Boyle Heights Beat won its first Southern California Journalism Award Sunday night, taking home a first-place honor.
Reporter Andrew Lopez was awarded first place in the “Personality Profile” category for “The fall of José Huízar: How an Eastside hero rose to the top and how it all came crashing down,” an unflinching portrait of the former L.A. councilmember and what his legacy means for Boyle Heights.
Youth reporter Sofia Peña won second place in the “Best Feature Writing, Off-Campus Issues” category for “For Boyle Heights’ mostly Latino residents, Rissho Kosei-kai offers exposure to Buddhism,” a moving look at cross-cultural spiritual connection in a predominantly Latino neighborhood…