Congratulations to BCIT Broadcast Journalism alumna Laina Tanahara. Laina picked up a Canadian University Press award for student journalism this past weekend at the 16th annual JHM awards in New Brunswick.
Laina was selected for ‘Best Feature’ with her piece “Marhabaan Bikum Fi Kanada: My experience volunteering with a Syrian refugee family” originally published in BCIT’s student publication LINK magazine.
The annual JHM Awards (or “The Johnnies”) celebrate the very best in journalism from post-secondary publications across Canada.
“I was utterly surprised to even make the shortlist,” said Laina. “But of course I am incredibly honoured and very thankful that I had a platform to write and explore my voice and ideas.”
Laina served as Opinion Editor for LINK magazine throughout the 2015/2016 editorial year. Her winning piece details the time she spent with a recently arrived Syrian family as part of her volunteer work with the Immigrant Services Society of BC.
“Most people only know about Syrian refugees through the news, but I wanted to show that this family is more than a headline. They escaped something incomprehensibly awful, yet are abundantly kind,” said Laina. “Moreover, they are just like any regular family; the kids play, they all sit down to dinner together, the parents want to work and learn English. They want to have a good life here, just like anyone else.”
This is the first JHM award for LINK magazine since redesigning from newspaper format to glossy magazine in Fall 2013.
“We are proud of our writers like Laina, who aren’t afraid to speak up about the important issues of today, but who also go one step further in preparing our readers with the tools they need to continue these conversations with their friends and family, and empower them to make change in their own lives,” said Dan Post, Publications Manager for LINK magazine.
Congratulations Laina!