ONA Weekly #336: A Moment Of Thanks From OJA20 Winners

By on November 25, 2020

A moment of thanks from OJA20 winners

As we enter the season of gratitude, it feels fitting to showcase some of the acceptance speeches from this year’s Online Journalism Awards—plus, there’s nothing more delightful than watching winners from around the world thank their colleagues and discuss their projects. Check out a few of the 30-second speeches below.

  • STUCK: Inside California’s Housing Crisis – Investigative Reporter Aaron Mendelson accepted the Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Use of Audio Storytelling and The University Of Florida Award For Investigative Data Journalism, Small Newsroom awards for KPCC-LAist’s hourlong audio narrative looking into the bottom rung of the Southern California housing market. 
  • Sophi Automation – Senior Product Manager for Analytics Sonali Verma accepted the Award for Technical Innovation in the Service of Digital Journalism for the Globe and Mail’s artificial intelligence engine Sophi, which autonomously curates their content. 
  • The Auschwitz Boxers – Journalist José Ignacio Pérez Hernández accepted the Sports, Small/Medium Newsroom award for MARCA’s report gathering testimonials from Nazi concentration camp prisoners who survived by becoming boxing champions.
  • See How the World’s Most Polluted Air Compares With Your City’s – Special Projects Editor Karthik Patanjali accepted the 2020 Excellence in Immersive Storytelling award for the New York Times’ augmented reality project, which enables readers to visualize some of the worst air in the world in comparison to the air in their own city or town.
  • Disappearing Daughters – Senior Video Journalist Corinne Chin and Photojournalist Erika Schultz accepted the Feature, Medium Newsroom award for The Seattle Times’ investigation project combining visual journalism with visual poetry to highlight the strength of the women of Ciudad Juárez, where gender-based killings go undiscovered, unsolved and unpunished.
Thank a mentor: Speaking of gratitude, we want to use this space to showcase thanks for mentors next week in our Dec. 2 issue. Reply to this email with two sentences and the name of the person you’d like to thank, and we’ll include as many as we can here. Bonus points if your note describes mentorship techniques for others to try!

Adaptive Leadership and Inclusion

During ONA20 Everywhere, we heard from Sandra Clark, Vice President for News and Civic Dialogue at WHYY and Doug Mitchell, Founder/Project Director at NPR’s Next Generation Radio, on what leaders need right now to move the needle on diversity and inclusion. “I’m not trying to make more woke people,” said Clark. “I really, truly believe that if you are a good journalist, a solid journalist, if you are a journalist who is meeting the mission of what we’re supposed to be here to do, then cultural competency is not optional.” Explore the notes or register to watch the session. 

Apply to the Women’s Leadership Accelerator by Nov. 30

There are just a few days left to apply to ONA’s program that supercharges the leadership skills of women in digital journalism. If you’ve been wondering whether you should apply: You should! Yes, you! The Women’s Leadership Accelerator is aimed at women and non-binary identifying practitioners working in digital media who are pushing innovation — including freelancers, entrepreneurs and independent journalists. Learn more and apply now. 

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Upcoming events

ONA Local groups regularly host events for digital journalists all over the world. Find a group near you or learn how to start a new one. Note: All ONA Local events are currently happening online, and open to all regardless of where you’re located.

Career opportunities

ONA’s Career Center is an excellent resource for jobs, fellowships and internships in digital journalism. Recent postings include:

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