PUP Earns Three Wins at Pittsburgh Black Media Federations Robert L. Vann Media Awards

The Pittsburgh Union Progress won three plaques from the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation's 35th Robert L. Vann Media Awards.

The strike publication won every category in which it was a finalist at the “A Night of Excellence” dinner Thursday evening at the University of Pittsburgh's O'Hara Student Center in Oakland.

These winners are:

Excellence in visual presentation: background photography

Black History Month Comes to Life at Steel Valleys Barrett Elementary School by Steve Mellon

Excellence in Written Journalism Daily Newspapers/News Services: History/Culture/Arts/Entertainment

Black History Month Comes to Life at Steel Valleys Barrett Elementary School by Andrew Goldstein

(When the Klan came to town 100 years ago, Carnegie residents fought back and things turned bloody when Steve Mellon was a finalist in the category.)

News Article/Profile

Meet the Mayor's Nominee for Pittsburgh EMS Chief, Amera A. Gilchrist by Bob Batz Jr.

All Vann competition entries were published or broadcast between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 and were judged by active or retired professional journalists or communications professors from Texas, Illinois, Kansas and the Northern Virginia.

Also during the dinner, PBMF celebrates its 51st year of advocating for equitable representation of the African American community in the news, working to increase the presence of journalists of color in newsrooms and other media organizations , and recognizing and promoting excellence and quality in coverage of communities of color, awarded four special awards:

• Legacy Award to Lou Ransom, a retired award-winning editor and journalist who for many years was editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier and community editor/editorial page editor/business editor for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. His focus on community and mentorship has helped many black journalists find opportunities in local newsrooms.
• Communicator of the Year Award to Mark Clayton Southers, founder and artistic director of the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Co. His work shares the message of the importance of diversity and inclusion to strengthen
  community through the arts.
• Pioneer Award to Cynthia Mendoza and Brown Mama Monologues, a theater and social engagement project that aims to amplify the voices and concerns of Black and Brown mothers and supports free expression and communication of underrepresented communities and ideas.
• Community Champion Award to Future Kings Mentoring, a mentoring and personal development program started by three young Black adults Terrell Galloway, Sean Spencer and Isreal Williams that aims to foster community uplift and develop the next generation of Black male leaders.

PBMF also recognized WESA for Pittsburgh area public radio stations' long-standing commitment to diverse journalism.

We congratulate all Vann winners, who work diligently to bring truth to stories and show that the stories of diverse and minority communities are valuable, PBMF President Deborah Todd said in a press release.

The other winners are:

STUDENT COMPETITION 2024

Audio/Feature

Living Black History, WNUW/NeuPress, Neumann University

PROFESSIONAL COMPETITION 2024

DAILY NEWSPAPERS/NEWS SERVICES

Business/Consumer/Technology

Black founders and technologists begin to claim their moment, Evan Robinson-Johnson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Columns

Ron Cook: Mel Blount's Life Work Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Public Affairs/Politics/Government/Education

Inside the AP African American Studies course piloted at Allderdice High Megan Tomasic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Business/Survey

Rosedale: 100 years; D. Hurst, D. Sutor; The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Sports

Monumental change: Willie Thrower cast the mold for modern NFL quarterback Chuck Curti, TribLive/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Spotlight/Latest news

Celebration of a force of nature in the Hill District couldn't be deterred Anya Sostek, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Health/Medicine/Science/Environment

The legacy of Ella P. Stewart, Pennsylvania's first black pharmacist, Hanna Webster, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

NON-DAILY NEWSPAPER/NEWS SERVICES

History/Culture/Arts/Entertainment

From America to Africa: Hip-Hop in the Homeland 50 Years Later; A. Carlisle, L. Jones; New Pittsburgh Mail

Columns

How Pittsburgh-based Freedom House Ambulance Service Changed Everything » Tony Norman, NEXTpittsburgh

Public Affairs/Politics/Government/Education

Allderdice and Westinghouse, 5 km away, are polar opposites Lajja Mistry, PublicSource

And

Pitt Alumna Kakenya Ntaiya Fights for Women in Rural Kenya, Kara Henderson, Pittwire/University of Pittsburgh

Business/Survey

“Homicides against black women and girls are on the rise,” Rob Taylor Jr., New Pittsburgh Courier

Health/Medicine/Science/Environment

“Project Silk renews its mission to help LGBTQ youth of color,” Ethan Woodfill, NEXTpittsburgh

News Article/Profile

Historian Ralph Proctor Jr. wants to make sure the Hill District isn't forgotten, David S. Rotenstein, NEXTpittsburgh

Sports

“Has History Overlooked the First Black-Owned Professional Sports Stadium?” David S. Rotenstein, NEXTpittsburgh

MAGAZINES

History/Culture/Arts/Entertainment

“The World of August Wilson,” Ervin Dyer, Pitt Magazine/University of Pittsburgh

Health/Medicine/Science/Environment

Compassion in Action: Theresa Kaijage Leads the Way in Supporting People Living with HIV/AIDS, Deborah Todd, Pitt Magazine/University of Pittsburgh

Business/Consumer/Technology

Road to the Top, Rob Taylor Jr., h magazine

Profile/News functionality

“WAMO celebrates 75 years,” Joe Pinchot, Pittsburgh Magazine

VIDEO JOURNALISM

History/Culture/Arts/Entertainment

Pittsburgh Black History; Burkett K, Minutello R, Kunicki C, Sylvester L, Johnson D, Harner J, Oxenreiter A, Tomazic J, Masa M, Ruffolo T, Kirkland T, Moore A; WPXI

Business/Consumer/Technology

The alignment chapter; M. Schiller, B. Orr; KDKA-TV

News Article/Profile

“Still Marching: Reflections on the March on Washington 60 Years Later”; L. Smith, R. Hopson; KDKA-TV

Public Affairs/Politics/Government

“Clemente’s Book: Isn’t it Student Friendly?” » C. Hoffman, I. Smith; KDKA-TV

Documentary

Remembering the first black provost at Pitt; Jumoke Davis, producer; Kara Elyse Henderson, producer; and Adam Kilburn, editor-in-chief; University of Pittsburgh/Office of University Communications

AUDIO JOURNALISM

Health/Medicine/Science/Environment

“Mon Valley leaders have $5 million in fines to spend on US Steel, but little has been spent on public health,” Jillian Forstadt, Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp./WESA.

News Article/Profile

“Halal goat farm run by Somali Bantu refugees takes root north of Pittsburgh,” Glynis Board, Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp./WESA

Public Affairs/Politics/Government/Education

“One year into Mayor Ed Gainey's term, he seeks to reduce youth violence,” The Confluence Team (K. Gavin, M. Williams, L. Tsutsui, E. Furry), Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp. /WESA.

And

“Continuing Coverage of PPS Summary Citations”; S. Schneider, J. Forstadt; Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp./WESA

Sports

“Marking the graves of Negro League players”; K. Blackley, P. Tewari, D. Shugarts; Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp./WESA

Spotlight/Latest news

“Pittsburgh Juneteenth founder says festival rules are racist,” Bill O'Driscoll, Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp./WESA.

VISUAL PRESENTATION

Cover design (magazines)

“Professional training changes lives – and is more crucial now than ever,” Elan Mizrahi, h magazine.

Digital/multimedia

“Wilkinsburg Points of Pride,” PublicSource Staff, PublicSource

Drawing

“In training: Pitts Black majorette dance troupe makes all the right choices,” George Schill, Pitt Magazine/University of Pittsburgh

Page/Digital Design

“The World of August Wilson,” Zachary Beresh, Pitt Magazine/University of Pittsburgh

Personality profile photo

“Woodworking: Thaddeus Mosley has been creating art for over 60 years, Nate Guidry, Pitt Magazine/University of Pittsburgh

Photography essay

In Wilkinsburg, once these curses are broken, they are transformed into strength; Q. Glabicki, S. Strasbourg, R. Lord; Public Source

Sports photography

“Pitts New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott scores touchdown,” Benjamin Braun, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Occasional news photography

Never heard bullets like this before, Benjamin Braun, Post-Gazette