LMU Journalism students and recent graduates made a strong showing at the 14th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards presented by the Los Angeles Press Club during a virtual gala on Thursday, Feb. 17. Out of the five LMU student finalists, four were announced as winners, including Lauren Kelly (’21) who won first place for Best Arts or Entertainment Feature.
Lauren Kelly’s (’21) story for The Lion, “COVID-19 is Bringing About Major Changes In The Fashion Industry,” discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic and remote work changed the fashion industry in many ways, from an increased focus on sustainable and casual fashion to the importance of online shopping.
Allie Quintero (’21) won second place in the “Best Arts or Entertainment News Story” category. In her Lion story “Adult Entertainment Goes Online After Covid Shutdown,” the struggles of pandemic sex work, in an already stigmatized industry, come to light through unique storytelling and the perspective of former strippers themselves. Specifically, Quintero’s story discusses the rise of the subscription based OnlyFans app and the subsequent fall of brick-and-mortar strip clubs.
Third place in the “Best Arts or Entertainment Profile” category was awarded to Cerys Davies (’24), who wrote “More than ‘Hooked’ on Hunter Livsey and Kyle Traverse’s new album.” The Los Angeles Loyolan story profiles students Hunter Livsey and Kyle Traverse as they created their Hooked album during the height of the COVID lockdowns. Davies frames Livsey and Traverse’s story as one of creative triumph despite difficult circumstances, and uses their story as a lesson that art can be created even without access to expensive spaces or equipment — it just takes some ingenuity.
Nicole Norman (’23), a journalism major and political science minor, won second place in the “Best Commentary/Critique Single entry” for her Loyolan story, “How Instagram infographics changed the course of the 2020 election.” In this commentary on social media art, Norman examines a national trend of politically influential Instagram infographics and talks about its impact on the 2020 U.S. presidential election. She also localizes the trend, shining a spotlight on Loyola Marymount University-connected Instagram accounts taking part. In her analysis, she links the rise of these graphics to increased voter turnout, and weighs in on the importance of activism beyond infographics.
Francesca Bermudez (’23), a journalism major, was a finalist in the “Student Journalism—Any Platform” category for her Los Angeles Loyolan article, “Black designers are finally being advocated for in the fashion industry.” Bermudez is inspired by the leaders of the movements mentioned in her article, and writes about “the lack of inclusivity in both the Italian and American fashion systems.”
For the complete list of winners, click here.
