FOR RELEASE: Friday, June 19, 2026
PRESS CONTACT: Clare Lefebure
Press@nlgja.org or 202-588-9888
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced the recipients of its 2026 Excellence in Journalism Awards, recognizing exemplary reporting produced in 2025. Lydia Polgreen was named the Journalist of the Year. The Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for the LGBTQ+ Journalist of the Year was awarded to Evan Urquhart. Rachel Ward, Mark Kelley, Grant LaFleche, Matthew Pierce, Ryan Ferguson and Jonathan Castell were awarded the Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism for their work on “The Fifth Estate: The Shadow War on Libraries.”
“Announcing the winners of our Excellence in Journalism Awards is one of my favorite parts of this job,” said NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Executive Director Adam Pawlus. “Each year, I am blown away by the work our community produces. Their creativity, their rigor, their dogged courage in pursuit of stories that are too often ignored—this is the work that matters. This year’s winners show what can happen when queer journalists are given the resources they need, and LGBTQ+ stories are given the spotlight they deserve.
“Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you for your vital coverage of LGBTQ+ communities, people and issues.”
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.
The 2026 NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Excellence in Journalism Awards recipients are:
Special Recognition Awards
Journalist of the Year Award
Lydia Polgreen
Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for the LGBTQ+ Journalist of the Year
Evan Urquhart
The Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism
Rachel Ward, Mark Kelley, Grant LaFleche, Matthew Pierce, Ryan Ferguson and Jonathan Castell for “The Fifth Estate: The Shadow War on Libraries” for CBC News
Print/Online Awards
Excellence in Book Writing Award
J. Lester Feder for “The Queer Face of War: Portraits and Stories from Ukraine” in Verlag Kettler
Excellence in Feature Writing Award
Reia Li for “The 80-year rise, fall and rebirth of Phoenix’s lesbian bar scene” in The Arizona Republic
Excellence in Feature Writing, Non-Daily Award
Kat Joplin for “Homecoming: A Night at the Nguyen Hue Kiki Ball 3” in No One Magazine
Excellence in Long Form Journalism Award
Sam Donndelinger for “Gay Boys and Sex Trafficking: An Under-Resourced Epidemic” in Uncloseted Media
Excellence in Newswriting Award
Theresa Gaffney for “Early-career trans researchers reconsider their futures amid lost funding and fear” in STAT
Excellence in Newswriting, Non-Daily Award
Jo Yurcaba and Brooke Sopelsa for “At least 21 hospitals have ended or restricted trans care for minors since January” in NBC News
Excellence in Photojournalism Award
Tara Pixley, Lydia Chebbine, Mariah Miranda, Piera Moore, and Manuel Orbegozo for “Pride 2025: A look inside the pop-up parties reimagining queer joy” in The 19th
Excellence in Profile Writing Award
Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez for “Harlow’s Still Here” in The Philadelphia Inquirer
Excellence in Sports Writing Award
Noah White for “Inclusion and opportunity: The rising Buffalo queer sports scene” in The Buffalo News
Excellence in Student Journalism Award
Carly Gist for “The care that you provided saved my child’s life’: Illinois continues to protect youth transgender care” in The Daily Egyptian
Excellence in Travel Writing Award
Christopher Muther for “In deeply conservative Florida, St. Petersburg’s vibrant LGBTQ scene is a joyful anomaly of inclusion” in The Boston Globe
Digital Awards
Excellence in Blogging Award
Mark S. King for “Exposed Document Links HIV Leaders to ‘Betrayal of People with HIV” for MyFabulousDisease.com
Excellence in Digital Video Award
Cyd Ziegler, Jim Buzinski and editors for “Ballin’ Out: LGBTQ athletes on the USA Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team” for Outsports.com
Excellence in Multimedia Award
Jinglin Jingan for “The Address Book: A Pocket-sized Guide to Gay Freedom” in JoVRnalism
Excellence in Online Journalism Award
Tony Bravo and Stephen Lam for “Inside Heklina’s Closet” in The San Francisco Chronicle
Editorial Awards
Excellence in Column Writing Award
Michael Luongo for “Carrying My New Husband Across the Threshold” in The New York Times
Excellence in Opinion/Editorial Writing Award
Michael Luongo for “Carrying My New Husband Across the Threshold” in The New York Times
Broadcast Awards
Excellence in Documentary Award
Jack Doyle, Emily Judem, Rob Tokanel and Stephanie Leydon for “Living in Pryde” in GBH News
Excellence in Local Television Award
Patrick Sammon, Amir Jaffer, Julianne Donofrio, Pate Felts and Charles Francis for “Lou’s Legacy: A Reporter’s Life at the Washington Blade” for WETA PBS
Excellence in Network Television Award
ABC News Studios for “ABC News Studios – Late to the Party: Coming Out Later in Life” for ABC
Excellence in Podcasts Award
Lynne Gerber, Siri Colom and Ariana Nedelman for “When We All Get to Heaven” for Slate
Excellence in Radio Award
Nicola Luksic for “The unforgivable crime of being queer in Africa” for CBC News
Coverage Awards
Excellence in Bisexual Coverage Award
Lois Shearing and Oliver Haug for “Bisexuality and the right wing” in Xtra
Excellence in Business Coverage Award
Imogen Sayers and Spencer Macnaughton for “Biblically Responsible Investing Is Booming and LGBTQ Americans Are Paying the Price” in Uncloseted Media
Excellence in Critique Writing Award
Jennifer Huberdeau for “Steve Locke’s ‘the fire next time’ confronts violence against Black and queer communities” in The Berkshire Eagle
Excellence in Education Coverage Award
Emma Paidra and Spencer Macnaughton for “Biting, Throwing, Burning and Whipping Children Is Still Legal in Many Parts of the U.S. Why?” in Uncloseted Media
Excellence in Food Writing Award
Justin Shing-Jo Lo for “Dinner Party Politics” in Richmond Times-Dispatch
Excellence in Health or Fitness Coverage Award
Greg Jaffe for “The Army Was the Only Life She Knew. Trump’s Trans Ban Cast Her Out” in The New York Times
Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage Award
Hope Pisoni for “The Staggering Scale of Trump’s ‘War on HIV’” in Uncloseted Media
Excellence in International Coverage Award
Sadiya Ansari, Enrique Anarte Lazo, Jacob Templin, Nyasha Kadandara, Evelyn Kahungu, Adam Rosenberg and Jackson Okata for “Why LGBTQ+ refugees no longer want to stay in Kenya” in Context/Thomson Reuters Foundation
Excellence in Legal Coverage Award
Sabrina Eaton for “Plan to strip transgender gun rights draws comparisons to other discriminatory laws” in Cleveland Plain Dealer/cleveland.com
Excellence in Nonbinary and Gender Nonconforming Coverage Award
CD Davidson-Hiers for “Trans News Initiative” for the Trans Journalists Association, the University of Miami and Polygraph
Excellence in Political Coverage Award
Abby Vesoulis for “Right-Wing Fanatics Are Weaponizing America’s Anti-Discrimination Agency” in Mother Jones
Excellence in QPOC Coverage Award
Mesgana Waiss, Gwen Ragno, Destiny Howze and Jenna Watson for “The hottest party in Indy that you’ve never heard of” in Mirror Indy
Excellence in Religion Coverage Award
G. Samantha Rosenthal for “The Largest Gay Denomination in the U.S. is Shrinking. Why?” in Sojourners
Excellence in Theatre Coverage Award
Matthew Terrell for “Disney, Pride and the power of song: A magical night with the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus” in ArtsATL
Excellence in Transgender Coverage Award
Selena Simmons-Duffin and Diane Webber for “Trump pushes an end to medical care for transgender youth nationally” in NPR
Packaging Awards
Excellence in Packaging, Print or Online Award
David Clarke, Alex Rosa, Brandon Wolfe and Nora Dayton for “The Rainbows They Tried to Erase” in OutSmart Magazine
Excellence in Packaging, Broadcast Award
Mary Schwager, Mark Berryhill, Darren Garrett, Iris Wall, Stuart Sox, Daniel Reynolds, Sam Champion, Sonia Baghdady, Lacy Valenti, Kristen Argis, Stephen Walker, Lamont Baldwin and Erik Brock for “Out100 Television Special.” Produced by equalpride’s Advocate Originals, streamed on ABC News Live, Hulu, Localish, and fuse. Broadcast on ABC O&O stations and syndicated to stations nationwide.
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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.