Reporting on Ukraine

Hi, Everyone,

I’ve been fortunate to be a journalist for more than 30 years. The work has provided a chance to write about topics ranging from war to wildfire, mental health to affordable housing, gun violence to criminal justice. Along the way, I’ve tried to tell stories that capture the resilience of ordinary people beset by extraordinary hardship.

In that respect, no story has felt more personal than the war in Ukraine, my late father’s homeland. In response to Russia’s invasion, Ukrainians have shown fierce defiance and profound compassion, and I’ve sought to convey the human dimension of their loss and anguish – and their grace, solidarity and strength of spirit.

I’ve traveled to Ukraine twice this year as a freelancer, and as you might guess, reporting on conflict isn’t cheap. Beyond initial travel expenses, the cost of on-the-ground logistics, translation and security adds up fast – a fact that explains why most news organizations and freelancers steer clear of war zones.

With this fundraising request, I’m asking for your help to cover partial costs for a three-week reporting trip to Ukraine early in the new year. Ukrainians are facing a brutal winter, and the year ahead could bring even deeper suffering than what they’ve endured in 2022.

I believe that Ukraine’s future as an independent nation depends, in part, on journalists continuing to share stories about the collective resolve of its people. Without that coverage, the risk increases that the West will grow numb to their plight and to a reality as cruel as it is inescapable: the impact of diminished international support will be measured in Ukrainian lives.

I know there are an infinite number of worthy causes and campaigns to which you can donate. So I offer my heartfelt thanks for your consideration, and any support is sincerely appreciated.

Slava Ukraini!

Martin