Our friends at the Institute for Nonprofit News announced the winners in their inaugural awards, and some familiar names and faces were there. You can see remarks from the judges and the full list of winners here.
Mukhtar M. Ibrahim, founder, editor and executive director of Sahan Journal, was named INN’s Emerging Leader. This award recognizes an individual with fewer than five years in executive leadership who is building a sustainable news organization.
Honorable mention went to Tasneem Raja, editor-in-chief of The Oaklandside.
Oklahoma Watch won the Insight Award for Explanatory Journalism for medium-sized publications. ‘God, Please Keep Us Safe’: Amid COVID, an Oklahoma Nursing Home Faces Impossible Decisions.
Honorable mentions:
- The Ithaca Voice – HOME
- Sahan Journal – The closing of Cedar Riverside Community School
MLK50 won Breaking Barriers Award for reporting that brought new understanding to an issue or topic affecting people or communities that are historically underrepresented, disadvantaged or marginalized, resulting in impactful change. How a Black community fought a pipeline developer – and won.
Honorable mentions:
- Mission Local – “Testing the Limits, the Mission Way”
- Oklahoma Watch – “Oklahoma City Mental Health Emergencies Outpace Police Trained To Handle Them”
- Sahan Journal – Breaking Barriers: Teacher Diversity in Minnesota
The Beacon won the Community Champion award for medium-sized publishers, which honors an organization that made a significant contribution to the well-being of its community through a journalism-centered project or service. Helping Kansas Citizens vote safely in a pandemic.
Honorable mentions:
- Oklahoma Watch (medium-sized newsrooms) – “A Digital Memorial to Oklahomans Who Died from COVID-19“
- Voice of OC (medium-sized newsrooms) – Public Town HallsCalmatters (super-sized newsrooms) – California 2020 Election Guide
- The Oaklandside (super-sized newsrooms)– Vaccine Equity Campaign
The Oaklandside won the Game-Changer Award, for an organization that produced an innovative idea or practice that led to success in revenue, audience growth or sustainable financial support of news. Mission Metrics.
Honorable mentions in other categories:
- Startup of the year (operating for less than three years) Sahan Journal
- Journalism partnership of the year. Wisconsin Watch and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (News414)
- Investigative Journalism (super-sized newsrooms)
- CALmatters – “Waiting for Justice”
- CALmatters – “California NAACP president aids corporate prop campaigns — collects $1.2 million and counting
- “The Oaklandside – “Did OPD violate its own policies against protesters? We investigated.Community Champions Award.
A hearty congratulations to all of our colleagues! We’re humbled to play a part in your work.
