IWMF

Our final Courage spotlight is 2026 Wallis Annenberg Justice for Women Journalists Awardee Frenchie Mae Cumpio of the Philippines. Since 2020, Frenchie has been imprisoned on widely disputed charges under anti-terror and “red-tagging” policies that are often used to silence independent journalists and activists in the Philippines.

Prior to her detention, Frenchie was the executive director of the independent news outlet Eastern Vista, known for her reporting on social inequality in the Eastern Visayas region, including the killings of farmers and the impacts of militarized conflict under government policies.

The annual Justice for Women Journalists Award honors journalists who have been detained, arrested, or imprisoned because of their work.

Learn more about Frenchie and this year’s Courage winners here: https://www.iwmf.org/courage/

Our nominations for the 2026 Gwen Ifill Award close this weekend, on Sunday, May 31! This award is open to women and nonbinary journalists across the US who exemplify Gwen's legacy of mentorship, leadership, and commitment to a diversity of perspectives in journalism. This is a fantastic opportunity to spotlight the work of a woman using her platform to expand media narratives and uplift others in the industry. Be sure to submit a nomination by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. Eastern here: https://iwmf.submittable.com/submit/340817/2026-gwen-ifill-award-nomination-form

We're thrilled to congratulate IWMF Board Member Kerry Smith on being inducted into the Emmys' Gold Circle Honor Society today. As senior vice president of editorial quality for ABC News, Kerry has spent her career producing high-quality, impactful reporting that has shaped national and global conversations around the most important issues of our time. Learn more about her decades of contributions to the media industry here:

News Night - The 47th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards The 47th Annual News & Documentary Emmy® Awards will stream live on...

From Myanmar, our 2026 Courage in Journalism Awardee Nay Min Ni works under a pseudonym to continue reporting on the activities of the country's military dictatorship. Risking her safety and her freedom, Nay moves between safe houses to continue her work as the government cracks down on press coverage of the country's ongoing civil conflict. Reporting for the outlawed independent news outlet Myanmar Now, Nay is committed to sharing the human stories of people impacted by the government's violence. Learn more about her here: https://www.iwmf.org/community/nay-min-ni/