The Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) successfully hosted another sold-out, Special Honors & Scholarship Gala on Saturday, Dec. 2. with a crowd of more than 300 media professionals, newsmakers and supporters at Armour J. Blackburn Center on the campus of Howard University.
WABJ presented awards to seven distinguished professionals and an organization for excellence in journalism, communications, newsroom leadership, and community service:
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Pat Lawson Muse (retired news anchor, NBC4 Washington)
- Journalist of the Year – Kristen Welker (moderator, NBC News’ “Meet the Press”)
- Legacy Award – Sonya Ross (founder and editor in chief, Black Women Unmuted)
- Young Journalist of Excellence Award – Phil Lewis (senior front page editor, HuffPost)
- Excellence in Communications Award – Erica Loewe (chief of staff, White House Office of Public Engagement)
- President’s Award – Denise Rolark Barnes (publisher, The Washington Informer)
DC News Now’s Anna-Lysa Gayle and WUSA9’s Lorenzo Hall served as emcees for the organization’s second annual gala. Hall is an alumnus of WABJ’s annual Urban Journalism Workshop for DC area high school students, which is now in its 37th year.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy, and National Association of Black Journalists Co-Founders Sam Ford, Allison Davis and Joe Davidson were among the night’s special guests. Others included Dorothy Butler Gilliam, who in 1961 became the first African American female reporter at The Washington Post, and Dr. Sheila Brooks, the founder and CEO of SRB Communications.
A special tribute was made to Ford, who is retiring at the end of this month. He is currently the DC bureau chief for WJLA/ABC7 after working at the station for 36 years. He’s been a broadcaster for 50 years.
In addition, WABJ also awarded $5,000 in academic scholarships during the gala to two local college students.
WABJ is genuinely grateful for the enthusiasm surrounding this event, which generates funds to sustain its scholarship programs for aspiring journalists, year-round professional development activities, and community initiatives.
There are several ways for members of the general public to contribute to help make a lasting impact. Click here to make a donation and learn about WABJ’s various funding areas.
To donate via mail, please send a check to:
Washington Association of Black Journalists
P.O. Box 2683
Washington, D.C. 20013
WABJ is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible organization.
Founded in 1975, WABJ is an organization of more than 300 Black journalists, journalism educators, students and communications practitioners in the DC metro area. It provides members with ongoing professional development opportunities and advocates for newsroom diversity, equity, and inclusion.
WABJ was named the 2023 Professional Chapter of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists this past summer. For more information, please visit wabjdc.org or email info@wabjdc.org.
