Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, will receive this year’s Columbia Journalism Award and deliver the keynote address at the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony.
Chao Xiong, director of editorial, will accept the award on behalf of the newsroom during the May 19 Columbia Journalism School graduation ceremony. A first-generation Hmong American journalist, he previously spent nearly two decades at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where his reporting contributed to the newspaper’s 2021 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news.
As the 69th recipient of the Columbia Journalism Award, Sahan Journal joins a distinguished group of journalists and news organizations whose work has shaped the field through a steadfast commitment to the public interest. Presented annually since 1958, the award honors reporting that informs, serves communities and advances the highest standards of the profession.
“Sahan Journal shows what is possible when journalism is grounded in service and accountability,” said Dean Jelani Cobb. “Their work sets a powerful example for our graduates as they enter a profession that urgently needs this kind of clarity, courage and commitment.”
Founded in 2019 by Columbia Journalism School alum Mukhtar M. Ibrahim, ’17 M.S., Sahan Journal is a nonprofit digital newsroom dedicated to reporting for immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota. Its mission is rooted in public service, providing fair and groundbreaking coverage that illuminates the issues shaping these communities and documents how they are redefining what it means to be a Minnesotan.
“Immigrant and BIPOC communities deserve journalism that serves them - reported with rigor, context, and care. That's what Sahan Journal was built to do,” said Sahan Journal's Executive Director, Vanan Murugesan. “Our journalists show up every day to cover stories that are hard to report and easy to ignore, and this recognition from Columbia is a testament to their commitment to getting it right. This one is for them.”
Sahan Journal has quickly become a vital source of trusted news across the Upper Midwest and the country. Its reporting reaches audiences through digital channels and community engagement, while partnerships with local and statewide outlets extend the publication’s impact even further. The result is journalism that meets communities where they are and ensures critical information reaches those who need it most – reflecting the standards recognized by the Columbia Journalism Award.
At the center of its recent work is a relentless focus on immigration enforcement and its consequences. Sahan Journal has tracked ICE activity across Minnesota with depth and consistency, surfacing patterns sometimes missed in national coverage.
Sahan Journalists have documented the lasting impact on children when parents are detained, the disruption to schools and workplaces and the growing fear that keeps people away from health care and essential services.
Beyond immigration, the newsroom connects policy to lived experience across labor, education, public safety and the environment. It has reported on businesses struggling amid workforce losses, communities navigating shifting laws and residents pushing for justice, always with a focus on those most affected.
Columbia Journalism School’s May 19 ceremony honors the 115th graduating class since the school’s founding in 1912 and marks each student’s entry into a global alumni community of more than 15,000 graduates across 102 countries.
