February 22nd, 2022 marks the 10-year anniversary of world-renowned journalist Marie Colvin’s tragic assassination by the Syrian Assad regime, when she passed away at 56 years young, cutting short her life saving work. Today we are honoring her life as a local legend who comes from our own hometown of Oyster Bay! ⁠ ⁠

Marie’s impact in the world of journalism cannot be understated. Many have held this American Hero in high regard for her dedication to truth and for focusing on the importance of shining a light on humanity in extremes, pushed to the unendurable. She undertook many difficult journeys in her travels, and because of her dedication and sacrifice, she helped countless people. For example, in 1999, in East Timor, she was credited with saving the lives of one-thousand five-hundred women and children from a compound besieged by Indonesian-backed forces.⁠ ⁠

Marie Colvin was also a witness and an intermediary during the final days of the Sri Lankan Civil War, reporting on war crimes committed against Tamils, and where she lost sight in her left eye while reporting in the line of duty, being struck by a blast from a Sri Lankan Army rocket-propelled grenade. Despite sustaining serious injuries, Marie Colvin, who was 45 at the time, managed to write a pivotal article on time to meet her deadline, revealing the atrocities to the world. Over the six years in which she covered the war, Marie walked over thirty miles through the Vanni jungle with her Tamil guides to evade government troops, at the risk of her life, reporting on the humanitarian disaster in the northern Tamil region, including a government blockade of food, medical supplies, and prevention of foreign journalist access to the area.⁠ ⁠

For all she has done for the world and the communities around her, we at GPI believe that Marie deserves to be honored and commemorated. Join us in celebrating and standing by Marie’s contributions, life, and values, and please share these posts so that others may be inspired by her life!