Lifetime Achievement Winners

In celebration of WHY's 25th Anniversary this year's Harry Chapin Media Awards recognize the lifetime achievement of a select group of journalists.

Jason DeParle has covered anti-poverty policy for The New York Times since 1989. His outstanding coverage of welfare reform uncovered the formidable barriers people face - from inflexible government agencies to personal crises - as they move from welfare to work.

Laura Washington, editor and publisher of The Chicago Reporter, has dedicated a 20-year journalism career to ground breaking coverage of race and poverty. Her work has led to policy reforms which dramatically improved the lives of Chicago’s poor.

Ron Suskind, senior national affairs writer for The Wall Street Journal in Washington, D.C., has written stories on race, class and gender that combine powerful narration and great emotional force. He shows how justice, faith and education build bridges across divides of race and income.

Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele, senior writers-at-large for Time Inc., have used their remarkable investigative skills to probe major institutions affecting American life. Whether researching the tax system, corporate welfare, or the loss of the American Dream, their work is fired by a passion for fairness.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent, has reported to us since 1985 from the world’s hot spots - from Iran, the Gulf War, the break-up of the Soviet Union, Rwanda, Yugoslavia and the Bosnian tragedy. In situations often of extreme danger, she has given us context, understanding and compassion.

A journalist for more than 20 years, since 1988 Juan Gonzalez has covered a wide range of national events as a staff columnist with The New York Daily News. He is known for his hard-hitting columns on the labor movement, race relations and problems of the inner city

Combining passionate reporting with outstanding photojournalism, Stan Grossfeld, associate editor at The Boston Globe, has brought us stories and images of international refugees, the new homeless, neglected children, and the ongoing problem of hunger in America and around the world.