In the past year alone in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel, 130 journalists have lost their lives—more than the number of journalists killed during all 27 years of WWII and the Vietnam War combined. This figure underlines a disturbing reality we now face: as geopolitical conflicts intensify and journalism becomes increasingly partisan, the press is more vulnerable than ever. While global leaders rally citizens to vote to “preserve democracy,” the stark truth is that upholding the honest and ethical spread of information is the single most valuable tool we have to protect democratic ideals.

Cases like this aren’t unique to the battlefield; Latin America, a region without active war zones, claimed the lives of at least 40 journalists in 2022 alone—and was subsequently demarcated the most dangerous place for reporters. Journalists like Daphne Caruana Galizia, who spearheaded the investigation of the Panama Papers before being assassinated in 2017, and Victoria Roschyna, who reported on critical issues in Ukraine before being incarcerated, have similarly paid the ultimate price for their groundbreaking work.

In a world with news increasingly polluted with unreliable stenography and devolution, the solution lies in doing your part to amplify truth, accuracy, and all the powerful tenants of balanced journalism free from the constraints of supposed bipartisan obligations and feigned objectivity. Now more than ever, it is crucial to advocate for the human rights and safety of the media organizations which challenge powerful interests and provide a platform for underrepresented voices.

In honoring the continuing sacrifice of those who risk everything in pursuit of the truth, we do more than protect the press; we safeguard our collective freedoms to know, speak, and decide our future; their courage reminds us that the fight for truth is inseparable from the fight for a just world. By amplifying these voices, we uphold the very principles that sustain a free, equitable society.