The Lisa Ben Award for Achievement in Features Coverage is designed to honor a journalist whose body of work is distinguished by insight and impact through engaging features on LGBTQ+ individuals, the LGBTQ+ community or LGBTQ+ issues.

The award is named for the pseudonym Edythe Eyde used for her pioneering publication, Vice Versa, which she had to hand deliver to avoid running afoul of laws on the books that made it illegal to send material about lesbians through the mail. In the 1950s she wrote under with the pen name Lisa Ben for The Ladder, the first nationally distributed lesbian magazine.

Lisa Ben was inducted into the NLGJA Journalists Hall of Fame in 2010 for her work that paved the way for many LGBTQ journalists to follow.

This Year’s Winner

Scott Evans

Scott Evans began his career as the youngest person ever to host and emcee the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and the WNBA’s Indiana Fever games. Next, he became a reporter for multiple outlets, including WISH-TV 8 in Indiana and “One Minute News” in Los Angeles. He was later the anchor for the national program Channel One News based in New York. Evans has covered every major entertainment event and red carpet in Los Angeles and New York. He has interviewed some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, Usher, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey and Will Smith. Evans was also the host of NBC’s “World of Dance” and America’s first-ever live, shoppable competition show, “America’s Big Deal.”

In 2021, Evans expanded his relationship with NBCUniversal, signing an overall talent and first-look producing deal across its television and streaming platforms. In addition to hosting “Access Hollywood” and “Access Daily with Mario & Kit,” Evans can be seen as the host of Peacock’s groundbreaking new dating series “Couple to Throuple.” A devoted philanthropist, Evans started a youth development non-profit in Indianapolis and remains active with various youth organizations, such as Legacy Youth Leadership and Thirst Project. Evans lives in Los Angeles with his fiancé and their three rescue dogs.

Past Winners