After much anticipation, we are thrilled to unveil the exceptional winners of the 2nd edition of our Caribbean Climate Journalism Awards, in partnership with Open Society Foundations.
These awards aim to honour outstanding journalism that sheds light on the Caribbean region’s critical climate change issues and environmental concerns. We received an incredible array of submissions, each showcasing the dedication and passion of journalists, storytellers, and communicators in driving awareness and inspiring positive action in the face of climate challenges.
Without further ado, let’s celebrate the remarkable winners across four distinct categories.
🌎 Best Climate Justice Storytelling
This category recognises powerful stories that explore the social dimensions of climate change, including its impacts on marginalised communities, human rights issues, and efforts toward climate equity. Applicants were encouraged to submit stories highlighting how climate change affects people, biodiversity and communities, emphasising justice and fairness.
Giovanni Dennis📍Jamaica
Giovanni is a multi-award-winning broadcast journalist based in Jamaica with 14 years of experience. He covers a range of issues, including the environment and climate change, and specialises in documentary-making and investigative reporting.
Giovanni is a two-time Journalist of the Year (2024 & 2022) by the Press Association of Jamaica and has won more than 40 journalism awards in Jamaica and the Caribbean. He firmly believes he is one of the best domino players in Jamaica, loves rivers, nature, and is a passionate Arsenal fan. | LinkedIn |
Giovanni’s winning story: ♿ Invisible Wall: Confronting Climate Injustice and Disability Discrimination
🔍 Best Investigative Climate Storytelling
This category celebrates in-depth investigations that uncover hidden truths about climate-related issues, policies, or events. Entries demonstrated journalistic rigour and provided new insights into climate challenges in the region. It aims to recognise in-depth, data-driven, and hard-hitting investigative stories that expose environmental issues, climate injustice, or corporate/government accountability in the Caribbean.
Luis Joel Méndez González📍Puerto Rico
Luis Joel Méndez González is an award-winning climate change and environmental investigative reporter for Puerto Rico’s Centre for Investigative Journalism, through Report for America. He is a passionate, data-driven investigative and multimedia journalist with a strong interest in stories about Puerto Rico, where he was born and raised.
His commitment has led him to collaborate with award-winning investigative teams such as the Miami Herald’s I-Team and El Nuevo Día’s Facts & Investigative Unit. He earned a Master’s degree in Information Design and Data Visualisation from Northeastern University.
Most recently, he has been a Fellow with environmental journalism organisations such as Climate Tracker and The Uproot Project. | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn |
Luis’ winning story: Ineffective Coastal Protection
🌱 Best Solutions-Oriented Climate Storytelling
Honouring impactful journalism that highlights local or regional solutions to climate change, including renewable energy, adaptation strategies, community resilience, and indigenous knowledge.
Nakinskie Robinson📍Jamaica
Nakinskie is a passionate, young reporter from Jamaica. She developed an early love for reporting and storytelling through historical documentaries and politics. After earning her degree in International Relations and Journalism at the University of the West Indies, Mona has been steadily building her catalogue of long-form, compelling reports.
Nakinskie’s work spans a range of topics, including politics, the environment, youth, health and social justice.
With bylines like “Crop Insurance; An Idea Worth Seeding” and “Blinding Headlights; A Glaring Problem”, Nakinskie has managed to capture and blend traditional reporting with modern and engaging storytelling tools to uncover and share realities often left untold. When not chasing a story, Nakinskie takes on the role of an event host and pageant adjudicator. | Instagram |
Nakinskie’s winning story: Crop Insurance; An Idea Worth Seeding
🎥 Best Multimedia Climate Storytelling
This category recognises innovative and impactful stories that effectively integrate video, audio, photography, interactive elements, and/or social media. The winning entry engages and informs audiences by combining multiple formats to communicate climate issues and solutions in a compelling, accessible way. Judges looked for creativity, high production quality, and the ability to inspire action and raise awareness.
Elesha George📍Antigua and Barbuda
Elesha George is an award-winning investigative journalist with a passion for storytelling and social impact. Since 2013, she’s worked across TV, radio, online, and print throughout the Caribbean, using her voice to spotlight important issues and spark change. Elesha got her start as a script editor in Dominica and now calls Antigua and Barbuda home, where she runs her very own online news platform – Island Press Box.
Elesha’s reporting digs into underreported stories or leading newsrooms, she’s all about empowering people with information that matters. She’s held key media roles, including News Director at Grenville Radio and Newsroom Supervisor and Social Media Manager at the Antigua Observer.
Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed – she was named “Best Journalist” in 2021 by the Antigua Barbuda Gospel Music & Media Awards and received the 2023 JCI Media Trail Blazer Award.
Elesha is also a proud alumna of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI).” | Facebook | TikTok |
Elesha’s winning story: Energy Independence or Extinction: Antigua and Barbuda at a Crossroads
🗞️ Outstanding Editorial or Opinion Piece
Recognising persuasive, well-researched, and thought-provoking commentary on climate change, policy, or environmental justice from a Caribbean perspective.
Jarrel De Matas📍Trinidad and Tobago
Dr. Jarrel De Matas is a faculty assistant professor in the Department of Bioethics and Health Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
He was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago and specialises in the study of literature. A passion for storytelling and social justice fuels his academic and journalism work.
When he isn’t contributing to furthering research in health equity or in the classroom, educating the next generation of thinkers, Jarrel binge-watches reruns of Star Trek. | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter |
Jarrel’s winning story: Tourism at a rocky point: part 1, part 2
Meet the judges!
Daphne Ewing-Chow📍Barbados
Daphne Ewing-Chow is an award-winning food and environmental journalist, renowned for her extensive contribution to global discourse on food systems and the environment. She has graced international stages as a moderator and speaker, has interviewed country leaders, dignitaries, and celebrities and holds a Master’s Degree in International Economic Policy from Columbia University.
Ewing-Chow explores the inter-relationship between food, agriculture and the environment, climate change, human health and economic development. Originally from the little island of Barbados, she is inspired by the resilience of countries and populations at the front lines of climate change, and enjoys telling stories about sustainable and regenerative solutions to global problems at the crossroads of food and nature.
Ewing-Chow’s work has been recognised with journalism awards from the United Nations, the Pan American Health Organisation, the Caribbean Development Bank, and the Caribbean Broadcasting Union. | Connect here |
Wesley Gibbings📍Trinidad and Tobago
A Trinidadian journalist/newspaper columnist and media trainer who has been in the business for over 40 years, covering assignments all over the Caribbean and in Latin America. Extensive journalistic work on Caribbean public affairs and activism in the area of press freedom.
Publications include five collections of poems, numerous seminar papers on Caribbean media and contributions to a number of books. Publishing credentials also include editorial management of several technical books and journals.
Received the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalists Award in 2017 for work in the promotion of press freedom in the Caribbean. Journalism Excellence Awardee from the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association 2022. | Connect here |
Emma Lewis📍Jamaica
Emma is a writer, independent blogger, social media activist, public relations consultant and environmental advocate with wide experience in the field of communications. She hosts a personal blog (Petchary) and regularly contributes to Global Voices, an online community.
Currently Board Member, the Natural History Museum of Jamaica; Board Member/Secretary, and Chair, Media Working Group, BirdsCaribbean; and Board Member, Recycling Partners of Jamaica. She is a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Civil Society Consulting Group, Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance, BirdLife Jamaica. | Connect here |
Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding contributions to climate journalism in the Caribbean! Your work serves as inspiration, driving awareness and fostering positive change in the face of climate challenges.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants who made this initiative possible. Together, let’s continue to amplify the voices of those on the frontlines of climate change and work towards a sustainable future for the Caribbean. 🌿🌊
Stay tuned for more updates and initiatives as we continue our journey towards a greener, more resilient Caribbean.
