PRESS CONTACT: Dillon Lewis
Press@nlgja.org or 202-588-9888
Washington, D.C. – Today NLGJA – The Association of LGBTQ Journalists – announces the recipients of its Excellence in Journalism Awards and salutes their exemplary work in 2015.
The NLGJA Excellence in Journalism Awards were established in 1993 to foster, recognize and reward excellence in journalism on issues related to the LGBTQ community. Expanded to 30 awards in 2016, awards will be presented for excellence in Bisexual Coverage, Blogging, Book Writing, Column Writing, Digital Edition, Digital Video, Documentary, Feature Writing, Feature Writing (Non-Daily), Health or Fitness Coverage, HIV/AIDS Coverage, Local Television, Multimedia, Network Television, Newswriting, Newswriting (Non-Daily), Online Journalism, Opinion/Editorial Writing, Photojournalism, Podcasts, Profile Writing, Radio, Social Media, Sports Writing, Student Journalism, Transgender Coverage and Travel Writing in addition to several special recognition awards.
“NLGJA saw unprecedented growth in nominations for the Excellence in Journalism awards during our 25th Anniversary last year,” said NLGJA Awards Chair April Hunt. “This year, we expanded the categories to more than double last year’s offerings, continuing to award small and mid-sized publications, and saw exponential growth in nominated work.”
The 2016 NLGJA Journalist of the Year is Dominic Holden, National LGBT Reporter for BuzzFeed. “Holden presents a really strong mix of thoughtful trans stories, a good take on familiar subject matter, some really strong characters and good depth,” wrote one judge. Holden additionally took second place in Newswriting (Non-daily) for Why Are Black Transgender Women Getting Killed in Detroit?
This year’s Sarah Pettit LGBT Journalist of the Year Award goes to Lucas Grindley, Senior Vice President and Editorial Director for Here Media. “Impressive work,” one judge praised. “Grindley has smart and thoughtful treatment of chosen topics.”
With generous support from the Gannett Foundation, the 2016 Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism is presented to Jim Burress. The award, which includes a $5,000 grant, will be presented to Jim Burress for Fulton County Doesn’t Spend, Loses HIV Prevention Money. “Burress’ story was very well done, with deep sourcing to connect the facts for us and show the impact,” one judge commented. “The human elements of his story offset deep data research,” said another.
The complete list of award winners include:
Special recognition awards:
Journalist of the Year Award
First: Dominic Holden, BuzzFeed News
Second: Tim Teeman, The Daily Beast
Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for the LGBT Journalist of the Year
First: Lucas Grindley, Here Media
Second: Erik Hall, OutSports.com
The Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism
First: Jim Burress for “Fulton County Doesn’t Spend, Loses HIV Prevention Money,” 90.1 WABE
Print/online awards:
Excellence in Book Writing
First: Mark Segal for “And Then I Danced: Traveling the Road to LGBT Equality,” Akashic Books
Excellence in Feature Writing Award
First: Berlin Sylvestre for “Damascus to Denver: Exodus From Syria,” OUT FRONT Magazine
Excellence in Feature Writing Award (Non-daily)
First: Michael Lindenberger for “The Vanishing Terrain of Gay America,” The New Republic
Second: Tre’vell Anderson for “Jewel’s Catch One Disco’s Demise Marks Era’s End for L.A.’s Gay Blacks,” L.A. Times
Excellence in News Writing Award
First: Andy Birkey for “Dozens of Christian Schools Win Title IX Waivers to Ban LGBT Students,” The Column
Second: Daniel Burke for “Exclusive: Pope Held Private Meeting with Same-Sex Couple in U.S.,” CNN
Excellence in News Writing Award (Non-daily)
First: Gretchen Rachel Hammond for “LGBT Immigrants Still Face Hurdles,” Windy City Times
Second: Dominic Holden for “Why Are Black Transgender Women Getting Killed in Detroit?” BuzzFeed News
Excellence in Photojournalism Award
First: Preston Gannaway for “Soccer on the Streets,” ESPN
Second: Bradley Secker for “A Gay Refugee Sold His Kidney to Escape Iran,” BuzzFeed News
Excellence in Profile Writing Award
First: The Advocate Staff for “40 Under 40: Intersectional Voices,” The Advocate
Second: Tim Teeman for “Jane Clementi: I Almost Killed Myself After Tyler’s Suicide–This Is How I Survived,” The Daily Beast
Excellence in Sports Writing Award
First: Erik Hall for “Uncle’s Death Motivates Gay College Athlete to Create Change,” OutSports.com
Excellence in Student Journalism Award
First: Nicole Wiesenthal for “Collection,” South Florida Gay News
Second: Earl Jordan Lalata for “The Right to Privacy,” Xpress Magazine
Excellence in Travel Writing Award
First: Manny Velasquez-Paredes for “The Great Family Escape: The Lake George Adventure,” Connextions Magazine
Digital awards:
Excellence in Blogging
First: Mark S. King for “My Fabulous Disease,” My Fabulous Disease
Second: Pamela Valentine for “Affirmed Mom of a Transgender Child,” Chicagonow.com
Excellence in a Digital Edition Award
First: Mark Calvey, Krystal Peak, Jim Gardner, Chris Rauber and Ron Leuty for “Business of Pride Special Edition,” San Francisco Business Times
Excellence in Digital Video Award
First: Samantha Stark for “How a Love Story Triumphed in Court,” NYTimes.com
Excellence in Multimedia Award
First: German Lopez and Joe Posner for “Trans Lives,” Vox.com
Excellence in Online Journalism Award
First: Shannon Keating, Lauren Morrell Tabak, Marcie Bianco, Sarah Fonseca and Lisa C. Moore for “Lesbian History Week,” Buzzfeed
Second: Eric Walter for “Speak Easy Forums: LGBT Priorities Beyond Marriage,” Newsworks.org
Excellence in Social Media Award
First: The Advocate Staff for “Day in LGBT America,” The Advocate
Editorial awards:
Excellence in Column Writing
First: Miz Cracker for “Columns of Miz Cracker,” Slate
Second: Heidi Stevens for “Balancing Act with Heidi Stevens,” Chicago Tribune
Excellence in Opinion/Editorial Writing Award
First: Neal Broverman for “I Met My Best Friend on Grindr,” The Advocate
Second: Mark S. King for “Surviving Life Itself,” POZ
Broadcast awards:
Excellence in Documentary Award:
First: Simon Kilmurry, Chris Hastings, Carmen L. Vicencio and PJ Raval for “America ReFramed: Before You Know It,” World Channel
Excellence in Local Television Award
First: Darren Perron for “Powerful Transformation,” WCAX-TV
Excellence in Network Television Award
First: Dax Tejera, Eric Herbst, Lindsay Garfield, Alcione Gonzalez and Douglas Forte for
“America With Jorge Ramos: 101 Gay Weddings,” Fusion
Second: Jay Kernis for “Sunday Morning: In His Name,” CBS News
Excellence in Podcasts Award
First Place: Ken Schneck for “This Show is So Gay,” This Show is So Gay
Excellence in Radio Award
First: David Weinberg for “Grace of the Sea,” KCRW 89.9FM
Second: Jim Burress for “Fulton County Doesn’t Spend, Loses HIV Prevention Money,” WABE-FM and WABE.org
Coverage awards:
Excellence in Bisexual Coverage Award
First: Colin Murphy for “Vincent Price’s Daughter Confirms Father’s Bisexuality,” #Boom Magazine
Excellence in Health or Fitness Coverage:
First: Mary Emily O’Hara for “The Transgender Healthcare Revolution is Here With Two New Startups,” The Daily Dot
Second: Benjamin Ryan for “When Can We Expect PrEP 2.0?,” POZ
Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage Award
First: Heather Boerner for “Ongoing HIV Prevention/Treatment Coverage,” The Daily Beast/TheBody.com
Second: Daniel Villarreal and Topher Williams for “‘Trust Him?’: Why Are The Images Debating PrEP Use So Consistently Shitty?” UnicornBooty.com
Excellence in Transgender Coverage Award
First: Dylan Edwards for “Voices: How I Told My Grandma I’m Transgender,” Fusion
Second: Sunnivie Brydum and Mitch Kellaway for “This Black Trans Man Is in Prison for Killing His Rapist,” The Advocate
The awards will be presented throughout the NLGJA National Convention & LGBT Media Summit September 8-11 in Miami, FL. For more information on the convention and the schedule of awards presentation, visit www.nlgja.org/2016/
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About NLGJA – The Association of LGBTQ Journalists
NLGJA is an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students working from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ issues. NLGJA opposes all forms of workplace bias and provides professional development to its members. For more information, visit www.nlgja.org.