Diane Villiavieja and Rachel Mitrani: Koalas of NYC

In fall of 2019, devastating bushfires broke out in Australia and continued to rage for months, making it the worst fires in the continent’s history. Over 1 billion Australian wildlife perished in the fires, and our collective hearts broke around the world watching this terrible event unfold. Sometime in January of the following year, plush koalas started popping up in New York City, hugging signs, or metal poles. A note was attached to each one, sending passerby to a GoFundMe campaign. People were intrigued, but where were they coming from? Stick around for today’s interview to find out.