AAJA Announces 2009 Special Awards Winners

Top: Dinah Eng, Steve Paulus. Bottom: Jeannie Park, Corky Lee. Corky Lee photo by Jason Jem.

SAN FRANCISCO (May 22, 2009) - The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) today announced the winners of four of its top awards for 2009: Dinah Eng, columnist for Scripps Howard News Service; Corky Lee, freelance photojournalist; Jeannie Park, former editor, Time Inc.; and Steve Paulus, senior vice president/general manager of NY1 News.

AAJA will present the awards at the Seaport World Trade Center, Commonwealth Complex on Saturday, August 15 during its Gala Scholarship and Awards Banquet, at the AAJA National Convention in Boston. Arthur Chi'en and Frances Rivera will emcee the banquet. John Yang, NBC News correspondent, will be the keynote speaker.

AAJA is the nation's largest non-profit educational and professional organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists. Representing approximately 2,000 members, AAJA promotes fair and accurate news coverage, develops managers in the media industry and encourages young people to consider journalism as a career.

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Dinah Eng, columnist, Scripps Howard News Service and freelance writer.

As past national president of AAJA and past national president of UNITY: Journalists of Color, and with over 20 years of service to AAJA, Dinah Eng, is this year's recipient of AAJA's Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated courage and commitment to the principles of journalism over the course of a life's work, as well as dedication to issues important to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Dinah Eng's founding of The Executive Leadership Program has developed 381 Asian American and Pacific Islander newsroom leaders who have propelled AAJA to national prominence. She has worked tirelessly to promote diversity by training, mentoring and encouraging promotions of journalists to reach their highest potential. Her influence with media executives has made it possible for the program to exist year after year.

Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award For Civil Rights and Social Justice For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders:
Corky Lee, freelance photojournalist.

Corky Lee, a prolific photojournalist based in New York City is the recipient of AAJA's Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The award is named in honor of the late Dr. Ahn, a Korean American who was raised in Arkansas and Texas who devoted her life to promoting civil rights and social justice for all Americans, especially women and Asian Americans.

For over 35 years, Corky Lee has used his camera to ensure that the faces of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their experiences be included in American history. Not only has he documented the civil rights struggle, he has claimed many of these stories and retold them through a very special lens. He has said, "I'd like to think that every time I take my camera out, it's like drawing a sword to slay indifference, injustice and discrimination, trying to get rid of stereotypes." At once intensely personal and socially conscious, he has a style of photojournalism that crosses the divides of different Asian American and Pacific Islander nationalities. From day-in-the-life to rarely seen photographs of civil rights struggles, he is imbedded with an unyielding passion for community activism.

Leadership In Diversity Award:
Jeannie Park, former editor, Time Inc.

Jeannie Park brings both wisdom and grace to everything she does, while increasing the diversity among the staffs of every publication she's headed from InStyle to People magazine. She has mentored and advised countless young members of AAJA, who aspire to executive offices.

In addition to her own generous contributions to AAJA, the New York Chapter, and the Executive Leadership Program, Jeannie Park has also encouraged her employers to give. At ELP, she helps guide class participants with her experiences as a magazine executive and with her knowledge of the industry, encouraging participants to grow and become stronger leaders themselves while balancing work and life.

Special Recognition Award:
Steve Paulus, regional vice president/general manager, NY1 News.

Steve Paulus is the recipient of AAJA's Special Recognition Award, which honors an individual who has helped advance AAJA's goals.

Steve Paulus has been instrumental in hiring at least 35 Asian American and Pacific Islanders over 20 years at NY1 News and WCBS-TV. He has also hired dozens more at Time Warner's upstate New York channels. He has ensured, for nearly 30 years, that Asian Americans in the New York City area are covered in television news in a fair and just way. He has quietly supported AAJA programs by mentoring members and promoting their leadership development.

For more information about the AAJA Special Award winners or AAJA, contact Albert Lee, at AlbertL@aaja.org or call 415.346.2051 x107

To attend the Gala Scholarship and Awards Banquet or to register for the AAJA Boston Convention go here.