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For the 50th time, the SPJ Greater Los Angeles Chapter will honor six people who have served the needs of the community through exceptional journalism or support of the first amendment in their careers.Honorees are Christine Devine, news anchor, FOX 11; Mariel Garza, co-founder and executive editor of Golden State; Mina Kimes, ESPN; Larry Wilson, Southern California News Group; Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds, founder of Voice Media Ventures and publisher of Black Voice News; and Gary Kohatsu, editor of Gardena Valley News and Culver City News.
Ann Burroughs, President and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum and its National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, will receive the chapter’s Freedom of Information Award.
The chapter will also recognize the 100th anniversary of La Opinión, the country’s leading Spanish language daily newspaper, as well as two promising journalism students, Nikki Younker from El Camino College, and Blake Fagan, from California State University, Northridge.
The banquet will be Wed., Oct. 7, 2026, at the Castaway in Burbank. There will be no-host cocktails at 6 pm, dinner at 7 pm, and the awards program begins at 8 pm. Attire is generally dressy business. Castaway requires valet parking, which costs $11 per car.
This event is special for the camaraderie of the evening. It's a chance for area journalists to get together, swap stories and remember why we do what we do.
For more information and tickets: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/distinguished-journalist-awards-2026/items
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Event venue
Castaway Restaurant, Bar & Special Events, 1250 E Harvard Rd, Burbank, CA 91501-1002, United States
Tickets
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