Last week, The Seattle Medium was recognized with two distinguished honors at the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual merit awards. In a fierce competition among over 200 member publications, The Seattle Medium’s commitment to community service and editorial excellence has clearly stood out, securing third place in both the Community Service category and Best Special Edition category.
The first of these awards acknowledges The Seattle Medium’s innovative “Support Black Orgs Initiative,” a collaborative effort with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. This initiative was vital in developing supportblackorgs.com, an online platform designed to mobilize volunteers, facilitate donations, and promote the visibility of local non-profits serving African American and underserved communities. Amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a significant drop in volunteerism and donations, this initiative provided crucial support by enhancing the infrastructure needed for these organizations to thrive. The campaign included podcasts, news articles, and extensive advertising efforts, encouraging community engagement and support.
Chris B. Bennett, Publisher and CEO of The Seattle Medium, reflected on the initiative, stating, “By harnessing the deep-rooted tradition of community support within our African American communities, we’ve managed to sustain and empower numerous local organizations. This award is not just a recognition of our newspaper but a celebration of the collective spirit and resilience of our community.”
The second award was for their Women’s History Month edition, “Braided Wisdom,” produced in partnership with the Black Future Co-op Fund. This edition marked several firsts for The Seattle Medium: it was their initial foray into celebrating Women’s History Month and the first time guest editors were involved in the newspaper’s production. Guest editors included notable figures from the Black Future Co-op Fund, such as Andrea Caupain Sanderson, Angela Jones, Michelle Merriweather, and T’wina Nobles, who brought invaluable insights and creativity to the publication.
This special edition highlighted the central role of Black women in shaping the community and featured stories meant to inspire greatness in both personal and professional spheres.
“Black women have been the backbone of our community, continuously doing monumental work that often goes unrecognized. Their stories of resilience and leadership are an integral part of our collective history and present,” said Bennett. “This edition was our way of honoring and recognizing the profound impact they have.”
“I really want to than our partners because we could not have done this without them,” added Bennett.