Meet photographer Hannah Reyes Morales, visual artist Ren Galeno, and investigative journalist Nicole Dungca
MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipinas – photographer Hannah Reyes Morales and visual artist Ren Galeno – and Filipino-American investigative journalist Nicole Dungca were named finalists in the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes, the most prestigious honor for journalists in the United States, on Wednesday, May 6.
Morales is a finalist under the “Feature Photography” category for her photographic work in the New York Times story “How the Youth Boom in Africa Will Change the World.” It documented a “‘youthquake’ occurring in Africa where, by 2050, the continent will account for one-quarter of the world’s population and one-third of its young people,” according to the Pulitzer site.
Among Morales’ awards are the 2023 Pictures of the Year International Award, and a 2023 World Press Photo Award. She was also commissioned as the Nobel Peace Prize photographer in 2021.
Morales, on her Instagram page, wrote about how she felt when she found out about being a finalist through a call from one of her editors: “I’m still in a daze since that call, overwhelmed and grateful for the chance to have worked on this story, written by @declanwalsh. Thank you to everyone we photographed – it was not the easiest assignment but those we photographed helped us understand, bit by bit, what it means to be young and reshaping Africa, and the world.”
Manila Bulletin reported that, prior to being a Pulitzer finalist, Galeno’s biggest project was a comic anthology called “‘Ten Years to Save the World,’ a project supported by the British Council as part of a number of creative commissions in response to climate change and COP26.”
On her Twitter page, Dungca has the “Searching for Maura” story pinned, touching on how stories can spur action. “Maura’s story sparked this investigation into the Smithsonian’s racial brain collection,” Dungca said.
Photographer Ezra Acayan was a finalist in 2021 while fellow lensman Romeo Gacad was a two-time finalist and three-time nominee before his death in 2021. – Rappler.com
Originally published on https://www.rappler.com/philippines/three-filipinas-named-finalists-2024-pulitzer-prizes/
