Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 2020 — OHA Wins Seven National Native Media Awards [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Wins Seven National Native Media Awards

Ē Wai Ola newspaper recently Ē received seven National Native Media Ē^L Awards from the Native American Ē ^L Journalists Association (NAJA). ■ m Since 1980, Ka Wai Ola has covered the people, issues and events making news in our pae 'āina, and shared OHA's work on behalf of our lāhui with a goal of providing highquality storytelling through an Indigenous lens. Recently, OHA expanded the reach of Ka Wai Ola with kawaiola.news, the new, digital version of the newspaper that includes complementary bonus videos and expanded photo albums. Combined, Ka Wai Ola ' s print and digital subscribers number more than 75,000. In late September, NAJA announced the winners of the 2020 Nahonal Native Media Awards for work produced during 2019. General excellenee awards (Best Digital News Platform and Best Layout) are for Indigenous-owned media outlets (tribal media) that are at least 50 percent Native-owned, managed or controlled. Ka Wai Ola received seven awards, including two overall awards: ONLINE - BEST DIGITAL PUBLICATION (OVERALL) First Plaee: kawaioia.news Staff: Aliee Siibanuz, Kaieena Patcho, Puanani Fernan-dez-Akamine, Jason Lees,Jhewel Felipe, Aioha Lau Web Designer: Wiiliam "Trip" Rems PRINT-BEST LAYOUT (OVERALL) First Plaee: Ka Wai Ola Graphic Designers: Kaieena Patcho, Nelson Gaspar PRINT/ONLINE - BEST MULTIMEDIA (NEW CATEGORY) First Plaee: Ka Wai Ola - "Fostering A loha " ( December 2019) Staff: Puanani Fernandez-Akamine,Jason Lees, Kaieena Patcho, Aliee Siibanuz Second Plaee: Ka Wai Ola - "Protecting the Pa'akai Traditions of Hanapēpē, Kaua'i" (September 2019) Community Writer: Malia Nobrega-Oiivera Staff: Jason Lees, Kawena CarvalhoMattos, Kaleena Patcho PRINT/ONLINE - BEST COLUMN Third Plaee: Ka Wai Ola - "E Ho'okanaka: lnspiring & Uplifting the Next Generation ofLeaders" Staff: Aliee Siibanuz, Puanani Fernandez-Akamine,

Jason Lees, Kawena Carvalho-Mattos,Jhewei FeLipe

PRINT/ONLINE - BEST SPORTS STORY (PROFESSIONAL DIVISION III) Second Plaee: Ka Wai Ola - "Modern Day Warriors" (March 2019) Staff: Kawena Carvalho-Mattos,Jason Lees Honorab(e Mention: Ka Wai Ola-'"The Eddie' Will Go" (January 2019) Staff: Sterling Wong, KaLeena Patcho, Jason Lees, Kawena Carvalho-Mattos "The recognition of OHA's brand-new online news outlet as the Best Digital Publication is especially exciting," said OHA Ka Pouhana/ CEO Dr. Sylvia Hussey. "Mahalo to OHA's staff, Trastees, community writers, and especially the community members we have featured for sharing their stories and helping to establish Ka Wai Ola as the Hawaiian community newspaper recognized for its exemplary efforts to share the stories of the lāhui." Most of OHA's awards were in Professional Division III, the category for publications with a circulatj"n

of more than 10,000. A full list of winners is available on the NAJA website. ■