2009 National Ethnic Media Awards Winners

Best Blogger on Ethnic Perspectives

Winner

The Sanctuary

Runner Up

Chris Rabb, Afro-Netizen

Best Blogger on Ethnic Perspectives

Winner: The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary, a collective blog launched just a year ago at promigrant.org, has quickly emerged as a leading online voice for meaningful immigration reform and immigrant rights.

Declaring itself a "right-wing-noise-free zone," it unapologetically positions itself as a foil to the immigrant-bashing practiced by some elected officials and mainstream pundits, such as Lou Dobbs. "The Sanctuary makes it sound like this peaceful, passive place, but we're not passive people," says Nezua, a founding editor who also blogs for The Media Consortium's Immigrant Wire. Posts last year included topics like the Postville raids, U.S. citizens being treated as illegal aliens, Obama's "illegal aunt" and how the topic of immigration was absent in the presidential debates. The Sanctuary even had a questionnaire on immigration for the presidential candidates. For example, it asked candidates, "Do you support the switch from family-based immigration standards to the merit based system?" What about "touchback" requirements?

The Sanctuary's tagline, "building bridges and breaking down walls," emphasizes its dual mission. It exists to link immigrant rights activists to media outlets, NGOs and human rights organizations, but also to challenge stereotypes and injustices, wherever these might appear. It's affiliated with no political party but supports efforts for meaningful immigration reform. To do their work, The Sanctuary's bloggers leverage the full arsenal of Web 2.0 tools, including social networking, feeds, cross-posts, and viral video.

Editors include a team of web and community activists who post unfiltered reports and thoughts on immigrant/human rights. They are MamitaMala of vivirlatino.com, Kyledeb of citizenorange.com, Kai of Zuky, XicanoPwr of Para Justicia y Libertad, Kety of Crossleft.org, Manuel of latinopolitico.net, and Duke of MigraMatters.com. Nezua, a 40-year-old freelance artist and writer, launched his own influential blog, "The Unapologetic Mexican," on May 1, 2006, inspired by an immigrant rights demonstration he attended that day. "We want to take this as far as we can," he says of The Sanctuary. Nezua will be on hand to receive the award on behalf of the team at the NAM Expo.


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Testimonials

About NAM's First National Ethic Media Awards
Washington, D.C., 2006

Hillary Rodham Clinton

I want to congratulate the honorees who are receiving the equivalent of the “Pulitzer Prize.” Every generation brings so many voices to the debate. Ethnic media represent the way the new Washington needs to connect to the new America.

Len Downie, Executive Editor, Washington Post

I was very pleased that I could be at the awards ceremony. New America Media is a very significant journalistic organization and you are doing important work.

Michael Jack, VP of Diversity, NBC Network

Congratulations for pulling off such a successful event. It is not easy to do anything for the first time, but you managed to do just that. The well deserving recipients truly appreciated the acknowledgement.

Brant Houston, Executive Director, Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc.

Thanks for including us in this great project.

Lorena Hernandez, Bay Area Director of Communications, Comcast

Congratulations on the successful National Ethnic Media Events in DC!

Juliet K. Choi, National Partnership Development Senior Associate, American Red Cross

Congratulations on a beautiful inaugural Ethnic Media Awards – and kudos for getting Senator Clinton to show!

Julie H. Sun, Corporate Relations and Housing Outreach Manager, Freddie Mac

We were very happy to be engaged.

Pat Lawson Muse, Anchor, NBC4

Congratulations for pulling off such a successful event. Many of the stories that generated awards were so moving. The well de- serving recipients truly appreciated the acknowledgement.

Anna Lefer, U.S. Programs Program Officer, Open Society Institute

Congratulations on a hugely successful awards ceremony. After scanning the crowd of journalists and executives from ethnic and mainstream media, elected officials, international dignitaries and diplomats, and DC insiders, it is quite clear that NAM is a part of the political fabric down in DC.

Pam Larson, Executive Vice President, National Academy of Social Insurance

Being part of NAM’s gathering and associated events was a true honor and thrill for us! . . . You’ve got a real eye for the future -- and for making a better “present” for many people, too!

Ellen Hume, Senior Research Fellow, UMASS Boston

Congratulations to everyone. Our delegation just met here at UMASS Boston to recount how inspiring the NAM awards and work- shops were. Everyone is glowing.

Jon Funabiki, former deputy director of the Media, Arts and Culture with Ford Foundation

New America Media truly has changed the nation by bringing the power of ethnic news media into focus and making people take notice. NAM has changed the course of history.