FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, June 24, 2020
PRESS CONTACT: Dillon Lewis
Press@nlgja.org 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists announced the recipients of its 2020 Excellence in Journalism Awards and recognized exemplary work produced in 2019. The highest individual awards, Journalist of the Year and Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for the LGBTQ Journalist of the Year, have been awarded to Oscar Lopez and Mark S. King, respectively.

“Our judges evaluated hundreds of worthy nominations for this year’s Excellence in Journalism Awards,” said NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists President Sharif Durhams. “We are so impressed with the work that was produced throughout 2019 and wish a hearty congratulations to the award recipients.”

The NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Excellence in Journalism Awards were established in 1993 to foster, recognize and reward excellence in journalism on issues related to the LGBTQ community.

With support from the Gannett Foundation, the Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism was presented to Amanda Peacher, Kate Concannon, Frankie Barnhill, Lacey Daley and James Dawson for “LOCKED: a disturbing crime, a desperate act, and how one case could change the way prisons treat some transgender inmates,” produced by the Mountain West News Bureau/Boise State Public Radio.

The 2020 NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Excellence in Journalism Awards recipients are:

Special Recognition Awards:

Journalist of the Year Award
Oscar Lopez

Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for the LGBTQ Journalist of the Year
Mark S. King

The Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism
Amanda Peacher, Kate Concannon, Frankie Barnhill, Lacey Daley and James Dawson for “LOCKED: a disturbing crime, a desperate act, and how one case could change the way prisons treat some transgender inmates,” The Mountain West News Bureau/Boise State Public Radio

 

Print/Online Awards:

Excellence in Book Writing Award
Robbie Corey-Boulet for “Love Falls on Us: A Story of American Ideas and African LGBT Lives,” Zed Books/The University of Chicago Press

Excellence in Feature Writing Award
Anthony Borrelli and Katie Sullivan Borrelli for “Light in the Dark: A beloved trans woman was brutally murdered by her boyfriend. Her story reveals a nationwide problem,” The Ithaca Journal

Excellence in Feature Writing, Non-Daily Award
Rachel Weiss for “She sent 23andMe her DNA. They told her she’s intersex,” Newsday

Excellence in Long Form Journalism Award
Samantha Schmidt for “A mother, but not a woman,” The Washington Post

Excellence in Newswriting Award
Susan Miller for “LGBTQ people in rural America,” USA TODAY

Excellence in Newswriting, Non-Daily Award
Laura Smythe for “Out deputy sheriff, LGBTQ liaison and activist found dead,” Philadelphia Gay News

Excellence in Photojournalism Award
Dougal Brownlie for “Living as LGBTQ in Colorado Springs,” Colorado Springs Gazette

Excellence in Profile Writing Award
Heather Khalifa and Tim Tai for “She’s just mom to her 87 kids,” The Philadelphia Inquirer

Excellence in Sports Writing Award
Scott Gleeson for “For Emma Gee, being the only out LGBTQ athlete at BYU is complicated,” USA TODAY

Excellence in Student Journalism Award
Sasha Urban for “48 male patients say campus doctor sexually abused them — and USC was warned,” Annenberg Media

Excellence in Travel Writing Award
Allison Hope for “Traveling as a trans person: It’s complicated,” CNN

 

Digital Awards:

Excellence in Blogging Award
Mark S. King for “My Fabulous Disease

Excellence in Digital Video Award
Sekiya Dorsett, Brooke Sopelsa, Elizabeth Kuhr, Shahrzad Elghanayan, Victor Limjoco and Wesley Oliver for “Stonewall 50: The Revolution,” NBC Out and Nightly Films

Excellence in Multimedia Award
Raishad Hardnett, Lauren Schneiderman, Cassie Owens, Garland Potts and Tim Tai for “Legendary – 30 Years of Philly Ballroom,” The Philadelphia Inquirer

Excellence in Online Journalism Award
Tim McLaughlin, Holli Stephens, Ian Bush, Pat Loeb, Cherri Gregg, Jim Melwert and Kristen Johanson for “KYW Newsradio: Stonewall 50,” KYW Newsradio

 

Editorial Awards:

Excellence in Column Writing Award
Tony Plohetski for “The path to my fiance hurt like hell. Now, I feel hope for our future as a married gay couple,” Austin American-Statesman

Excellence in Opinion/Editorial Writing Award
Ashley Dye for “AP’s transphobic Sam Smith story exposes journalism’s failings,” Tampa Bay Times

 

Broadcast Awards:

Excellence in Documentary Award
PJ Raval for “Call Her Ganda,” POV/American Documentary

Excellence in Local Television Award
Michael LaCrosse for “Transgender teen crowned Barnstable High prom king,” WBZ-TV

Excellence in Network Television Award
Rand Morrison, Seth Doane, Dustin Stephens and Steven Tyler for “CBS Sunday Morning: All Her Sons,” CBS News

Excellence in Podcasts Award
Ann Marie Awad, Brad Turner, Curtis Fox and Rebekah Romberg for “Legal Weed is Gay,” Colorado Public Radio

Excellence in Radio Award
Jennifer Vanasco, Jim O’Grady and Wayne Shulmister for “Why We Remember Stonewall,” WNYC

 

Coverage Awards:

Excellence in Business Coverage Award
Juliana Feliciano Reyes for “One year after the American Bible Society issued an ultimatum, almost 20 percent of its staff has quit,” The Philadelphia Inquirer

Excellence in Education Coverage Award
Lucas Galarneau for “When unwanted questions drove us out of school, Nova welcomed us,” KUOW Public Radio

Excellence in Food Coverage Award
J.M. Hirsch for “In Cambodia, pepper is the star of the table,” Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Magazine

Excellence in Health or Fitness Coverage Award
Sasha Urban for “48 male patients say campus doctor sexually abused them — and USC was warned,” Annenberg Media

Excellence in HIV & AIDS Coverage Award
Benjamin Ryan for “‘Rick Scott had us on lockdown’: how Florida said no to $70m for HIV crisis,” The Guardian

Excellence in International Coverage Award
Jon Wertheim, Nathalie Sommer, Vanessa Fica and Matt Richman for “60 Minutes: Rainbow Railroad,” CBS News

Excellence in Legal Coverage Award
Sasha Urban for “48 male patients say campus doctor sexually abused them — and USC was warned,” Annenberg Media

Excellence in Political Coverage Award
Michael Kruse for “Are your neighbors ready for President Pete?,” POLITICO Magazine

Excellence in QPOC Coverage Award
Raishad Hardnett, Lauren Schneiderman, Cassie Owens, Garland Potts and Tim Tai for “Legendary – 30 Years of Philly Ballroom,” The Philadelphia Inquirer

Excellence in Religion Coverage Award
Michael J. O’Loughlin for “Plague: Untold stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church,” America Media

Excellence in Theatre Coverage Award
Jake Wittich for “Drag/dinner ‘palace’ Lips serves up opulence, fine dining and stunty performances,” Chicago Sun-Times

Excellence in Transgender Coverage Award
Laura Smythe for “University of Pennsylvania launches national initiative to document trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming experiences,” Philadelphia Gay News

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About NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists is a journalist-led association working within the news media to advance fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ communities and issues. We promote diverse and inclusive workplaces by holding the industry accountable and providing education, professional development and mentoring. For more information, visit www.nlgja.org.