By Bobby Ross Jr.
I was honored to receive two first-place prizes and be recognized as a finalist for Journalist of the Year in the 2024 Diamond Journalism Awards.
The regional contest, sponsored by the Arkansas pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, celebrates journalistic excellence in Arkansas and six neighboring states. Winners were announced at an awards ceremony Wednesday night in Little Rock.
Related: Religion News Association honors Bobby Ross Jr. with Supple Award for Feature Writing
I earned first place for religion reporting for a portfolio of five stories for The Associated Press, The Christian Chronicle and Religion Unplugged:
• A year later, Texas synagogue hostages cope, carry on (AP)
• God and pot: Both sides cite faith in Oklahoma’s recreational marijuana fight (Religion Unplugged)
• Sharing love — and Christ — with Afghan refugees (Christian Chronicle)
• Jesus at the ballpark: Why MLB teams host faith nights (Religion Unplugged)
• For Cuba, a time of stress — and salvation (Christian Chronicle)
I also was a finalist for the overall Journalist of the Year award. My portfolio in that category included the five stories above plus two more (For Christians in Memphis, Tyre Nichols’ death a cause for concern, action for Christian Chronicle and $50M shrine to honor slain priest, first US Catholic martyr for AP).
I won first place for arts/entertainment coverage for an AP feature on the opening of a $50 million Catholic shrine built to honor a slain priest.
My colleague Audrey Jackson and I were finalists in the explanatory reporting category for our “No Limits” special project.
Check out all the winners here.
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 