NEW ORLEANS (press release) — The New Orleans Association of Black Journalists (NOABJ) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Legacy Awards and scholarships, recognizing excellence, leadership, and promise in journalism. This year, the organization has doubled the amount of scholarship recipients, and tripled the amount of scholarship money awarded from previous years.
NOABJ Legacy Award Honorees
This year’s Legacy Award honorees are four distinguished journalists who have made lasting contributions to the field of journalism and the New Orleans community:
- Furnell Chatman – Trailblazing news anchor and a trusted voice in New Orleans journalism.
- Will Sutton – Columnist and mentor whose career has influenced generations of journalists.
- Andre Trevigne – Renowned for her thought-provoking commentary and public affairs programming.
- Sabrina Wilson – Veteran reporter known for her decades of impactful local news coverage.
UnSung Hero Award
During the 2nd Annual NOABJ Jazz Brunch, NOABG introduced the “UnSung Hero Award.” This year’s recipient is:
- Willie Wilson – The first African-American news photographer at WWL-TV.
2025 NOABJ Scholarship Recipients
The 2025 NOABJ Scholarship recipients represent the next generation of Black journalists dedicated to continuing the legacy of truth-telling and community service:
- Sydney Hubbard (Nicholls State University)
- Kyla Moore (Louisiana State University)
- Shamarr Moses (Nicholls State University)
- Zuri Primos (Dillard University)
NOABJ Jazz Brunch
These honors will be presented at the 3rd annual NOABJ Jazz Brunch, taking place on Oct. 4 at The Cannery in New Orleans. The event celebrates Black journalists past, present, and future, and serves as a major fundraiser to support NOABJ’s mission to uplift and empower Black media professionals and students.
New Orleans Association of Black Journalists Leaders
- Charisse Gibson – President
- Gregory Lee – Vice President
- Nicondra Norwood-Lewis – Treasurer
- Mary Staes – Scholarship Coordinator
- Rod Walker- Scholarship Coordinator
- Lance Washington– Immediate Past President
About NOABJ
The New Orleans Association of Black Journalists is a 501c(3) organization dedicated to advocating for Black journalists, supporting journalism students, and fostering diversity and inclusion within newsrooms and media institutions. NOABJ is a local chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
