“We did it!” Mona Chalabi, 36-year-old Iraqi-British journalist and artist exclaimed last night on social media. Her joy is with good reason, as she just became the second Iraqi to win the Pulitzer Prize after architect Zaha Hadid, and one of only several Arabs in history.
Chalabi has made huge waves in the world of journalism, with her Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary only the latest in a string of excellent work.
But who is Mona Chalabi? Let’s get to know the rising journalistic talent a bit better.
Raised in East London by Iraqi immigrant parents, Chalabi graduated from the University of Edinburgh and earned a master’s degree from the Paris Institute of Political Studies in International Security.
What did Chalabi win the Pulitzer Prize for?
Chalabi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work, titled “9 Ways To Imagine Jeff Bezos’ Wealth,” delves into the immense wealth of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, exploring the economic power he wields through statistical reporting and insightful analysis.
The piece was featured in The New York Times, and Chalabi took to social media to share her excitement, thanking her creative team for their contributions to the project.
Oh and the the winning piece, by the way: Click here to see it.
“A ridiculously talented and wonderful team made this possible. I’m so grateful to every single one of you,” said Chalabi.
“I worked on this piece in the darkest of winters when my heart was utterly broken. Loved ones stayed by my side, unrelentingly. My gratitude overtakes my pride.”
Mona Chalabi’s fantastic career thus far
Chalabi’s illustrious career has included positions at the Bank of England, Five ThirtyEight, the International Organisation for Migration, and the Economist Intelligence Unit, before joining Guardian US as a data editor.
Her unique approach to simplifying complex data through illustrations and sounds has earned her features in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and exhibitions at the Design Museum, the Tate, and the House of Illustrations.
In 2020, Chalabi’s “100 New Yorkers” was showcased at Westfield World Trade Center, and she has received numerous accolades, including the Shorty Award for Best Journalist in Social Media and a spot on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list.
Her talents extend beyond writing, as she has produced video series and documentaries for Netflix, BBC, and National Geographic, and her 2016 documentary series “Vagina Dispatches” earned a nomination for the 38th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Award.
Chalabi has also worked as a presenter, data expert, and host for talk shows and TED talks, including Alternative Election Night, The Business of Life, and The Fix.
Follow her work here, as great things are surely yet to come.