FROM THE AUTHOR
As part of the Pulitzer Center’s 20-year anniversary, we are looking back on the long-standing programs that continue to reflect our values and our approach to bringing critical global stories to wide and diverse audiences. One of those values is being intentional about who tells the stories in the first place.
On June 28, 2010, the Center lost a dear ally, Persephone Miel—a true champion of independent global journalism throughout her career. Before she passed, Persephone said she wanted to be remembered by a fellowship that would help journalists report on their home countries and bring their work to a broader international audience. Thanks to her support, many generous individuals, and in partnership with Internews (where Persephone worked for over a decade), we established the Persephone Miel Fellowship.
The goal was to go beyond providing financial support for the reporting to create pathways to reach audiences these journalists wouldn’t otherwise reach.
The Center has now supported 22 Miel Fellowships, elevating reporting by journalists from all corners of the globe. Their work reached international audiences through outlets including The Intercept, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Los Angeles Times, and TIME.
Ako Salemi, the 2016 Fellow, said, “The Fellowship has had a profound impact on both my professional and personal life. When I received the Fellowship, I had the opportunity to discuss climate change and water issues in Iran, which are still prevalent and worsening daily. The support boosted my self-confidence and reinforced the significance of my photographic ideas.”
The 2023 Fellow, Meral Jamal, reported on What the Snow Can Teach from the Arctic and shared that the Fellowship “supported my work in national and international publications, providing funding but also connecting me with editors and outlets I had not worked with before. As an early-career journalist at the time, the Fellowship was a launchpad in more than one way.”
Ana P. Santos, the 2014 Miel Fellow from the Philippines, reported on Filipina migrant mothers working as nannies in Dubai and Paris. In her reflection on the Fellowship, she said it gave her “financial support needed for these cross-border investigations but more than that, it gave me the gift of time. Time that allowed me to set aside my checklist of interview questions to invite a conversation. Time to immerse myself in these women’s lives so I could see them as not subjects but as mothers—just like me. Time that gave them permission to trust me enough to carry a piece of them home when they could not.”
Read Ana’s reflection, and please consider supporting the Center to continue Persephone’s legacy and lasting impact.
