Navajo Times publisher gets Medill Achievement Award

EVANSTON, Ill. –Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and the Native American Journalists Association, have selected Tom Arviso Jr. as the 2021 NAJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award recipient.

Arviso is the CEO of the Navajo Times Publishing Company and publisher of the Navajo Times.

The award recognizes an individual who has had a lasting effect on media to the benefit of Indigenous communities.

Given by NAJA and Medill, the award celebrates and encourages responsible storytelling and journalism in Indian Country.

“I am truly honored and humbled to receive this honor from Medill,” Arviso said. “When the NAJA office notified me of the award, I was totally surprised. However, it was a pleasant surprise and a great way to start the day.”

Medill Dean Charles Whitaker said, “Medill is delighted to continue our partnership with NAJA to recognize Native American journalists who are making a true difference. Tom has shown he is committed to the important work of elevating stories of indigenous communities, which need to be included in mainstream media.”

Arviso is a lifetime member of NAJA, where he served on the Board of Directors as vice president, treasurer and a board member from 1994 to 2000.

This isn’t Arviso’s first time receiving an award from NAJA. In July 1997, NAJA presented him with its “Wassaja Award for extraordinary service to Native journalism.”

In April 2000, Arviso was selected for a John S. Knight Fellowship in Journalism at Stanford University.

As a Knight Fellow, Arviso studied newspaper publishing and business management at Stanford and used his studies to help him devise a business plan to separate the Navajo Times from the Navajo Nation government.

To seek independence from tribal government ownership, Arviso lobbied and then convinced the Navajo Nation Council to approve the for-profit incorporation of the Navajo Times. The Council voted in favor of this official legislation on October 23, 2003.

May 2021 marked the start of Arviso’s 36th year at the Navajo Times and his 17th year as the CEO/Publisher of the Navajo Times Publishing Company, Inc.

Arviso is Tó’áhani and born for the Ts’ah Yisk’idnii. His maternal grandfather is Tábąąhá and his paternal grandfather is Tsénahabiłnii’.

He will receive the award on Nov. 9.

The post Navajo Times publisher gets Medill Achievement Award first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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