The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announced that NBC 5 Chicago has been honored with a 2021 Gracie Award in the News Program TV-Local category for the station’s "Race in Chicago" series. The Gracie Awards recognize individual achievement and exemplary programming created by, for and about women in all facets of media and entertainment.
The "Race in Chicago" series is spearheaded by Anchor and Investigative Reporter Marion Brooks and features contributions from NBC 5 reporters. Journalists provide historical and contemporary context for various topics and issues and also analyze the long history of discriminatory policies, practices and cultural norms that have negatively impacted Black and Brown communities in Chicago.
"'Race in Chicago' grew out of our desire to educate our viewers about systemic racism in our communities," said Brooks. "Our team of reporters, openly and fearlessly, took on these hard truths and each chose their own subject on race-based issues, which brought a diversity of perspectives to an important topic. I could not be prouder to work with such dedicated professionals."
"I am so proud of the commitment by our team to tell these stories," said Frank Whittaker, Station Manager & VP of News, NBC 5 Chicago. "The history of race relations in Chicago is complex and deep-rooted. Each one of these stories sheds light on how we got here, and hopefully leads to a better understanding of our city and our world today. We are gratified to see our work recognized with a Gracie Award."
The Gracie Awards presentation will take place on Sept. 27 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. To access the full list of winners, click here. To learn more about NBC 5 Chicago’s "Race in Chicago" series click here.
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