The Ionian hosted a bake sale on the steps of the Spellman Portico to raise funds for the Committee to Protect Journalists on March 8.  

The fundraiser, which went on for an hour, attracted students on their lunch break to stop by and purchase different types of sweets. Despite the chilly weather, the Ionian e-board handed out donuts, banana nut loaf, chocolate loaf, cupcakes, Rice Krispies treats and cookies.  

The money raised is going to be donated to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a non-profit organization that supports press freedom worldwide. Every year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned or even killed because of their job. CPJ works to defend their rights. CPJ has its headquarters in New York City, but there is also a network of correspondents across the globe. 

Due to Russia’s recent attack on Ukraine, the work of the CPJ has become especially important for both Ukrainian and Russian journalists. In Russia, at least 150 Russian journalists are believed to have fled the country due to Moscow’s crackdown on independent Russian media. CPJ Executive Director Robert Mahoney said that Vladimir Putin has “plunged Russia into an information dark age.” 

Meanwhile, members of the media in Ukraine are facing ongoing risks while covering the war on the ground. Questions have been raised about the potential targeting of the press. Several Ukranian journalists have sustained gunshot injuries since Vladimir Putin initiated the invasion.