Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson has been awarded the prestigious Freedom of the Media Award for Excellence in Commentary and Criticism at the National Press Club in Washington. Photo: Facebook.com/Lelei LeLaulu
A veteran Samoan journalist has been awarded the prestigious Freedom of the Media Award for Excellence in Commentary and Criticism at the National Press Club in Washington.
The award is in recognition for Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson's outstanding work in advocating for the rights of minority journalists around the world.
Samoa Observer reports that in a social media post, Lagipoiva said it was an "absolute honour" to have received the award during her first time at the National Press Club and in the presence of her media colleagues "who have been covering wars in Ukraine and Gaza".
Lagipoiva started her journalism career as a reporter for Samoa Observer at the age of 19 years and six years later was appointed editor for the Newsline newspaper in Apia.
A matai from Savai'i, Lagipoiva has spent over 20 years reporting on climate change, human rights, gender and culture.
She was a Reuters Fellow at the University of Oxford where she wrote a pioneering study on the coverage of the climate crisis in the Pacific islands and is also the recipient of a National Environment Award by the Government of Samoa recognising her work in climate journalism.
She is currently employed by the Associated Press.