(Editor’s note: Now, more than ever, honoring great journalism, those who are at the top of their craft and those who support it is crucial. Public Narrative is proud to announce the 2017 Studs Terkel Award winners. Join us to honor them March 9, 2017. Buy your ticket or sponsor the event here: Terkel2017)
The Studs Terkel Award Committee and the Public Narrative’s Board of Directors are proud to announce the 2017 Studs Terkel Award winners — four talented journalists who tell compelling stories across platforms, as well as an engaging philanthropist who has elevated community voices via an invitation to come to the table. Join us to celebrate these outstanding people March 9 at our scholarship award and benefit.
The 2017 Studs Terkel Community Media Award winners:
· Univision (the Chicago newsroom)
· Cate Cahan (WBEZ Chicago Public Radio)
· Carlos Javier Ortiz (photographer and filmmaker)
· Steven M. Mills (Chicago Tribune)
The 2017 Studs Terkel Uplifting Voices Award winner
A supporter of innovative journalism and elevating storytelling throughout the Chicago community:
· Terry Mazany (The Chicago Community Trust)]
“This 2017 Terkel class is a talented one that reflects Chicago journalism at its best: strong, innovative, vibrant and solid,” said Susy Schultz, president of Public Narrative. “These people and their work not only reflect Studs’ practice of elevating all-too-often unheard voices, but, like Studs, they are dogged practitioners of great storytelling, regardless of platform.
“At Public Narrative, we believe good storytelling breaks down walls and builds understanding while good journalism holds up our Democracy. We are grateful to this group and to all the amazing journalists, who day-in and day-out are on the frontlines. They are defending our First Amendment rights by speaking truth to power via their work.” 
Public Narrative (formerly Community Media Workshop) is housed at Columbia College Chicago and has been offering the Studs Terkel Community Media Awards for more than two decades.
The legendary Terkel, an author, visionary storyteller and revolutionary radio host, was an integral mentor to Public Narrative and helped choose the winners of this award until his death in 2008. Today, the winners are chosen by a committee of past Terkel winners, who comb through nominations received via an open call.
Terkel was clear that the award should spotlight those journalists who:
· take risks in covering community social issues,
· elevate people, not power;
· look for solutions, not just name problems.
The Terkel committee decided that these four journalists and one philanthropist were a perfect fit to join more than 74 previous winners.
· The awards recognize a body of work, whether in print or on the air, and may go to journalists at any stage of their career.
· The awards are also meant to honor names that the public may or may not know — including the editors and producers who help shape the coverage and the stories of the city and its neighborhoods.
The scholarship — given to a Columbia College Chicago student — has not yet been awarded.
To buy tickets or sponsor the event, click here.