Boyle Heights Beat won its first Southern California Journalism Award Sunday night, taking home a first-place honor.
Reporter Andrew Lopez was awarded first place in the “Personality Profile” category for “The fall of José Huízar: How an Eastside hero rose to the top and how it all came crashing down,” an unflinching portrait of the former L.A. councilmember and what his legacy means for Boyle Heights.
Youth reporter Sofia Peña won second place in the “Best Feature Writing, Off-Campus Issues” category for “For Boyle Heights’ mostly Latino residents, Rissho Kosei-kai offers exposure to Buddhism,” a moving look at cross-cultural spiritual connection in a predominantly Latino neighborhood.
Boyle Heights Beat also earned second place in the “Blog Group, Online” category for an election overview guide in partnership with Cal State L.A.’s UT Community News and CALÓ News.
The Los Angeles Press Club presented the awards at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown L.A., recognizing work published during the 2024 calendar year.
Boyle Heights Beat was a finalist in four categories, including “Public Service.”
Founded in 2010, Boyle Heights Beat is part of The L.A. Local News Initiative, a pioneering coalition of philanthropy, media, and community organizations working together to ensure Angelenos have access to the news they need.
