Contact: fac@firstamendmentcoalition.org
San Rafael, Calif. – The First Amendment Coalition is proud to announce that Advocacy Director Ginny LaRoe has been honored with the Distinguished Service to Journalism Award by the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
“I am humbled to be included among this year’s honorees — talented, fearless journalists who keep our communities informed,” LaRoe said. “It is a privilege to be able to do this work in support of newsgathering.”
The award, part of the chapter’s Excellence in Journalism contest, is given by the board of directors to recognize advancement or advocacy in journalism. “LaRoe is a reporter at heart, and brings that sense for what’s important to her advocacy with the First Amendment Coalition,” the board said. Among LaRoe’s recent work in Northern California:
- Organized a coalition of more than 20 press and civil liberties organizations to demand officials respect the role of the press at sweeps of homeless encampments.
- Led rapid responses to threats to press freedom and government transparency in communities across Northern California, from Shasta County to the city of Brentwood.
- Led a coalition of two dozen press and civil liberties organizations to urge prosecutors to reject charges against a student journalist arrested at Stanford University while covering protests on campus.
- Championed government transparency and press rights in the California Legislature.
- Organized public awareness events and training opportunities for journalists, including a student-led panel Inside the Fight for Public Records, a recent public records workshop in San Francisco, and a day-long Watchdog Workshop with FACs legal team in Fresno, serving journalists across the Central Valley.
First Amendment Coalition Executive Director David Snyder said: “Ginny is a relentless champion of the people’s right to know. Every day, she works to advance open government and press rights—whether she’s building coalitions, working on public policy, or training our next generation of reporters. We’re grateful to SPJ NorCal for recognizing her work.”
All awardees will be honored at SPJ NorCal’s 39th Excellence in Journalism Awards Ceremony on November 15 in San Francisco.