Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced that Jim Provenzano, Arts & Nightlife Editor for the Bay Area Reporter, is the 2026 recipient of the Lisa Ben Award for Achievement in Features Coverage. The award will be presented at NLGJA’s annual national convention in San Francisco, September 10 to 13.

Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced that the San Francisco Bay Times is the 2026 recipient of the Legacy Award. This award recognizes an outlet, publication or news organization that has exhibited innovative, high-quality and sustained news coverage of the LGBTQ+ community over an extended period of time.

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced today that Michael D. Bolden, UC Berkeley School of Journalism Dean and professor, will receive the 2026 NLGJA Leadership Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made a positive impact on their newsrooms by increasing diversity and improving news coverage of the LGBTQ+ community. Bolden will be honored at NLGJA’s annual National Convention, taking place in San Francisco Sept. 10-13.

Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced the members of the 2026 CONNECT: Student Journalism Training Project cohort. The ten students selected for the annual CONNECT Project will cover the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists National Convention in San Francisco from Sept. 10-13. The student participants are Luis Castaneda, Eliot Faine, Apolline Lamy, Fatima B. Jalloh, Tiera Williams, Jazmin Loranne Chapman, Annika Hauer, Aubree Miller, Anne-Elise Tidwell, and Mary Rasura.

What happens when journalists turn the spotlight on themselves? Lifetime member and former board member Senta Scarborough is directing a new documentary telling NLGJA’s story for the first time. Scarborough and their team, including students from East Tennessee State University, traveled the country interviewing founders, early members, and staff, capturing the bravery it took to launch the association during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A 30-minute short edit premieres at this year’s NLGJA Convention, with a full-length feature to follow. For Scarborough, the film is only the beginning: a book and educational curriculum are already in the works.

This year, if saying “Happy Pride” feels difficult, think about the road we’ve traveled, the victories we’ve earned, and the resilience that has carried us forward. Celebrate yourself, and celebrate all the journalists who have stood up for you and for our community since 1990. Our track record is strong; when we inform our readers, listeners, and viewers with facts and accurate representation, it makes a difference.