KFF’s Kaiser Health News Wins NABJ Award for Excellence in Radio Journalism for a Story About Teaching Children to Cope with the Constant Threat of Gun Violence in Their Communities
The National Association of Black Journalists has recognized KFF’s Kaiser Health News and two of its editorial partners with a 2021 “Salute to Excellence” award for a radio story about how children are taught to cope and survive in communities beset by gun violence.
The story, Teaching Kids To Hide From Gunfire: Safety Drills At Day Care And At Home, by KHN Midwest Correspondent Cara Anthony, in partnership with St. Louis Public Radio and NPR, took top honors among feature stories that aired in mid-sized and smaller radio markets.
Anthony and St. Louis Public Radio photojournalist Carolina Hidalgo explored the hiding places where children go when gunfire erupts in their neighborhoods, where random bullets are a constant danger. Anthony interviewed more than two dozen parents and caregivers who told her how kids hide underneath beds, in basements and dry bathtubs, waiting for gunfire to stop. She learned how teachers drilled preschoolers on how to drop to the ground when a teacher yelled “Dora the Explorer.” Some families do such drills at home. They take safety steps such as positioning couches to serve as protection from stray bullets or watching TV on the floor to stay out of the line of fire.
The story explored the mental health toll of living in constant fear, as well as potential long-term health effects such as heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and stroke that such “adverse childhood experiences” can fuel. The story also was part of a package that won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion this year from the Radio Television Digital News Association, one of many awards and honors that KHN has received for its journalism.
The Salute to Excellence Awards are part of NABJ’s efforts to recognize journalism “that best covers the Black experience or addresses issues affecting the worldwide Black community.” The competition is open to all media organizations and individuals involved in print, broadcast, and all forms of digital journalism. Entries are judged on content, creativity, innovation, use of the medium and relevance to the Black community.
