Pulitzer Center – PHENND

Webinar: Environmental Justice and Mental Health – Jun 11

hillarya — Sat, 23 May 2026 19:05:22 +0000

The communities of Niagara Falls, New York, face environmental burdens that extend beyond physical health and profoundly shape mental health, identity, and daily life for young people in the region. In response, many community members have taken active roles in environmental justice efforts to address ongoing issues and advocate for change.

Join the Pulitzer Center for a virtual webinar exploring the connection between pollution, environmental justice, and mental health. The conversation will feature Brian Archie, Bridge Rauch, Christen E. Civiletto, and Pulitzer Center grantee Jennifer Wybieracki. Together, the panelists will reflect on Wybieracki’s report, How Two Teens in Niagara Falls Are Confronting Pollution and a Mental Health Crisis, and discuss how environmental harm impacts communities emotionally and psychologically, while highlighting the role of storytelling, advocacy, and community action in addressing these challenges.

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, 6:30-7:30 PM, the panelists will bring a perspective of journalism, environmental law, advocacy, and lived experience to highlight how pollution affects mental health in youth and historically impacted communities. Attendees will gain insight into the implications of environmental crises on communities and learn how storytelling can support advocacy, engagement, and change.

The conversation will be moderated by Pulitzer Center staff, followed by an audience Q&A. Registration is required.

Learn more and register.

Virtual Information Session: U.S. Civil Society Microgrants 2026 – May 27

hillarya — Wed, 20 May 2026 19:56:19 +0000

Audience engagement has been at the core of the Pulitzer Center’s work since its founding in 2006. In addition to grants and fellowships that facilitate breakthrough journalism, we support initiatives that connect the reporting to the audiences that need it the most. Our goal is pursuing real-world impact: engaging and mobilizing communities, increasing understanding and connection, and influencing decisions locally and globally.

This microgrant aims to support civil society organizations and groups in the United States to utilize Pulitzer Center-supported reporting as part of projects that contribute to a more informed and empowered community.

For this grant cycle, we are seeking grant proposals for civic engagement projects to be completed by early December 2026 that focus on one of the following issues:

Climate and the environment, with a focus on U.S fisheries and fishing communities or climate and labor
Information and Artificial Intelligence
Global health, with specific focus on mental well-being or connections to the Global South

The objective is to use Pulitzer Center-supported journalism as the inspiration for the projects supported by this civil society microgrant. By leveraging this reporting, we expect to build projects that amplify the voices of affected communities, foster public debate, and drive meaningful audience engagement that will lead to impactful conversations in communities in the U.S. and beyond.

This grant is open to grassroots organizations, academics and researchers, education institutions, civil society organizations and coalitions, youth movements, and other groups working at the intersection of journalism, civic rights, and active citizenship.

Applications are due Monday, June 8, 2026.

Not sure if this opportunity is right for your organization?

Register to join us on Wednesday, May 27 at 1:00pm EDT for a virtual information session that walks you through the goals and requirements for the microgrants.

Learn more and apply.

Defining Democracy Virtual Workshop: Reframing American Democracy – Jun 1

hillarya — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:01:09 +0000

On June 1, 2026, 4:30-6:30 PM, we are hosting another virtual event from the Defining Democracy series to connect you to resources from The 1619 Project and equip you with strategies for talking about American democracy with your students.

This free workshop for educators in any location will be focused on the different models educators have used to center the Black and Indigenous histories that are often erased when we teach about the shaping of the country.

Learn more and register.

Exploring Global Issues With “The 1619 Project”

hillarya — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:44:32 +0000

Earlier this year, 24 educators supporting students in the Chicago area joined us for a workshop to take a closer look at racial justice themes in Pulitzer Center-supported global news stories and how The 1619 Project can be used as a lens to examine the lasting legacy of slavery in contemporary society.

Attendees engaged with a variety of materials that show how racial justice themes intersect with topics like global health, human rights, artificial intelligence accountability and democracy, and how these themes resonate with contemporary issues in their own classrooms and communities.

Read more about what these Chicago educators took away from the latest 1619 workshop below, and explore past educator workshops that centered topics of racial justice and labor rights, artificial intelligence, and civic engagement.

Connecting with Climate Stories this Earth Day – Apr 22

hillarya — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:11:39 +0000

As we welcome April, we also welcome Earth Month and get ready to celebrate Earth Day on April 22.

First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is an opportunity to illuminate climate issues and highlight the changemakers who are taking action to protect our planet.

To support conversations about environmental issues and our changing climate in your classroom, this week we are sharing stories about communities most impacted by these issues, and how people are resisting and building solutions.

”Democracy How?” 1619 Impact Grantee Reflection (La Unique Bookstore and Cultural Arts Center in Camden, NJ)

hillarya — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:36:12 +0000

The following reflection was written by Veronica Jones, recipient of the 2025 1619 Impact Grant. Jones and her team at the La Unique Bookstore and Cultural Arts Center in Camden, New Jersey, facilitated a community engagement project exploring the focus theme of Democracy.

The Democracy How? project engaged 400 Camden County, New Jersey, students, teachers, and community members with the issues surrounding democracy and the African American experience through the lens of The 1619 Project. We explored these themes through a variety of community engagements generating intellectual discourse about democracy and the intersection of race and slavery in the United States’ founding documents. As a Camden County community member, former educator, and educational leader, I was able to bring together a wide network of educators and educational leaders who are committed to this work. Using La Unique Bookstore and Cultural Arts Center as our home base, we were able to use a grassroots, intergenerational approach to exploring 1619 themes, build community locally, and even expand to other states.

Fighting Words Virtual Poetry Workshop for Young Adults – Apr 14

hillarya — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:31:26 +0000

National Poetry Month is just one week away and we are excited to offer an opportunity to explore how poetry can help us process current events and illuminate underreported issues.

Young adults ages 18–24 are invited to join us on Tuesday, April 14, 7:30–8:45pm EDT for a virtual poetry workshop that introduces the Fighting Words Poetry Contest, and guides them through the process of writing an original poem for the contest. Participants will start by exploring a short nonfiction text and model poem before spending time crafting their own poems and sharing lines aloud.

Poems created during this workshop can be entered into the 2026 Fighting Words Poetry Contest for a chance to win prizes and publication opportunities. While the workshop will be held in English, participants are welcome to write and submit their poems in any language.

This event is designed for young adults, ages 18-24. Students in high school may also join at their own and their guardians’ discretion.

Learn more and register.

Scaffolded materials to facilitate Fighting Words workshops in your own classroom, including graphic organizers, workshop slides, and sample poems, are available via the contest portal!

Jesse Jackson’s Legacy, and How the Fight for Equality Inspires the Pulitzer Center’s Work

hillarya — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:35:39 +0000

Tributes continue to pour in after the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson, a protégé of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who became one of the most influential civil rights and political figures in American history.

Jackson, 84, died early Tuesday, February 17, at home in Chicago, surrounded by family, according to reports by the Associated Press and other media outlets. For years, he suffered a rare neurological disorder, the AP says.

With his booming voice, inspiring “keep hope alive” mantra, and tireless work for equality and justice, Jackson was at the forefront of the civil rights movement for decades after King’s assassination in 1968. (He was standing with King on a Memphis hotel balcony when the civil rights icon was fatally shot.)

Since its founding 20 years ago, the Pulitzer Center supported reporting that shined a spotlight on racial justice and human rights, issues that Jackson championed. In addition, the Center is an education partner of The 1619 Project, the landmark series led by New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones that illuminates the legacy of slavery and highlights the contributions of Black Americans to every aspect of American society.

Applications Open: Information & AI Teacher Advisory Council – Mar 15

hillarya — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:27:54 +0000

We are excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the third cohort of the Information and Artificial Intelligence Teacher Advisory Council!

This collaborative program is a direct response to feedback we’ve received from educators around the challenges and opportunities of engaging students in conversation around artificial intelligence accountability. Councilmembers will take a project-based approach to explore the ways AI technologies appear in school environments, the ethics of those technologies, how journalists apply an accountability lens to reporting on the impacts of AI technologies on communities globally, and how journalism can inform teaching practices that hold AI accountable. Utilizing Pulitzer Center-supported stories on AI accountability, Council participants will develop and implement projects that engage at least 60 students, educators, and/or parents in a critical conversation about the use of AI technologies in school environments.

This program is open to all educators working with K-12 students and educators in public, charter, independent, and alternative schools in the United States and U.S. territories. Applicants must be currently working as a K-12 educator and/or administrator and must be planning to continue their work in their current school or district through the end of 2026.

Resources to help you prepare a successful application:

Learn more and apply by March 15, 2026.

Defining Democracy: A ‘1619’ PD Virtual Series – Feb 16

hillarya — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:09:27 +0000

The Pulitzer Center champions the power of stories to make complex issues relevant and inspire action. As the original education partner for The 1619 Project, which began as a New York Times Magazine special issue in 2019, the Pulitzer Center has supported hundreds of educators in expanding student understanding of the complex origin story of the United States. This year, as schools and communities are recognizing the United States Semiquincentennial, we will support educators engaging with 1619 themes of democracy and origin through the Defining Democracy Professional Development Series.

The Defining Democracy series is designed to equip educators with resources and strategies for exploring the theme of American democracy in their classrooms and communities. We’ll go beyond simply marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by utilizing The 1619 Project to interrogate historical narratives, acknowledge Black Americans’ contributions to American history, and understand the lasting legacies of slavery in our democracy today.

The series will include structures to support continued learning and sustained impact throughout the year. During workshops, educators will engage with sample classroom and community projects around a focused theme and brainstorm an application of a relevant model to their own community. After each workshop, participants will have the opportunity to further network with other educators and submit evidence of their impact to be featured on the Center’s1619 education website. At the conclusion of each workshop cycle, the participants with the strongest stories of impact in their communities will receive a prize from the Pulitzer Center Education Team.

Workshop 1, Understanding American Democracy, will be held on

Learn more and register.

Webinar for Students: How AI Is Reshaping Our World – Mar 4

hillarya — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:02:28 +0000

What can artificial intelligence technology mean for the future of education, our communities, and our lives?

We are excited to partner with The New York Times Learning Network for a special live event that will answer student questions about AI and its impacts.

On Wednesday, March 4, 1:00 PM, you and your students are invited to tune in to a live panel with Kashmir Hill, features writer for The New York Times covering technology and privacy, and Joanna Kao, our senior editor leading the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network. Panelists will be discussing their methods for navigating a changing technology landscape, and share their insights and experiences on covering artificial intelligence and its expanding role in society.

In preparation for this live panel, we invite classrooms to explore these journalists’ work and begin a discussion on AI and its impacts. Click here to access resources to support preparation for this event.

Anyone 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, is invited to register. Educators and parents can register on behalf of students. Educators and schools are encouraged to register their classes to participate, and can indicate on the registration form if multiple students will be joining from the same device.

Space is limited, so please register to secure your spot.

Recap the 1619 Global Connections Series

hillarya — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 20:34:20 +0000

As we step into 2026, we want to take a moment to reflect on some of the programming from 2025 that centered the power of journalism to support student learning.

Last year, we held a series of virtual events for educators to connect with award-winning journalists, and each other, to discover strategies and resources that integrate contemporary global issues with the origin stories of the United States featured in The 1619 Project.

During conversations with Pulitzer Center-supported journalists, participants learned about the connections between the lasting legacy of slavery in the United States and stories from around the world on environmental racism, underrepresented voices in times of conflict, racial inequities in health care, and accountability for artificial intelligence technologies.

Following the 1619 Global Connections Series, 85% of attendees reported highly recommending the series to colleagues, and 87% reported increasing their understanding of a Pulitzer Center focus area.

If you missed these events, don’t worry! This week, we are sharing the workshop recordings so you too can explore how journalism from around the world connects to U.S. history, and how you can bridge your students’ local perspectives to wider global issues.

Catch up on the full series, and stay tuned for more events and opportunities like this that connect your students to the world around them.

Behind the Story: Mental Health Resilience in American Communities

hillarya — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 20:31:00 +0000

Dive deeper into reporting on mental health with Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellows and grantees. Communities across America are navigating their mental well-being in an unprecedented and rapidly changing political environment. Changes in environment, education, health care, and support structures, among others, place disproportionate stress on people—especially those with intersectional identities.

This video series features projects that document these strains and highlight community efforts to support one another’s well-being during challenging times. Hear from the journalists about their reporting as they reflect on their experiences working with vulnerable communities to bring light to these issues and intervention efforts.

Learn more.

Share an Ode to Healthy Futures Poem – Dec 15

hillarya — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:38:32 +0000

You and your class are invited to share poems that uplift fact-based reporting on health and the human body through Ode to Healthy Futures. Ode to Healthy Futures invites you to make connections to the science that shapes our lives, and to share your vision for a healthy future. A partnership between the Pulitzer Center and Wick Poetry Center’s Poets for Science, this project brings together journalism and poetry to build a platform where health science is accessible and relevant. Join us to dispel misinformation, explore solutions to health challenges, and make your voice heard.

Students and educators who submit poems along with their names and email addresses before December 15 will be entered to win a raffle for a $25 Visa gift card.

Get started on your poem here.

1619 Project Virtual Global Connections Workshop: Envisioning Healthy Black Futures – Nov 29

hillarya — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 17:56:08 +0000

The 1619 Global Connections Series is made up of four parts that will resource educators bridging students’ local experiences to the historical context informing them and the global issues connecting them to other parts of the world. The series will feature Pulitzer Center journalist grantees working around the world and explore Pulitzer Center reporting on Global Health, Climate and Environment, Peace and Conflict, and Information and AI that directly relates to The 1619 Project’s goals of interrogating historical narratives, acknowledging Black Americans’ contributions to history, and understanding the lasting legacies of slavery.

Learning Workshop 3 is focused on our Global Health Issue Area!

Date and Time: Saturday, November 29, 2025, 3:00 PM

Learn more and register.

The ‘1619’ Global Connections Virtual Workshop Series for Educators – Nov 1

hillarya — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:48:52 +0000

How can journalism support students in understanding global issues and contextualizing their local experiences? We are thrilled to announce a new opportunity for educators to become the students: the 1619 Global Connections series.

This series of virtual workshops is designed to resource educators to better support their students in learning about U.S. history, their role in its future, and how Pulitzer Center reporting on global topics can intersect with issues found in The 1619 Project and students’ own communities. Workshop participants will receive detailed resource guides, hear from award-winning journalists, engage in professional learning with educators from around the country, and receive certificates of professional development for their participation.

If you’re looking for strategies to teach hard histories in a joyful and solutions-oriented way this school year, you won’t want to miss this free webinar series! Here’s a sneak peek at some of the exciting events you can join from the comfort of your classroom:

Understanding Environmental Racism
November 1 | 3:00-4:30pm EDT
How can journalism help students understand the racialized impacts of climate change on a local and global scale?

Elevating Critical Voices in Conflict
November 15 | 3:00-4:30pm EST
How can journalism introducing underrepresented perspectives help students explore multiple pathways to peace?

Envisioning Healthy Black Futures
November 29 | 3:00-4:30pm EST
How can journalism help students to recognize historical and present-day racial inequities in health, and to envision a better future?

Investigating Legacies of Slavery in AI
December 13 | 3:00-4:30pm EST
How can AI accountability journalism help students investigate the benefits and harms of the technology around them?

Virtual Journalist Visits for Native American Heritage Month, Pulitzer Center

hillarya — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:18:22 +0000

Native American Heritage Month is just around the corner! If you’re interested in supplementing your learning around Native American culture over the next few weeks, we’ve got you covered.

Part of our team’s mission is to connect students and educators not only with global issues, but also with the journalists reporting on them. In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we are featuring several journalists who have reported on relevant topics who would love to visit your classroom!

Learn more.

Announcing the K–12 Education Grant Program: Global Health – Apply by Nov 23

hillarya — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:36:06 +0000

***Deadline to apply has been extended to November 23, 2025***

How can engaging learning communities in global health reporting bridge divides, surface solutions, and inspire action that improves health outcomes?

We are excited to announce the launch of our latest grant program for individuals and organizations serving K-12 students and/or educators to increase understanding of global health topics and explore the role the news media plays in the health ecosystem. If you have felt inspired by the work of our Teacher Fellow cohorts as they discovered creative and engaging ways to connect their students with global health stories, this opportunity just might be what you’re looking for.

This program consists of three main components: the initial proposal, a collaborative winter incubator, and project implementation. After proposing educational projects, accepted applicants will refine their project plans in a series of workshops and submit formal grant proposals to secure $1,500 grants to fund project implementation in spring 2026.

Proposed projects should engage Ode to Healthy Futures OR one or more eligible news stories as a central resource. We welcome applications from people serving K-12 students and teachers in a wide range of contexts, including libraries, museums, community centers, schools, small businesses, and municipal programs. Proposed projects should serve at least 500 K-12 students and/or educators in the U.S. and U.S. territories, and we encourage applicants working with smaller groups to collaborate and apply as a multisite or multiorganizational project.

Ready to get started? Read the full program description to discover all the details about this exciting opportunity and to begin your application!

If you still have questions about this program after reading the description, you can respond to this newsletter or email us any time at education@pulitzercenter.org.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars—Applications are due Sunday, November 16, 2025, 11:59pm EST.

Environmental Film Festival (Streaming): Pulitzer Center Shorts: On the Frontlines – Sep 25-28

hillarya — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:56:56 +0000

This collection of films—created by emerging journalists in the Pulitzer Center’s 2024 Reporting Fellowship program—captures how climate change is reshaping landscapes, livelihoods, and cultural traditions around the world. Together, they reveal what is at stake and the vision of a new generation responding to a changing planet.

On September 25-28, stream the short films, as well as new, exclusive conversations with the journalists, as part of Climate Week NYC.

Learn more and register.

Virtual Environmental Film Festival – Pulitzer Center Shorts: On the Frontlines – Sep 25-28

hillarya — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 20:44:59 +0000

On September 25-28, stream the short films, as well as new, exclusive conversations with the journalists, as part of Climate Week NYC.

Learn more and register.