By Sterling Davies
Contributing Editor
SACRAMENTO — A 16-year-old student who wrote an essay on the tensions between the U.S. and China and its effects on adoptees and orphans in both countries was among those awarded at the 2024 California Ethnic Media Awards Aug. 28.
Justin Ma, born in China who moved to the U.S. when adopted, had his essay published in Sing Tao Daily, one of Hong Kong’s oldest Chinese language newspapers and is now reporting in the San Francisco area as well.
“It’s important to investigate how specific issues impact youth,” Ma said after receiving his award. “But it’s also equally important that youth get involved in reporting and understanding these issues.”
Awards were given at California’s Ethnic Media Conference to dozens of ethnic media journalists, newspapers and broadcasters to celebrate their work and accomplishments.
Hosted by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services, the 26th annual conference brought together news outlets that serve California’s minority communities to sit on panels, participate in discussions and be recognized for their stories and achievements.
Various figures spoke at panels surrounding topics that pertain to ethnic media and reporting. California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the keynote speaker, spoke about the power ethnic media holds to create change. State Attorney General Rob Bonta led a panel discussing how ethnic media can play a large role in resolving pressing issues.
The conference also hosted breakout discussions that touched on rising issues that journalists, specifically ethnic media journalists, have and will face in the near future. Some discussions included the looming threat of artificial intelligence, how to avoid lawsuits and access public records, and how to cover cultural taboos within communities.
The awards ceremony featured the work of 24 judges who filtered through 310 entries in nine categories, including stories in 12 different languages. The judges, who picked one finalist and two winners in each category, came from various backgrounds and organizations that center around serving minority communities.
Judges included faculty at both California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services, professors at colleges such as UC Berkeley and Stanford, and veteran journalists.
As reporters received awards in categories such as California’s Culture for Diversity, Health and Healthcare, and the Rise in Hate and Efforts To Find Healing, finalists and winners shared their work and the power behind bringing stories and issues to light.
“I consider myself lucky to have been able to cover Latino communities here in Central California for more than a decade, and to be able to share those stories with the public,” Maria Ortiz-Brones of Vida en el Valle, a bilingual news outlet reporting on the Central Valley’s Latino communities, said after winning for her story highlighting how physicians from Mexico help meet the needs of patients in California.
Surprises were in store with some journalists unaware they would be recognized for their work. Ronvel Sharper of the Contra Costa Pulse was shocked to find out his story on internet bullying was awarded in Coming of Age in a Polarized Society.
“I didn’t expect to be first in anything, to be honest with you, like, this is totally unforeseen,” Sharper said when receiving his award. “Not gonna lie, I am freaking out, but like, in a good way.”
Aside from the nine categories, special awards were given to journalists and media outlets for their work as a whole. Veteran journalist Viji Sundaram was awarded for challenging cultural taboos and Manuel Ortiz Escámez of Peninsula 360 for creating innovative approaches to reporting on isolated communities.
The event also highlighted the impact ethnic media makes among minority communities.
“You are the inspiration for me as a journalist of many, many decades,” Sandy Close, director of Ethnic Media Services, said at the event. “You inspire all of us to realize that we can tell stories. We can, above all, work together across racial and ethnic lines.”
This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.
