Maria Moors Cabot Prizes

Who is eligible?

• Any journalist and/or news executive who works for any news organization based in the Western Hemisphere or any press association or news service that serves such an organization;
• Other individuals, including freelance journalists, with a long record of reporting on the region;
• All media platforms, including online publications.

The Cabot Prizes Board, comprised of journalists and educators concerned with hemisphere affairs, will judge the entries. The Trustees of Columbia University, on the recommendation of the dean, will choose the winners. The honorees are announced in the summer and will receive a Cabot medal and $5,000 honorarium. Special citations may also be awarded. 

What does the Cabot Board look for?

The Cabot Prizes Board looks for exceptional and courageous reporting that impacts society, and evidence of commitment to important stories over the course of a long and distinguished career. They are particularly interested in hearing about journalists and news organizations that have made a sustained contribution to Inter-­American understanding through their coverage of the Americas. The board also seeks to honor journalists who have taken active roles in upholding freedom of the press in the Americas. Although awards have been given to publishers and other managers, the board is especially interested in honoring individual journalists.

Nominate

Supported document types include .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .jpg, .xls. Supporting digital presentations can be sent as links.

Please upload each of the following items and provide working links for digital presentations:

• Nominee’s biography and/or CV listing education, journalistic experience and public service, with dates.
• A statement or nomination letter describing how the nominee has contributed towards international understanding in the Western Hemisphere.
• Career highlights, examples of work: At least five but no more than ten (without prior authorization) print articles, books, television or radio programs or online stories that best represent the nominee’s career, or body of work. Curate the stories or reporting that shows strengths over time.
• Please provide working direct links to any media.
• Individuals may nominate themselves.
• Nominations must be signed by the person submitting it.
• One to three letters from third parties that explain why the nominee is especially deserving of the prize are also welcome. Supporting material such as books will not be returned.

Nominate

The deadline to submit nominations is March 23, 2023. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

**If you have been contacted concerning a nomination from the previous year that is being considered for 2023, please submit recent examples of work using the nomination form.**

¿Quién puede ser nominado?

• Cualquier periodista y/o ejecutivo que trabaje para una empresa de medios en las Américas, o cualquier asociación de prensa, servicio o agencia de noticias que desarrolle una labor profesional para este tipo de organización;
• Periodistas freelance que lleven gran parte de su carrera cubriendo la región;
• Medios, cualquiera sea su aporte, incluyendo las publicaciones en Internet y los blogueros.

El encargado de estudiar las nominaciones será un comité de selección compuesto por periodistas y académicos especializados en América Latina, bajo la dirección del decano de la Facultad de Periodismo de la Universidad de Columbia. Los premios son otorgados por los miembros del consejo de administración de la Universidad de Columbia, según las recomendaciones del decano. Los nombres de los galardonados se anuncian en el verano y se celebra una ceremonia en su honor en otoño en el campus de la universidad, en Nueva York. Los premios consisten en una medalla Cabot, además de 5.000 dólares.

Desde la creación del premio en 1938, lo han recibido 301 periodistas provenientes del Caribe, América Latina, Canadá, Estados Unidos y otros países. A ellos se suman otros 63 periodistas o grupos de periodistas distinguidos con menciones especiales.

¿Qué es lo que busca el comité de selección?

Se buscan ejemplos excepcionales de periodismo realizados por profesionales que hayan demostrado un compromiso inequívoco a la hora de cubrir las historias más importantes de la región a lo largo de su carrera profesional. El comité y el decano tienen un especial interés en descubrir periodistas y medios que hayan contribuido, de manera seria y sostenida, al entendimiento interamericano a través de su cobertura de las Américas. También están interesados en galardonar a aquellos periodistas que hayan participado de manera activa en la defensa de la libertad de prensa en las Américas. Aunque se han otorgado premios a directores de diarios y otros candidatos en cargos ejecutivos, el comité se inclina por premiar el trabajo de los periodistas individuales.

Información sobre las nominaciones

Tal como se indica más adelante, los documentos suplementarios deberán presentar en formateados como .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .jpg, .xls.

• Todos los documentos enumerados a continuación en el formato adequado.
• CV del postulante, que deberá detallar su formación académica, su experiencia periodística y su servicio público con las fechas correspondientes
• Una declaración que describa cuál es el aporte que ha hecho el candidato para mejorar la relación entre las Américas a través de su trabajo
• Al menos cinco pero no más de diez (sin autorización previa) artículos de diarios o revistas que sean representativos del trabajo del candidato. Se recomienda la presentación de versiones para impresión en papel tamaño carta estándar.
• Para las entradas de vídeo y radio favor de incluir los links con las contraseñas apropriadas. Los links deberán permancer disponibles en línea hasta noviembre del 2023.
• Una a tres cartas de recomendación que expliquen por qué el candidato merece ser nominado.

Nominar

La fecha límite es el 23 de marzo. No serán tenidas en cuenta las postulaciones incompletas.

**Si usted ha sido contactado respecto a una nominación anterior que será considerada para el 2023, por favor suba ejemplos de artículos o reportajes recientes a través del formulario de nominación.**

Quem pode ser premiado?

• Qualquer jornalista e/ou executivo/a que trabalha para uma empresa de mídia nas Américas, ou qualquer associação de imprensa, serviço ou agência de notícias que desenvolva um trabalho profissional para este tipo de organização;
• Jornalistas freelance que levam uma grande parte da sua carreira cobrindo a região;
• Mídia, qualquer seja sua contribuição, incluindo as publicações na internet e dos/as blogueiros/as.

O encarregado de estudar as premiações será um comitê de seleção composto por jornalistas e acadêmicos/as especializados sobre América Latina, sob a direção do decano da Faculdade de jornalismo da Universidade de Columbia. Os prêmios serão concedidos por os membros do conselho de administração da Universidade de Columbia de acordo com as recomendações do decano. Os nomes dos vencedores são anunciados no verão e uma cerimônia é realizada em sua homenagem no outono no campus da universidade em Nova York. Os prêmios consistem em uma medalha Cabot, além de 5,000 dólares.

Desde a criação do prêmio em 1938, foi recebido por 301 jornalistas provenientes do Caribe, América Latina, Canadá, Estados Unidos e outros países. A eles se somam outros 63 jornalistas ou grupos de jornalistas distinguidos com menções especiais.

O comitê de seleção busca o quê?

Buscamos exemplos excepcionais do jornalismo realizados por profissionais que tenham provado um compromisso inequívoca na hora de realizar reportagens mais importantes da região ao longo da sua carreira profissional. O comitê e o decano têm um interesse especial em descobrir jornalistas e mídia que têm contribuído de forma séria e sustentável, ao entendimento inter­americano através da sua cobertura sobre as Américas. Também estão interessados em premiar aqueles jornalistas que têm participado de forma ativa na defesa da liberdade da imprensa nas Américas. Apesar do fato de que o prêmio já foi concedido a diretores de redações e outros candidatos em posições executivas, o comitê prefere premiar o trabalho dos jornalistas individuais.

Informação sobre as premiações

Como indicado abaixo, os materiais devem estar formatados em arquivo .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .jpg, .xls.

• CV do candidato, deve apresentar a sua formação acadêmica, sua experiência jornalística e seu serviço público com as datas correspondentes.
• Uma declaração que descreve qual é a contribuição que fez o candidato para melhorar as relações entre as Américas através de seu trabalho.
• Pelo menos cinco mas não mais que dez (sem autorização prévia) artigos de jornal ou revistas que servem como representação do trabalho do candidato. Recomenda­se a apresentação das versões para impressão em papel tamanho carta normal.
• Para as entradas das transmissões de vídeo e de radio favor de apresentar os links com as senhas se aplicável. Os links devem ficar disponîveis até novembro de 2023.
• Uma a três cartas de recomendação que explicam porque o candidato merece ser premiado.

Indique

O prazo de entrega é o dia 23 de março. Não serão aceitas candidaturas incompletas.

**Se você já foi contactado com respeito a uma nomeação anterior que vai ser considerada para o 2023, favor de carregar exemplos de reportagens recentes através do formulário de candidatura.**

Eliane Brum, freelancer, Brazil

With threats against the Amazon rainforest and its Indigenous peoples on the rise, Eliane Brum decided to move to a town in the heart of the Amazon at personal risk. This is just one example of Brum’s dedication to coverage of the Amazon and other social and environmental issues in Brazil. Her stories and opinion columns have been published globally. Since 2013, she has written an op-ed column for Spain’s El País. She has also contributed to other major media outlets including The Guardian, The New York Times and Süddeutsche Zeitung. 

Over the course of her 30-year career, Eliane Brum has often covered issues related to human rights and social justice. Prolific and indefatigable, she is the author of seven books and director or co-director of four documentaries. Her latest book translated into English is “The Collector of Leftover Souls - Field Notes on Brazil's Everyday Insurrections” (Graywolf Press, 2018), which made the National Book Awards Longlist for Translated Literature in 2019. 

Brum’s recent coverage of the socio-environmental issues in the Amazon, including the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforces her position as one of the most respected voices in Brazilian journalism. 

Adela Navarro Bello, ZETA, México

Adela Navarro is a powerhouse of journalism in the Americas. As a reporter and editor of the weekly magazine ZETA, she exemplifies the best qualities of investigative reporting by holding authorities accountable and exposing their corruption and complicity with drug cartels rampant in the U.S.-Mexico border region. 

Nominated by the staff of ZETA for her courage and leadership, Navarro is known for her critical and independent stances. She and her staff have been the targets of attacks, intimidation and even extreme violence. In 1988, ZETA co-founder Héctor Félix Miranda was assassinated, and another co-founder, Jesús Blancornelas, survived an assassination attempt in 1997. In 2004, another staff member of ZETA was killed under Navarro’s predecessor, Francisco Javier Ortiz Franco. In recent years, the magazine has once again been the target of constant attacks and smear campaigns by various Baja California state governments. Despite these pressures, Navarro refuses to be silenced. Under her leadership, ZETA continues to independently and exhaustively cover corruption, abuses of power, organized crime and in particular the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

For her courage, and her contributions to understanding the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border, the Cabot Prizes Board is proud to honor Adela Navarro Bello with a 2021 gold medal.

Mary Beth Sheridan, The Washington Post, United States

Over a career spanning nearly three decades at The Associated Press, The Miami Herald, the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, Mary Beth Sheridan’s extraordinary dedication to coverage of the Americas became perhaps most strikingly evident when she made the decision in 2018 to leave her job as deputy foreign editor at the Post to return to reporting for the newspaper in Mexico and Central America. 

Sheridan has used her extensive experience to create nuanced stories that help explain the region in gripping narrative prose. For example, she has written about the wide appeal of Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s presidency and simultaneous concerns about his leadership at a moment when many countries in Latin America are grappling with human rights violations, attacks on the press, corruption, drug trafficking, and the disappearances of tens of thousands of people. Sheridan has written about these issues not just in Mexico, but in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Colombia and other nations. 

Through Sheridan’s watchful lens, at both a macro and micro level, and through her vivid storytelling, she has kept Latin America a vital region in every newsroom where she has worked. 

Adriana Zehbrauskas, photojournalist, United States/Brazil

Adriana Zehbrauskas is a U.S.-based Brazilian photojournalist and documentary photographer whose illuminating portraits of people in desperate circumstances are known for their intimacy and empathy. A freelancer published by major media across the region, her work greatly contributes to our understanding of the Americas.

Her photographs from South America, Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico border are rich in color and humanity. Zehbrauskas sees beyond the poverty of Central American migrants on the move to the U.S. border, as she does with the mothers of Zika babies in Brazil and the families of the 43 students murdered in Ayotzinapa, Mexico. 

Following a year-long assignment photographing the family of one of the Ayotzinapa victims, Zehbrauskas launched a broader project called "Family Matters." She takes iPhone portraits of families in rural Guerrero State and makes prints for villagers who want them. It is an effort to preserve memory and culture in an impoverished region that has been under continuous assault from drug traffickers and state-sanctioned violence. It is an example of Zehbrauskas’ respect for the marginalized people she photographs, and her effort to give something back to them. 

Rosental Alves, Board Chair and Founder and Director of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas, Austin

Abi Wright, Executive Director of Professional Prizes, Columbia Journalism School

Juan Enríquez Cabot, Chairman and CEO of Biotechonomy, LLC

Elena Cabral, Assistant Dean of Academic Programs and Communications, Columbia Journalism School

Carlos Fernando Chamorro, founder and editor of Confidencial

Marjorie Miller, Administrator, Pulitzer Prizes, Columbia University

Hugo Alconada Mon, investigative journalist, La Nación

Giannina Segnini, Director, Master of Science Data Journalism Program, Journalism at Columbia University

Tracy Wilkinson, Senior Reporter covering foreign affairs out of the Los Angeles Times’ Washington bureau