NPF, NPCJI award $57,000 to six grantees for environmental justice journalism

The National Press Foundation and the National Press Club Journalism Institute announced today that they will jointly award $57,049 in grants to journalists who plan to cover environmental justice.

The six grantees were selected by judges Antonia JuhaszYanick Rice Lamb, and Harriet Washington, distinguished journalists and teachers who have produced notable work in exposing environmental racism and its consequences.

The grantees and projects selected by the judges are:

  • Agya Aning, Inside Climate News – How the historically Black community of Wedgewood in West Florida became surrounded by landfills ($4,400)
  • Yvette Cabrera, Grist Magazine – How legacy lead contamination in soil poses a major threat to marginalized, poor, communities of color, focusing on the predominantly Latino city of Santa Ana, Calif. ($12,649)
  • Tasmiha Khan – How Muslim Americans are fighting for climate justice, particularly in trying to prevent the construction of a pipeline by Enbridge Energy in Minnesota ($10,000)
  • Shira Laucharoen, Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism – How systemic racism and nativism create daily dangers to the health of East Somerville, Mass., residents ($10,000)
  • Kristi Tanner, Detroit Free Press – How the principles of environmental justice, community input, and disproportionate impact are (and are not) included in the permit approval process ($10,000)
  • Brett Walton, Circle of Blue – When to strengthen national and state drinking water standards by examining how nitrates in water (and their removal in some towns) are affecting people in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and farmworker communities in the Central Valley ($10,000)

“The work of these journalists will reveal the environmental consequences of longstanding inequities in communities across America,” said Julie Moos, Executive Director of the National Press Club Journalism Institute. “We anticipate it will also lead to greater accountability for creating the safe neighborhoods everyone deserves.”

“We are immensely grateful to the judges for their thoughtful deliberation,” said Sonni Efron, President and CEO of the National Press Foundation. “All of the applicants were impressive, with projects that we hope they will pursue, so that vulnerable populations in all U.S. communities may in future be protected from environmental harm.”

The Kozik Grants are funded by a 1991 gift from the late Dr. Franklin Kozik in honor of his deceased son Robert Kozik.

A second round of grants to support environmental justice reporting will be offered in early 2022.

About The National Press Foundation

The National Press Foundation is a nonprofit whose mission is to “make good journalists better.” We educate journalists on the complex issues of the day and train them to use the latest reporting tools and techniques. The foundation recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards and fellowships.

About the National Press Club Journalism Institute

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. The Institute is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

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