Los Angeles Times Recognized with Multiple Accolades in NLGJA Journalism Awards Competition
The Los Angeles Times has been honoured with six awards in the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association's (NLGJA) annual Excellence in Journalism Awards contest. The prestigious recognition was bestowed upon the Times for their groundbreaking project, "Our Queerest Century," a comprehensive retrospective on the history and culture of the LGBTQ+ community spanning the past 100 years.
Kevin Rector, a staff writer at The Los Angeles Times, spearheaded this significant project and was named Journalist of the Year. "Our Queerest Century" was also awarded Best Packaging, Print or Online, for the design and presentation of the project by a team of current and former Times staffers, including Patrick Hruby, Mary Kate Metivier, Ross May, Allison Hong, Jim Cooke, and Taylor Le.
The project, both a print special section and an online presentation, highlights key moments and figures in LGBTQ+ history, showcasing vast and indelible contributions by queer communities. It reflects decades of activism, culture, and social change, earning praise for its insight, passion, thoroughness, and its ability to bring hope and recognition for LGBTQ+ identities over the century.
The Times staff also received accolades for Excellence in Newswriting, with Rector, Hailey Branson-Potts, Matt Hamilton, and Jaweed Kaleem winning for a series of stories based on a national poll on LGBTQ+ issues. Jireh Deng won the Excellence in Transgender Coverage Award for their feature story on T-Boy Wrestling, a local tournament hosted by Trans Dudes of LA. Erika D. Smith was recognised for Excellence in QPOC Coverage for her essay highlighting how queer people of colour have led in many important political movements.
LZ Granderson, a columnist at The Los Angeles Times, won an NLGJA award for his personal essay on the heroes of the AIDS epidemic, earning the Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage. The full list of award recipients can be found on nlgja.org.
The awards were announced on July 23 and will be presented in person at a ceremony next month. Maria L. La Ganga, deputy managing editor for California and Metro at The Los Angeles Times, praised the project, noting that it helps fill an important gap in recognising LGBTQ+ historical narratives in mainstream media. The project serves as a testament to The Los Angeles Times' commitment to diverse, inclusive, and impactful storytelling.
- The Los Angeles Times has been acknowledged for its significant project, "Our Queerest Century," which won the Best Packaging, Print or Online category at the NLGJA Excellence in Journalism Awards.
- LZ Granderson, a columnist at The Los Angeles Times, was honored with the Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage award for his personal essay on the heroes of the AIDS epidemic.
- Erika D. Smith, a staff writer at The Los Angeles Times, received the Excellence in QPOC Coverage award for her essay highlighting the contributions of queer people of color in political movements.
- Jireh Deng, also a staff writer at The Los Angeles Times, was recognized with the Excellence in Transgender Coverage Award for a feature story on T-Boy Wrestling, a local tournament hosted by Trans Dudes of LA.
