STORIES OF COURAGE: Victor Ilie - Investigative Journalist on Corruption, Crime, and Abuse of Power in Romania and Eastern Europe Romanian investigative journalist Ilie is a firm believer that reporting can change narratives and encourage accountability in corrupt and crime-ridden systems. Through years of extensive reporting working with independent outlets including RISE Project and Recorder, Ilie has uncovered invaluable evidence around corruption, organized crime, disinformation, and the abuse of public power in Romania. He has exposed criminal systems that are extremely difficult for journalists to reach, from pickpocket networks in Copenhagen to medicine trafficking rings in Bucharest to corruption networks in the Romanian Orthodox Church. His approach combines undercover fieldwork with OSINT and documentary evidence, not only exposing these exploitative systems but also contributing to criminal investigations, prosecutions, and public debate. Ilie’s work has made him a target for extremists groups and even the state itself: he has been surveilled and followed by Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate. The violent environments in which he reports expose him to serious immediate risk. Despite these dangers, Ilie continues his work to fight for vulnerable people trapped in imbalanced and corrupt systems of power. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today (buff.ly/ilYlP3x).

Anjan Sundaram vibe coded the first iterations of Kyntab SOS, a secure digital tool and independent partner of The Stringer Foundation that protects journalists and human rights defenders. Learn more at kyntab.com

STORIES OF COURAGE: Cecilia Anesi - Investigative Journalist & Executive Director of Investigative Reporting Project Italy Driven by the belief that mafias are a great threat to modern democracy, Anesi’s work investigates how Italian mafias function across borders, affecting the political and economic climate of nations worldwide. Through founding IRPI and developing community-based journalistic initiatives like Senza Segnale, her journalism has widened access to information and uncovered criminal, political, and corporate structures that contribute to organized crime and corruption. However, her job comes with major personal risk, including threats and harassment meant to intimidate and silence her message. Despite this dangerous adversity, Anesi is committed to exposing the perpetrators and sharing the stories of those affected, emphasizing that knowledge, especially among youth, is the first step to fighting mafias and organized crime. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today (buff.ly/ilYlP3x).

*New article in TIME Magazine* Madre Tierra: Indigenous Environmental Defenders in Latin America Are Fighting For Their Land. By Jhanisse Vaca Daza and Anjan Sundaram Read the article here: buff.ly/quIBJyI On paper, Latin America boasts some of the most progressive environmental protections in the world... Yet such changes, though welcome, have not been enough. The rampant destruction of ecosystems and the killing of environmental defenders persists and accelerates despite such legal triumphs. From drone-patrolled skies above Mexican mountains to intentional forest fires and mercury-poisoned rivers in the Bolivian Amazon, even the most innovative environmental laws fail to protect critical ecosystems.

STORIES OF COURAGE: Carlos Martínez - Investigative Journalist on Violence in Central America, El Salvador Martínez is a firm believer that journalism is a tool for truth, accountability, and disruption of power, particularly in the case of organized crime in Central America. Through his 10 years of investigative work around California-born gangs, Martínez analyzes the intersection of crime and violence with social, political, and economic conditions to better understand what created these criminal structures. In addition to podcasts and documentaries, he has written for numerous publications including Univision, New York Times, and El Faro, revealing connections between state institutions and organized crime, for example secret negotiations between the Salvadoran government and gangs. His insightful reporting has led to tangible judicial consequences such as the conviction of a former president, and have been cited in ongoing prosecutions in the U.S. against MS-13 and its state-linked collaborators. Along with threats of imprisonment and violence, Martínez’s phone was infected with Pegasus spyware; he now lives in exile. He still tenaciously continues to report, from Mexico, following his core belief in journalism to fight corruption and abuses of power. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today (buff.ly/ilYlP3x).

STORIES OF COURAGE: María José Dugarte - Journalist on Migration, Cultural Preservation, and Human Rights Venezuelan journalist Dugarte demonstrates the power of community-based journalism to tell the stories of communities that are often overlooked and underrepresented in mainstream media. Through contributing significantly to media outlets like @elbusTV, El Estimulo, and Runrun.es, Dugarte has highlighted issues like LGBTQ rights, migration, political imprisonment, and human rights abuses. Her extensive reporting about Venezuelan migrants detained and transferred to El Salvador has helped connect families and bring their stories into international media, amplifying voices that are at risk of being silenced by fear. Dugarte’s approach of hyperlocal, face-to-face storytelling allows her to empathetically capture the social and historical value of everyday lives often excluded by large publications. Though her work subjects her to major risk and harassment in a highly censored and surveilled environment, Dugarte uses anonymity, encrypted communications, and limited public visibility to overcome those challenges. Her work proves her immense dedication to sharing the voices of those most affected by displacement and social fragmentation and preserving the cultural memory of Venezuela despite efforts to erase these experiences from public narratives. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today (buff.ly/ilYlP3x ).

STORIES OF COURAGE: Franklin Vega - Environmental Journalist on Environmental Destruction, Biodiversity Loss, and Extractive Economies Since 1998, Vega has dedicated his journalism career to bringing environmental issues into national conversation, emphasizing how ecological destruction is deeply tied to corruption, regulatory capture, and the erosion of Indigenous and rural livelihoods. His experience working for El Comercio and Al Jazeera as well as founding Bitácora Ambiental has given him a rich understanding of how governmental decisions have lasting consequences on nature. With an approach that combines field reporting, scientific evidence, and data collection, Vega has exposed serious issues like illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, deforestation, and environmental governance failures in the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Galápagos through his detailed reporting. He has served as a powerful voice for communities facing these issues, including Indigenous communities facing illegal mining, park rangers abandoned by the state, and artisanal fishers facing contamination and crime while defending ecosystems. Vega has persevered through major personal risk and the lack of state and corporate support for his work, driven by the goal to create public accountability for environmental destruction. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today (buff.ly/FB5p5SP).

STORIES OF COURAGE: Juan Pablo Barrientos - Investigative Journalist on Clerical Abuse and Corporate Corruption, Colombia. Stringer Awards finalist. Barrientos, investigative journalist and founder of media outlets like CasaMacondo, demonstrates the power of journalism to expose abuses of power in multiple areas of public life. His work, grounded in Colombia’s right to petition, has exposed child sexual abuse in the Colombian Catholic Church, illegal appropriation of land, and political and corporate corruption. Barrientos has authored three books on clerical abuse specifically, revealing over 700 priests to be perpetrators and holding them accountable through publicizing their actions. His work as a whole has shed light on a larger system of concealment that favors those in power and resulted in significant change, including Constitutional Court rulings that have expanded public access to data. Despite facing immense judicial harassment and countless death threats, Barrientos has only persevered, choosing to relocate and also studying law in order to best position himself in court. He is an inspiring example of how the publicity and visibility of journalism can challenge unequal power systems and promote accountability, truth, and justice. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today.

STORIES OF COURAGE: Nayeli Roldán - Investigative Journalist on corruption, Mexico. Stringer Awards finalist. Award-winning investigative journalist Roldán has dedicated her life to being a voice against corruption and structural failures in public policy in Mexico. Using an evidence-based, data-driven method of reporting, she has contributed immensely to publications like Animal Político and to investigations like Ejército Espía, uncovering scandals in sectors like public healthcare, the military, and education, as well as links to criminal networks. Her work illuminates the stories of victims and marginalized communities with the goal of incorporating those perspectives into public policy and national debate. Not discouraged by the immense risks of violence, surveillance, and digital harassment, Roldán has proved her commitment to the causes of social justice and human rights in public policy by approaching journalism with determination and integrity. Visit stringerjournalism.org to learn more about The Stringer Foundation. Support courageous journalism by donating today (buff.ly/YxPR3Qk)

“Do people know what's happening to us?" This single question makes the case for The Stringer Foundation. Journalism, at its most necessary, is not about information — it is about witness. Stringer exists to make sure that journalists who bear witness are never silenced.

🔴 La periodista Nayeli Roldán es finalista del premio The Stringer Foundation, difundido en la edición internacional de The New York Times. Es la única mexicana entre los 25 seleccionados. 📹 @PulsoDLosMedios

We honor the 25 inaugural finalists of The Stringer Awards 2026 who have shown courage in the face of physical attacks, legal threats, and financial hardship. The Stringer finalists set the global standard for courageous journalism.

Found out today that I've been named one of the finalists for the Stringer Foundation Awards 2026 for courageous journalism! Big thank you to @anjansun and The New York Times for highlighting this brave group! My honour to have been selected as one of 8 emerging journalists worldwide (out of nearly 800 applicants). Proud to represent Belarus on the international stage, especially with three new investigations coming out in the next few months! Can’t wait to share them with you!!

Felicitaciones a una periodista mexicana consistente y contundente. Una pez guía de su generación.

Hoy, el NewYorkTimes reconoce al ecuatoriano @TeodoroVega, editor de Bitácora Ambiental ➡️bitacoraec.com, como finalista de los Premios Stringers al mejor periodismo independiente. Un reconocimiento merecido para una de las voces más valientes del periodismo ambiental.

La periodista mexicana Nayeli Roldán Sánchez apareció este 2026 en la edición internacional de The New York Times como finalista del premio de The Stringer Foundation. Hubo 776 postulaciones globales y solo 25 seleccionados, es la única mexicana y una de las cuatro personas latinoamericanas entre finalistas de países como Rusia, Siria, Sudán y Rumania.

Sin duda ninguna: felicitaciones a todos los seleccionados por la @stringerjournos y particularmente a los periodistas latinoamericanos, quizá la región más hostil para ejercer el oficio.

🔴@nayaroldan, periodista de @pajaropolitico, fue seleccionada como finalista del premio otorgado por The Stringer Foundation. De entre las 776 postulaciones, se trata de la única mexicana en la lista. grupoanimal.mx/sociedad/naye…

¡Agradecida y honrada de ser parte de las finalistas de los Stringer Awards de la @stringerjournos! Entre los periodistas emergentes, soy la única latina, representado el periodismo independiente de Venezuela 🇻🇪 Gracias a todos los que leen y acompañan. Surrealista todo.

Insisto, la vida es tan generosa conmigo que me da muchísimo más de lo que merezco. Gracias infinitas!!! 🥹😭🙏🏼✨🙏🏼