Reporter and writer. I cover energy, climate change and geopolitics. Contact me via my website www.alexanderckaufman.com and subscribe to kaufman.substack.com.

Nailed it! Reporters out in the field are the unsung heroes of journalism, digging up the raw truth that fuels the whole ecosystem.  What’s the wildest story you’ve chased as a reporter that made you realize how vital this work is?

I’m proud of many stories I’ve told over the years, but the riskiest reporting I ever did was this one: I went deep into the Brazilian Amazon to interview people from the Indigenous group that was supposed to have its land designated next, until Jair Bolsonaro won the presidency. I got to share the story of a woman who lost her baby because of his policies with the world. That felt like important work at the dawn of the Bolsonaro administration, and came with some real threat from illegal miners and loggers I encountered far from any authorities. A famous Guardian reporter died in a similar situation a few years later.

I’m proud of many stories I’ve told over the years, but the riskiest reporting I ever did was this one: I went deep into the Brazilian Amazon to interview people from the Indigenous group that was supposed to have its land designated next, until Jair Bolsonaro won the presidency. I got to share the story of a woman who lost her baby because of his policies with the world. That felt like important work at the dawn of the Bolsonaro administration, and came with some real threat from illegal miners and loggers I encountered far from any authorities. A famous Guardian reporter died in a similar situation a few years later. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brazil-amazon_n_5e1e21c0c5b650c621e6ee90

You put your life on the line to make sure someone else’s story didn’t disappear. That’s the kind of journalism that actually shifts history. I told you we appreciate you, maybe not enough, but some of us know your value 🫡🫶🏽🫶🏽