Excellence in Community Media Awards

Faughnan reported on two whistleblower lawsuits filed in Monmouth County Superior Court alleging that Howell Township's top officials harassed and retaliated against two former administrators. Her article detailed the administrators' complaints about officials' remarks and proposed policies — including Certification of Occupancy requirements tied to U.S. citizenship or permanent residency — which the administrators argued were unconstitutional and would unlawfully target immigrants and historically marginalized communities through racial profiling.

The Vindicator documented the sharp escalation of immigration enforcement throughout 2025. Knapp and Kudacki tracked record detention levels and rapid arrests in and around immigration courts, with a focus on the reopened Delaney Hall detention center in Newark. Through on-the-ground coverage and intimate family profiles, the reporting underscored the human toll of detention and deportation in New Jersey, where some 5,000 people have been arrested in the past year.

Park and Lee looked at Korean voter participation in the American political process during the 2025 election cycle, with a focus on New Jersey senate primaries and the gubernatorial race. The series aimed to educate Korean voters about critical issues at stake, including the significant political divide, economic concerns, immigrant rights, and threats to democracy.

Kadosh and Jung spent weeks deeply reporting on Montclair Public Schools' $19.6 million deficit, including alleged overspending, weak oversight, and unpaid invoices that went unrecorded in an outdated accounting system and were missed by auditors. The news outlet is continuing to cover the deficit and what comes next ahead of a March 10 referendum.

Miller's opinion and commentary series examined "how decisions by political, business, and civic leaders impact the city's Black and Latino residents." In 2025, Miller's columns provided deeper context on such issues as state control of Camden schools, including school closures in low-income neighborhoods and the expansion of charter schools. He also discussed how institutions such as Campbell Soup have influenced racial and economic inequality while tracing the toll of corporate-led development and gentrification over time.

The team behind RadioCATA's biweekly program "Si Se Puede" (Yes We Can) documented real-life stories of immigrants and farm labor workers. They centered workers' rights and food justice, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in creating fairer food systems for underserved communities. The team also reported directly from New Jersey detention centers.

Radio Jornalera documented the immigrant experience, covering policy debates, life histories, and community perspectives that often fall outside mainstream media. They interviewed key community advocates, tracing the realities Latino immigrants face in the U.S. and their ongoing struggle for dignity and protection, and covered the No Kings Day protest in Trenton, speaking with organizers and community members about why they mobilize for immigrant and civil rights.

Marcano and Vereau reported on how intensified immigration enforcement is hollowing out local commercial corridors. The nationwide immigration crackdown has led to steep sales drops, layoffs, and business pivots as immigrant customers stay home out of fear. Their stories are grounded in interviews with New Jersey small-business owners and supply-chain leaders.

After a police officer fatally shot a man suffering from a mental health crisis in Jersey City, Coll investigated how the families and local community came together to seek justice, responsible policing, de-escalation protocols, and better mental health crisis response. The article also examined how this incident prompted legislative action, leading to the creation of the Seabrooks-Washington Community-Led Crisis Response Act, signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy in January 2024.

Lakhankar, a recent graduate of Rutgers University and Central Desi reporting fellow, examined how libraries in Central Jersey are adapting to meet the needs of New Jersey's growing South Asian communities. The article highlighted services from drop-in English conversation groups and ESL classes to passport assistance and career training. The public-service story featured interviews with librarians, teachers, and local residents, offering a snapshot of libraries as vital community hubs at a moment of rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and anti-Asian bias.