2009 National Ethnic Media Awards Winners

Commentary/Editorial (In-Language)

Winner

"Qué Pasa Supports Barack Obama’s Candidacy"
Alejandro Manrique, David Coates, Peter Siavelis, Qué Pasa

Runner Up

"Government Officials Accountability Is Only The Beginning Of A Sound Quality Safety System"
Weihang Que, The China Press

Commentary/Editorial (In-Language)

Winner: Alejandro Manrique, David Coates, Peter Siavelis, "Qué Pasa Supports Barack Obama's Candidacy," Qué Pasa (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Executive Editor Alejandro Manrique's editorial endorsement of Barack Obama for president was an excellent example of commentary providing an invaluable public service to readers. Manrique's winning editorial was a reasoned, well-documented argument.

One of the key objectives behind the endorsement by Manrique and his co-authors, David Coates and Peter Siavelis, was to provide guidance to new voters among the Qué Pasa readership, among them many new citizens.

"Because the Latino community in North Carolina is not used to voting, they need much guidance," says Manrique. "This is a very different environment from that of California, Texas, New York or Florida, where Hispanics have been voting for generations."

The Qué Pasa endorsement was particularly important in 2008. North Carolina was a "battleground state" in prior elections, Manrique points out. The state had not voted for a Democratic president since Jimmy Carter. The Latino vote was critical for both Obama and his Republican opponent, John McCain. Manrique believes that Qué Pasa's endorsement was a significant factor in Obama's victory in North Carolina.

"Obama won with the same number of votes (about 60,000) which was equal to the number of Latino voters (approximately 67,000)," he says. "So, we can argue, as the only state-wide Hispanic media, that we influenced many of the Latinos who ended up voting for Mr. Obama."

Writing the endorsement was a meticulous process. Manrique and his team scrutinized the candidates' policies on major issues: the economy, health care reform, energy, the war in Iraq and immigration, comparing what each offered the Latino community. They assessed the political battle and explained the strategy by McCain and Palin to alienate Latino voters from the Obama-Biden ticket.

Editorial endorsements can still carry enormous clout in many communities, and with that clout comes great responsibility. Qué Pasa's editorial exemplifies the best in that tradition: offering readers well-reasoned discussions of the candidates that go beyond rhetoric to represent their very best interests.


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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.