The Distinguished Journalists Awards Ceremony

The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists honored five local journalists and a First Amendment activist at its 45th annual Distinguished Journalists Awards Ceremony on Nov. 4, 2021.

The 2020 Distinguished Journalist honorees, which included longtime regional journalists practicing in print, television, radio and digital media, were: David Allen, columnist for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin; Irfan Khan, staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times; Toni Guinyard, reporter with NBC4; Josie Huang, reporter with 89.3 KPCC and LAist; and Tami Abdollah, former senior tech reporter for dot.LA and now a national correspondent for USA TODAY.

The Freedom of Information award went to Nora Benavidez of the nonprofit advocacy group Free Press, where she is senior counsel and director, digital justice and civil rights. Benavidez was PEN America's director of U.S. Free Expression Programs.