Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism Announces 2024 Grantee

[WASHINGTON, DC – September 16, 2024] – Freelance journalist Alizeh Kohari will immerse herself in an ancient nomadic culture in Pakistan under a grant from the Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism at the International Women’s Media Foundation.

The fund, now in its second year, attracted 141 applications from journalists working on five continents. It honors an editor who spent decades at The Los Angeles Times, Reuters and Nieman Storyboard, inspiring writers to take the time to listen closely and observe acutely, and then write stories that make their subjects come alive for readers.

Stories by Kohari, who is from Pakistan and currently based in upstate New York, have appeared in the New York Review of Books, Harper’s, Wired, The Atlantic, and other publications. Her work has been supported by the Pulitzer Center, Internews, and the Overseas Press Club. She also has been an editorial coach and a Fullbright scholar.

Her reporting underwritten by the Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism will take her back to Pakistan to explore how efforts to fight climate change are affecting a centuries-old culture.

Kohari said the grant gives her an opportunity to pursue a story in which she immerses herself in a disappearing world. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult in the current media landscape to make the case for long-form reportage that isn’t explicitly tied to the news cycle, so grants like this one are a true godsend,” she said.

She added that she had often read Nieman Storyboard, and didn’t realize until recently that Howard had been its editor. “Without my realizing it, Kari’s already shaped my approach to journalism, and I hope this project is able to honor her remarkable legacy and belief in literary reportage.”

Family and former colleagues of Kari Howard on the selection committee cited Kohari’s track record of publishing compelling narrative stories, her strong pitch and solid publication plan.

The number of applications for the award this year was substantially higher than the 104 received in the fund’s first year. Members of the selection committee reviewed many strong proposals, but felt that Kohari’s best exemplified the narrative approach that Howard championed.

About the Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism

Kari Howard was a storytelling editor who championed the kind of writing that concerns itself with small moments: Of resiliency, dignity, absurdity, gut-busting humor or heartbreak. She loved writing that captured a sense of place. Howard’s death left a distinct approach to storytelling without one of its most capable champions. To ensure that such journalism lives on, the Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism annually awards grants to support reporting and publication of compelling human stories wherever in the world they are found.

About the International Women’s Media Foundation

The IWMF is the only global organization built to serve the holistic needs of women and nonbinary journalists. We are a bold and inclusive organization that supports journalists where they are with awards, reporting opportunities, fellowships, grants, safety training and emergency aid. As one of the largest supporters of women-produced journalism, our transformative work strengthens equal opportunity and press freedom worldwide.