The Seattle Globalist is proud to recognize three brilliant Globalist writers that have made outstanding contributions to our publication this year, helping to grow our coverage and make 2015 a phenomenal year for us.
Please join us in recognizing these dynamos at our Third Annual Globie Awards on Saturday, Sept. 26, along with Globalist of the Year Rita Meher:
Goorish Wibneh
Community Journalist of the Year
We first met Goorish Wibneh, an information security industry whiz, at our home base in The Hillman City Collaboratory in January.
Since then, Goorish has graced the Globalist with his unique perspective, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and powerful reporting. His stories give voice to the immigration experiences of Northwest Ethiopians and honor the history of a much-changed and still rapidly changing South Seattle.
“Goorish’s reporting on issues important to the Ethiopian community in the Seattle area has not only distinguished him as one of the Seattle Globalist’s most important journalists but also earned him — and The Globalist — praise from national publications,” says Sarah Stuteville, Globalist co-founder and creative director.
“No matter the topic or community he’s covering, Goorish is a natural journalist — curious, rigorous and sensitive.”
Read Goorish’s stories and learn more about him here.
Sharon H. Chang
Social Justice Commentator of the Year
Sharon H. Chang, a mom, mixed-race parenting expert and activist, was the writer who really launched the Globalist into intentionally covering racial justice issues.
Sharon’s stories reflect deep reporting enriched by her personal experiences and analysis, further pushing our publication and city to engage in important dialogue.
She has sparked critical conversation on race, education, housing access and gentrification. In fact, her first published story with us went viral and started conversations on race across Seattle for months after it was published.
“Looking back over the past year I realized Sharon’s piece on Seattle’s ‘Progressive Mystique’ symbolized a turning point for The Seattle Globalist,” says Stuteville, “one where we completely embraced our role as a publication poised to explore some of the most critical social justice issues in our region.”
Read Sharon’s stories and more about her here.
Jama Abdirahman
Youth Reporter of the Year
Jama Abdirahman, a student at Seattle Central College, was considering becoming an engineer when The Seattle Globalist met him on the streets of Capitol Hill as a source in a Black Lives Matter story. He also happened to be a phenomenal photographer.
By late March, Jama landed in our Youth Apprenticeship Program, contributing not only powerful photographs, but commendable reporting and storytelling, from capturing Black Lives Matter protests, or photographing his friendly neighbors in the often misrepresented Rainier Valley.
“I’ve never met someone who took to journalism as quickly as Jama did,” says Stuteville, one of his mentors.
From week one, Jama jumped at the opportunity to work with Stuteville as a photographer on her Friday Seattle Times columns, showing up for community meetings late in the evening and, “somehow, taking photographs of normally mundane settings that further illuminated the issue,” remembers Stuteville.
In May, Jama gave us some news that we think is pretty good for our field: he’s ditching the engineering idea to become a photojournalist and filmmaker.
Check out Jama’s stories and learn more about him here.
Celebrate our outstanding writers, our Globalist of the Year, and a spectacular 2015 for The Globalist at the Globie Awards on Saturday, Sept. 26 in SoDo’s Club Sur, featuring delicious Cuban fare, Latin dancing and musical acts.
