournalists Misha Friedman and Yana Paskova. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

“Grants from the Pulitzer Center give us the gift of time, to seek out and tell the untold stories," journalist Ana Santos told the audience at the National Press Club. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Pulitzer Center Board Member Bill Bush and Information Literacy Specialist Tracy Crowley. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

CatchLight Executive Director Nancy Farese and Pulitzer Center Board Member David Rohde. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Pulitzer Center Education Outreach Coordinator Lauren Shepherd. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

The New York Times Magazine Editor-in-Chief Jake Silverstein: “This is, undoubtedly, a new age of journalism that we’re in. It’s a challenged age. There are financial constraints unlike any we’ve faced in recent times and it’s hard. And we have to be creative. And part of that creativity is in finding partners you can work with to amplify what you’re trying to do.” Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Journalist Scott Anderson who wrote "Fractured Lands," a 42,000 word article for The New York Times Magazine. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

National Scout Jamboree program developer Christopher Sawyer, video journalist Ben Solomon, and information designer Dan McCarey. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

The Institute of Current and World Affairs (ICWA) Executive Director Edward Joseph and Pulitzer Center Associate Editor Katherine Doyle. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

SmartPower president Brian Keane and Pulitzer Center Board Member Linda Winslow. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

Education Director Mark Schulte and Senior Education Manager Fareed Mostoufi. Image by Jin Ding. Washington, D.C., 2016.

"To End AIDS," the Pulitzer Center's newest e-book, designed by intern Jordan Roth. Contributors to the e-book include grantees Jon Cohen and Ana Santos and student fellows Aditi Kantipuly, Rebecca Sananes, and Jennifer Stephens, all of whom attended the 10th anniversary celebration.

(Photographs by Jin Ding)

We've gone from supporting a dozen projects a year to more than 130 a year. And we've also experimented with different media, extended our outreach, built an education program, and developed many relationships. We've made friends with people from all over the world—many joined us for our 10th anniversary coming from as far away as Shanghai, Manila, and Berlin. Several are pictured in the photos above.

Some were unable to come due to distance or other constraints. We appreciated the messages, the tweets, and all the good karma—and you were very much missed.

Memories we have shared stretch far and wide: treks through Ubekistan, boat journeys in Bangladesh, YouTube contests, conferences in Beijing and Bali, trips (multiple) to visa offices, performances of Voices of Haiti in Port-au-Prince, school and college visits (also multiple), the Crown reception at the Tribune Tower, picnics in the park (with a folding chair or two), and the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem.

We want to thank all our grantees, student fellows, former staff, friends, family, and partners for all you have done to create and support quality journalism while "illuminating dark places" and to provide those "seeds of hope" you have documented so well.