The career arc of Ashley Gilbertson can be considered enviable — regular assignments with The New York Times, a distinguished body of work from the Iraq war, and a reputation for creative, compassionate approaches to tricky social topics.

While editing for submission is a struggle, judging is an equally delicate process. Visual artist Monica Alcazar-Duarte has been involved with the BarTur Award for over 5 years, most recently as a judge for the Climate Change award in 2020 and the Ann Lesley BarTur Award in 2021.