Justin Chapman won two 1st place journalism awards at the 65th Annual Los Angeles Press Club Southern California Journalism Awards ceremony on June 25, 2023! He also won a 3rd place award and two finalist spots. There were 2,300 entries this year. Read his award-winning stories:


Read coverage from Alta Journal and Pasadena Now.

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Pasadena journalist Justin Chapman won two 1st place journalism awards and one 3rd place award at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 65th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards ceremony Sunday night at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown LA. There were over 2,300 entries to this year’s awards. One of Chapman’s 1st place awards was for his Pasadena Now story, “Paradise Springs Eternal,” in the Culture News category. The judges said: “Absolutely wonderful storytelling that takes the reader back to the ‘Golden Age’ and what went on behind the scenes. Great history of the building. Very colorful and entertaining.” His other 1st place award was for his Alta Journal story, “Welcome to Slowjamastan,” in the Music/Arts Feature Over 1,000 Words category. The judges said: “An informative and fun exploration of micronations setting the right tone of seriousness and absurdity.” His 3rd place award was for his Pasadena Star-News story, “Author treks through Holocaust heartbreak with biting wit, historical perspective, concern for future,” about Jerry Stahl’s book Nein, Nein, Nein! One Man's Tale of Depression, Psychic Torment, and a Bus Tour of the Holocaust, in the Entertainment News/Feature category. Chapman has won a total of nine awards from the LA Press Club over the past three years, including three 1st place awards. Chapman is also the host of the Pasadena Media TV show “Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman,” formerly known as “NewsRap Local with Justin Chapman.” He was a finalist for two awards related to the show on Sunday, in the Anchor/Host and TV Talk/Public Affairs categories. Chapman was the youngest elected official in LA County when he served on the Altadena Town Council at age 19. He has served on a number of local boards and wrote hundreds of articles for two dozen print and digital publications, including KPCC/LAist, Alta Journal, Huffington Post, LA Weekly, Berkeley Political Review, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena Now and many others. He currently serves as the District 6 Council Liaison/Field Representative to Pasadena City Councilmember Steve Madison. Pasadena Weekly and LA Downtown News columnist Ellen Snortland of Altadena also came in 3rd place in the Print Journalist of the Year Under 50,000 Circulation category. A documentary about Pasadena’s John Muir High School also took home top honors. PBS SoCal’s “Can We All Get Along? The Segregation of John Muir High School” by Pablo Miralles, Clark Harris and Michelle Merker won 1st place in the Educational Reporting and Race and Society categories. The judges said: “A beautifully told story that infuses historical context. The editing is superb and simply a pleasure to watch! Outstanding personal, poignant exploration by Miralles of the history and consequences of the evolution of his Pasadena high school from the past diversity of students to its current segregation, accompanied by excellent national and local visuals.” And Nadra Nittle of The 19th News came in 3rd place in the Music/Culture/Performing Arts News Feature category for an article called, “A Pasadena school is the nation’s first named after Octavia Butler — and it’s her alma mater.”