In Russia, independent journalism is
a blood sport. Since Dmitry Muratov
founded independent newspaper founded independent newspaper
Novaya Gazeta Novaya Gazeta in 1993, six of his in 1993, six of his
reporters have been assassinated reporters have been assassinated
for exposing the crimes of Vladimir for exposing the crimes of Vladimir
Putin’s regime and Russia’s oligarchy. Putin’s regime and Russia’s oligarchy.
In response to one piece in 2012, In response to one piece in 2012,
Muratov’s deputy was taken to a forest Muratov’s deputy was taken to a forest
by the head of the Russian Investigaby the head of the Russian Investiga--
tive Committee, or Russia’s FBI. The tive Committee, or Russia’s FBI. The
official threatened to kill him and then official threatened to kill him and then
pretend to investigate his death. pretend to investigate his death.
But nothing has intimidated Mura-But nothing has intimidated Mura-
tov and the tov and the Novaya Gazeta Novaya Gazeta team. team.
Year in and year out, his newspaper Year in and year out, his newspaper
has exposed billions of dollars of has exposed billions of dollars of
the Putin government’s corruption, the Putin government’s corruption,
extrajudicial killings, and rampant extrajudicial killings, and rampant
human-rights abuses. For this work, human-rights abuses. For this work,
he was awarded the Nobel Prize in he was awarded the Nobel Prize in
- Months later, following Putin’s 2021. Months later, following Putin’s
invasion of Ukraine, he pledged to invasion of Ukraine, he pledged to
donate the medal to benefit refu-donate the medal to benefit refu-
gees fleeing the crisis. gees fleeing the crisis.
Some heroes show moments of Some heroes show moments of
bravery; Dmitry Muratov has shown bravery; Dmitry Muratov has shown
a lifetime of bravery. a lifetime of bravery.Browder is the CEO of Hermitage Browder is the CEO of Hermitage
Capital Management and author of Capital Management and author of
Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Freezing Order: A True Story of Money
Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Laundering, Murder, and Surviving
Vladimir Putin’s WrathVladimir Putin’s WrathWhen I was studying composition
with the famed music teacher
Nadia Boulanger, one of the many
lessons she imparted upon me
was that “an artist can never be
more or less than they are as a
human being.” So, it is no great
surprise to me that Jon Batiste—
now the proud owner of five
Grammy Awards and an Oscar—
has found all of the success that
he has so early in his career.
I first became aware of Jon’s
extraordinary talent the year
before he landed the gig as
bandleader and musical director
of The Late Show With Stephen Col-
bert. When I heard that he had New
Orleans roots, it all made perfect
sense to me. As the birthplace
of jazz and the blues—the music
that the world has adopted as its
Esperanto—New Orleans holds
a special and sacred place in our
culture. Jon has a particularly
keen understanding of that rich
cultural history and an awareness
of the importance of carrying
that history forward. He has
taken all of that foundational
knowledge about our music
and made it his own, unafraid
to stretch himself as an artist
and continually evolve.
What I love most about Jon
as an artist and human being,
though, is that he has handled
his success with grace, and his
creativity with humility. It is all of
these attributes that will allow
him to continue to grow and
accomplish all that he sets out to.
And I, for one, am excited for the
future that he has ahead of him.Jones is a Grammy Award–winning
record producer and musicianJon Batiste
Graceful talent
BY QUINCY JONES
Dmitry
MMuratovuratov
Pursuing the truthPursuing the truth
B Y B I L L B R O W D E RB Y B I L L B R O W D E R
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