UCSD - University of California - San Diego
09/30/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2025 10:55
A Drop in the Bucket: Nicholas Kristof Shares Impacts of Journalism, Ethics and Global Compassion
Media contact:
- Jennie Van Meter- [email protected]
Published Date
September 30, 2025Article Content
The Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society marked its 85th program on September 15, 2025, with an evening featuring two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof. A longtime New York Times columnist and author of "Chasing Hope: A Reporter's Life," Kristof shared his reflections from a career reporting on some of the world's most gripping crises. The event, which was held at UC San Diego in La Jolla and presented in collaboration with UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, welcomed more than 700 guests at the Jeannie Auditorium and marked the inaugural livestream by UCSD-TV, allowing remote participation from viewers across the nation and the globe.
(l-r) Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla with Burke Lectureship featured speaker Nicholas Kristof, Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth H. Simmons, and Senior Associate Dean of Extended Studies Edward Abeyta.
Among the in-person attendees UC San Diego leadership, including Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla; Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth H. Simmons; Edward Abeyta, Senior Associate Dean of Extended Studies; Andrew Waltz, Director of Arts Management at the Division of Extended Studies; and David Song-Ruiter, PhD, Faculty Director, Teaching and Learning Commons, Associate Professor, Department of Theatre and Dance.
Featured speakers included Father Peter Abdella, Chair of the Burke Lectureship Board of Directors; Marco Werman, award-winning host of "The World," public radio's longest-running daily global news program and journalist in residence at UC San Diego; and Professor Allan Havis, faculty director of the UC San Diego Jewish Studies program and a member of the Burke Lectureship Board of Governors, who joined Kristof and Werman in conversation after the talk.
Reflections on a world in crisis
Opening the evening, Fr. Abdella grounded the discussion in the urgency of global and domestic violence.
"As we come together, we're aware that our lives have been diminished, most recently by the public murder of Charlie Kirk. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family, to the families of all those killed or injured in school or mass shootings across the US, and to all victims of gun violence everywhere."
He extended these reflections to global conflicts, citing ongoing wars in Israel and Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, and the many victims of famine, terror, displacement, and political violence worldwide.
Abdella also reminded the audience of the Burke Lectureship's enduring mission. Founded in 1985 to honor Father Eugene Burke, a distinguished theologian and advocate for human rights, the series has provided "a free public forum for civil discourse on how religion and society are interrelated" for four decades.
Setting the stage
Before introducing the speaker, Werman emphasized the critical stakes of the evening's conversation. Welcoming both the in-person and livestream audiences, he described journalism today as both essential and endangered.
"I'd be remiss if I didn't underscore the obvious that the entire project of free expression right now feels extremely fraught with violence committed and what appears to be politically motivated attacks around the country," he said, adding, "Maybe journalism has a role to play in all of this, if the media were not portrayed by some corners of this country as the enemy. If only newspapers weren't shutting down at an alarming rate."
Werman tied these themes to UC San Diego's border region context and the nation's broader struggles with democracy, migration, and civic responsibility. He then introduced Kristof as a journalist who has reported from more than 160 countries, chronicling humanitarian crises and inspiring both policymakers and the public.
I'd be remiss if I didn't underscore the obvious that the entire project of free expression right now feels extremely fraught with violence committed and what appears to be politically motivated attacks around the country. Marco Werman, host of public radio's "The World" and journalist in residence at UC San Diego
A reporter's calling
Taking the stage, Kristof began by reflecting on the unusual path of his profession. "I spent a career covering war and genocide and addiction and trafficking and other issues," he explained, emphasizing the responsibility and moral weight that comes with reporting on the world's most difficult crises.
For Kristof, his calling has been shaped not only by the stories he covers but by the ethical reflection and civil discourse that Father Burke championed. "I'm honored to give the Burke lectureship the kind of ethical introspection and commitment to civil discussion that Father Burke represented," he said, noting that such reflection has never been more necessary than in today's deeply divided society.
Kristof shared milestone experiences from his time as a foreign correspondent, including a humorous yet humbling lesson shortly after moving to Beijing. He and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, who shares his Pulitzer Prize, believed they had discovered a state surveillance device in their apartment, only to learn it was a doorbell buzzer. The experience left Kristof with a lasting insight: "...when you think that you really have it all figured out and are utterly confident and full of hubris and pride…that's the moment to beware of your self-confidence and the arrogance that comes with it." This lesson in humility has informed his work as both a journalist and a newspaper columnist, guiding him to approach complex stories with caution, empathy, and a recognition of his own fallibility.
A particularly transformative moment came during the Tiananmen Square democracy movement in 1989. Witnessing soldiers open fire on peaceful protesters, Kristof was struck by the courage of ordinary citizens, including a bus driver who blocked the military convoy, defying orders at great personal risk.
Reflecting on that night, Kristof observed that "rather than not really understanding democracy very fully, that maybe people like that actually had a richer appreciation of democracy than many of us do, because, precisely because we've inherited its blessings, we don't always understand the alternatives." The bravery of those who risked everything for freedom profoundly shaped Kristof's focus on human rights, underdogs, and global injustices in the decades that followed.
Kristof emphasized the broader lessons for citizens and journalists alike: the need for humility, careful reflection, and an openness to the world's moral complexity. He candidly acknowledged that both the political left and right have erred at times, whether through excessive softness toward oppressive regimes or failure to uphold civil rights.
Yet, he argued, this recognition should not paralyze action but rather foster thoughtful engagement and moral courage in confronting injustice wherever it appears.
Lessons from the road
Throughout his career, Kristof has traveled to more than 160 countries, reporting on war, famine, poverty, and human rights abuses. From these experiences, he distilled a number of hard-won lessons about society, policy, and resilience.
One of his enduring observations is the importance of education as the engine of opportunity. He reminded the audience that America once led the world in mass education, with high rates of literacy and high school graduation fueling economic strength. But over the past half century, he said, the nation has slipped into complacency. "We still have one in seven kids in America not graduating from high school," he warned, stressing that the long-term cost of neglecting education far outweighs the investment required to strengthen it.
Kristof also underscored the need to reckon honestly with issues of class and community. Reflecting on his hometown in rural Oregon, where drug abuse and economic decline have devastated families, he challenged audiences to recognize that poverty is not only about race, but also about class, family structure, and opportunity. He urged greater empathy for working-class frustration, cautioning against the tendency to dismiss entire communities.
Equally important, Kristof argued, is the responsibility to look beyond borders. Whether covering human trafficking in Cambodia or documenting humanitarian crises in Africa, he has seen firsthand how U.S. credibility on human rights depends on addressing injustices at home. Compassion and accountability, he suggested, must begin locally if they are to have impact globally.
...when you think that you really have it all figured out and are utterly confident and full of hubris and pride…that's the moment to beware of your self-confidence and the arrogance that comes with it. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof
Inspiring the next generation
As the evening drew to a close, what resonated most was not only Kristof's journalistic achievements but also his insistence that journalism, when rooted in ethics and compassion, remains one of the most powerful forces for global understanding and human dignity.
Speaking of his recent book, he said, "....it's not called Chasing Despair.It's called Chasing Hope." Speaking directly to younger generations, he acknowledged the heavy burdens they carry-fears of unaffordable housing, climate change, political instability, and ongoing conflicts across the globe. These, Kristof admitted, are "perfectly good reasons to be upset," yet he urged his audience to hold on to the progress that has also defined the last half century.
Kristof reminded the audience that history, when seen through a wider lens, tells a more encouraging story. Rates of extreme poverty have plummeted, life expectancies have lengthened, and literacy has expanded at unprecedented levels. He highlighted one of the most dramatic shifts: "When I was a kid, a majority of human beings had always been illiterate throughout human history. Now we're pushing 90% adult literacy." Much of this improvement, he emphasized, comes from advances in female education worldwide, which he described as transformative for entire communities. Even in the face of current crises, Kristof insisted it is critical to understand the broader trajectory of human progress.
At the same time, Kristof does not shy away from the realities of today. He recalled his recent reporting from Uganda, where the shutdown of U.S. foreign aid programs has left children vulnerable and dying unnecessarily. These moments, he said, are wrenching reminders of the stakes at hand. But alongside such tragedies, Kristof urged listeners to recognize the resilience and courage that persist, often in the unlikeliest of places. It is in these contrasts-despair set against extraordinary strength-that he continues to find hope.
One of the most moving examples Kristof shared was the story of Mukhtar Mai, a Pakistani woman who survived a brutal gang rape ordered by her village council. Rather than succumbing to shame, she sought justice, successfully prosecuted her attackers, and used the compensation money to establish the first school in her village. Even more remarkably, she enrolled the children of her attackers in that same school. Kristof recalled standing in her village and watching the children in uniform study math, English, and Urdu.
"And yes, we're capable of all kinds of incredible brutality," he said, "but side by side with that, we have this incredible capacity for strength and resilience and magnanimity, and this is one of those times that it tests us and we have to summon those reserves…those better angels within us."
For Kristof, stories like Mukhtar's affirm the power of ordinary people to spark extraordinary change. They show that education, compassion, and courage can chip away at cruelty and create opportunities where none seemed possible.
Finding purpose, influencing change
Kristof ended his remarks with a reflection on scale, reminding the audience not to be paralyzed by the enormity of the world's crises.
"We psych ourselves out sometimes and think that the problems we confront are just too vast to actually make a difference and resolve," he acknowledged. While no single person in the room could end wars, eradicate malnutrition, or solve the nation's political turmoil, Kristof emphasized the value of incremental action.
He noted that we think anything we do will be a drop in the bucket, countering, "But I'm a believer in drops in the bucket."
To illustrate, he shared a deeply personal story of World War II refugee Vladislav Krishvovich, who fought Nazi persecution, endured a concentration camp, and was eventually sponsored by a family who brought him to the United States. That act of generosity did not solve the global refugee crisis, Kristof noted, but it was transformative for one life. Upon arriving in America, this man Vladislav-his father-shortened his name to Kristof, a change that underscored how one family's "drop in the bucket" reshaped the trajectory of generations.
"Drops in a bucket," Kristof concluded, "That is how you fill buckets. And we can find a purpose. We can bring about change."
It was a fittingly hopeful reminder that compassion and small, deliberate actions remain the building blocks of progress.
Drops in a bucket-that is how you fill buckets. And we can find a purpose, bring about change. Nicholas Kristof, author of "Chasing Hope: A Reporter's Life."
Audience engagement
The talk was followed by a moderated discussion with Professor Havis and Marco Werman, featuring questions from the audience. Werman and Havis offered reflections that illuminated the moral and ethical dimensions of bearing witness, emphasizing that storytelling carries a dual purpose of preserving memory and inspiring conscience. Their insights encouraged the audience to consider how each of us can contribute to the ethical stewardship of the stories we encounter.
The event concluded with a book signing and autograph session in the Jeannie foyer, providing attendees an opportunity to engage personally with Kristof and each other.
Learn more, watch and support
UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies enriches the community by sharing valuable educational resources and helping shape the civic dialogue. Thought-provoking lectures and cultural programs serve to inspire reflection, dialogue, and transformational lifelong learning.
The Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society recording of "Chasing Hope in a Time of Crisis"with Nicholas Kristof is available on YouTube from UCTV.
To learn more about the Burke Lectureship, access previous lectures, or make a donation, visit UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies Public Events & Lecturesand navigate to the Burke Lectureship section.
Share This:
UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on September 30, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 30, 2025 at 16:56 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]