The South Florida chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists celebrated accomplished media professionals while investing in the next generation during its 2026 Scholarship Awards Dinner.
Held Sept. 19 at the Miramar Cultural Center, the annual ceremony brought together journalists, students, educators and community partners for an evening centered on service, representation and the future of journalism.
NABJ South Florida awarded $67,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in journalism and communications. The organization also honored media professionals whose work has strengthened South Florida’s communities and expanded representation within the industry.
Hy-Lo News founder and publisher Janey Tate, veteran journalist Trina Robinson and CBS News Miami Executive Producer of Impacting Communities Tania Francois were recognized as Jason Jenkins Community Partnership Award honorees.
Tate was honored for building Hy-Lo News into a Black-owned hyperlocal platform and leading extensive coverage of the 2026 primary election. The outlet produced more than 50 pieces of election-related content, including articles, candidate interviews, live conversations and social media posts.
During her acceptance speech, Tate reflected on beginning her journalism career as an NABJ South Florida student member and intern.
“This is where I found my tribe,” Tate said. “This is where I found people who looked like me, who appreciated me, who supported me.”
Robinson was celebrated for a career spanning nearly three decades in television news. The three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist became the first Black American Woman to hold a television weather position in South Florida and spent more than 25 years at NBC6 as an anchor, reporter, meteorologist and breaking news specialist.
Francois was recognized for her commitment to reporting on South Florida’s diverse communities. A Haitian American journalist and Bethune-Cookman University graduate, she returned to CBS News Miami in 2022 to help lead the station’s community-focused coverage.
Her work has received recognition from the National Association of Black Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Broadcast Education Association.
The awards dinner also highlighted nine students preparing to enter or advance within the journalism industry.
Chelsey Harrell, a journalism student at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, received the $25,000 Garth C. Reeves Sr. Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship honors Reeves, the late publisher emeritus of the Miami Times and a pioneering voice in Black media. NABJ South Florida established and awarded the inaugural scholarship as part of its commitment to preserving the legacies of influential Black journalists while supporting future storytellers.
Alana McBean, DeJaya Hardy and Madison Block each received $3,000 Dwight Lauderdale Scholarships.
McBean is a pre-law journalism student at the University of Miami. Block is studying broadcast journalism and strategic communication at the university, while Hardy has pursued opportunities in media, storytelling and corporate communications.
Jaxon Gay, Jamison Delaine, Ayanna Howard and Ethan Dean were each awarded $2,500 Calvin Hughes Scholarships.
Gay is a broadcast media journalism student at North Carolina A&T State University. Delaine is a University of Miami student with experience in journalism, sports and corporate communications. Howard is an aspiring news anchor and sports journalist, while Dean is studying business administration and journalism at Florida A&M University.
Dawn Boothe, a Florida International University digital journalism student and senior reporter with Caplin News, received the $1,500 NABJ South Florida Multiplatform Student Journalist Scholarship.
“Just having this scholarship means so much to me because not only is it furthering my education, but it’s also a step closer to what I envision for myself,” Boothe said. “I can’t wait to get in a position where I can share this story with people like me, and I can tell them, ‘Hey, that dream, too, is possible.’”
The ceremony also featured a fireside chat with Tashara Parker, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, speaker and media entrepreneur.
Parker discussed journalism, leadership and the importance of authenticity as Black journalists continue advocating for equitable representation in newsrooms and media coverage.
She is the founder of Loud Women Lead Media, a platform that helps underrepresented women strengthen their public voices through strategic storytelling, media training and brand development. Parker’s work has also included national advocacy surrounding hair discrimination and the CROWN Act.
Under President Chelsea Jones’ leadership, NABJ South Florida was named the 2025 NABJ Chapter of the Year. The chapter has expanded its professional development, press freedom advocacy, community service and scholarship programs for aspiring journalists.
The Miami Dolphins Foundation and Nat Moore Scholarship Endowment were among the event’s supporters. Since 2018, the organizations have awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships and vocational grants supporting South Florida students.
The awards dinner reflected NABJ South Florida’s broader mission to serve, educate and empower Black journalists throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. By recognizing working professionals and providing financial support to students, the chapter celebrated journalism’s current leaders while helping prepare those who will carry the industry forward.
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