Award plaques will be shipped directly to all winners at no cost. Winners may submit their shipping information using the form here. The deadline to submit shipping information is Oct. 30, 2021. Additional copies of awards may be purchased at cost.
NORMAN, Oklahoma — The Native American Journalists Association presented more than 250 awards recognizing the best coverage of Indian Country during the 2021 National Native Media Awards virtual ceremony Oct. 28 via Zoom. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAJA has postponed the 2021 National Native Media Conference until Aug. 25-27, 2022 in Phoenix.
The annual competition recognizes excellence in reporting by Indigenous and non-Indigenous journalists from across the U.S. and Canada. NAJA received more than 730 entries across the following categories:
(Indigenous student entrants)
Student Division
(Non-Indigenous entrants)
Associate Division I – (Circulation below 5,000)
Associate Division II – (Circulation 5,000 – 10,000)
Associate Division III – (Circulation above 10,000)
(Indigenous entrants)
Professional Division I – (Circulation below 5,000)
Professional Division II – (Circulation 5,000 – 10,000)
Professional Division III – (Circulation above 10,000)
View the full list of winners here.
2021 NAJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award
Tom Arviso
2021 NAJA Elias Boudinot Free Press Award
Haskell Indian Leader
2021 NAJA Richard LaCourse Award
APTN Investigates
High Country News
Mary Annette Pember & Indian Country Today
Award plaques will be shipped directly to all winners at no cost. Winners may submit their shipping information using the Direct Shipping Request Form. The deadline to submit shipping information is Oct. 30, 2021. Additional copies of awards may be purchased at cost.
NAJA thanks all of the 2021 judges, their outlets and organizations for the donation of time and expertise spent on making this year’s awards possible:
- Liz Gray, Mvskoke Media
- Daniella James, Tohono O’odham Community College
- Aliyah Chavez, Indian Country Today
- Jennifer Pember, KTOO Public Media
- Tyler Thomas, Cherokee Phoenix
- Lauren J. Mapp, The San Diego Union-Tribune
- Brian Bull, KLCC
- Dalton Walker, Indian Country Today
- Debra Krol, The Arizona Republic
- Shondiin Silversmith, The Arizona Republic
- Jon Glass, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
- Amy Linn, Searchlight New Mexico
- Jackie Mink, Journalism Education Association
- Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, NAJA / OKSPJ / Tulsa World
- Sterling Cosper, NAJA / OKSPJ
- Tripp Crouse, KNBA 90.3 FM
About NAJA
NAJA serves more than 900 members, including media professionals working in tribal, freelance, independent and mainstream news outlets, as well as academia and students covering Indigenous communities and representing tribal nations from across North America.