STORY: windycitytimes.com/2025/11/21/c...

stop this is so cute!!

Thank you!!

Thank you so much!! 🥹

Thank you, Max!!

Thank you, Vivian!!

Now I'm back to work, feeling so seen, appreciated and inspired to keep uplifting Chicago's LGBTQ+ community through my journalism.

If you'd like to watch my acceptance speech, we've shared that here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8wb...

I'm also so thankful to have been surrounded with my closest friends and family at the awards. I'm forever grateful to them—and everyone else who's been part of this journalism journey.

I was SO close to leaving journalism altogether two years ago—and the CJA ceremony in 2023 actually played a key role in me joining @windycitytimes.com and helping me find my spark again.

I'm so glad the stars aligned for me to thank them on stage Friday.

I spent weeks preparing for my acceptance speech, which served as a reflection on community journalism, my work this past year and the role others played in getting me here.