PORTLAND, Ore., May 25, 2023 — The Portland chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA Portland) is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 AAJA Portland Diversity and Inclusion Awards.

The awards recognized the best journalism published during 2022 about issues that, through discrimination or structural inequity, disproportionately affect people of color or other under-resourced groups in Oregon and/or southwest Washington. This year’s entries were judged by the Los Angeles chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA LA).

Jennifer Perrine won in the Arts and Culture category for her piece “We're Here for Each Other: How Oregonians of color are building relationships in the outdoors,” published July 8, 2022, by Oregon Humanities.

Judges’ comments: “Jennifer Perrine's story on the importance of outdoors for African Americans and their barriers showed just how important access to nature is to communities, but also just how difficult it is for those facing structural racism. She was able to weave in the voices of many outdoor groups, not just a single one, and painted a portrait of life in their shoes.”

The Oregonian/OregonLive won in the Politics, Business or Economics category for its project “Publishing Prejudice: The Oregonian’s Racist Legacy,” published Oct. 24, 2022. 

Judges’ comments: “Very detailed, incredible inward look at the Oregonian's role in minimizing or perpetuating violence and racism against communities of color. Not only does the newspaper dig into its own archives, but it also looks at the effect that its journalism had on settlement in the state and can draw parallels between coverage and diversity in some Oregon cities.” 

KGW won in the Environmental, Health or Science category for its documentary “One Day: 24 Hours Inside Portland's Homeless Crisis,” published May 20, 2022.

Judges’ comments: “An empathetic and truly powerful report on homelessness in Portland. KGW really devotes the time and resources to thoroughly investigating what it is like for unhoused people, business owners, and nonprofits and medical organizations helping unhoused people, and despite the short vignettes into these peoples' lives, you really get a sense of who they are and what their hopes are. The story of the Rite Aid worker who sleeps at a homeless shelter is particularly affecting, as is the story of the unhoused man who has come into the ER 150 times to get medical care.”

Each winner receives a $250 cash prize. 

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to everyone who entered. 

The AAJA Portland Diversity and Inclusion Awards are made possible by support from the Fred W. Fields Fund of Oregon Community Foundation (OCF). 

About AAJA and AAJA Portland:

The Asian American Journalists Association is a membership nonprofit advancing diversity in newsrooms and ensuring fair and accurate coverage of communities of color. Since its founding in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA’s Portland chapter was founded in 1987. More: aaja-pdx.org. 

About Oregon Community Foundation:

Oregon Community Foundation puts donated money to work in Oregon – more than $100 million in grants and scholarships annually. Since 1973, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians. More: oregoncf.org.