HONOLULU Magazine Wins 8 Awards for 2023

Photo: Courtesy of Mari Taketa

On July 30, winners of the annual Hawai‘i SPJ Excellence in Journalism Contest were announced in person at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, honoring local journalists’ work published in 2023. Categories ranged from government reporting to general news podcasts to magazine covers, with awards going to media organizations and independent journalists who have dedicated their careers to telling Hawai‘i’s stories. Submissions were judged by our SPJ counterparts in Louisville, Kentucky (whose awards we judged in turn). HONOLULU took home awards in the News Media, Internet and Magazine categories.

Our small local team strives to tell stories we’re passionate about sharing, whether that’s by writing features, producing videos or thoughtfully designing a print magazine you can actually hold in your hands. We love what we do and hope you love it, too. Please join us in celebrating what the judges deemed some of our best work last year by revisiting these stories below.

News Media

Column Writing or Blog/Features or Sports

Second Place. Afterthoughts, by James Charisma

• Charisma, P.I., February 2023
• Animal House, March 2023
• Hold the Phone, April 2023
• That’s the Spirit, July/August 2023
• What’s in a Name?, September 2023

Internet

Best Multimedia Presentation

Second Place: 6 ‘Ōiwi To Watch, by the HONOLULU Magazine Team, May 2023

Magazines

Industry or Trade Reporting

Third Place: Food & dining coverage, by Mari Taketa

• Omakase by Aung, February 2023
• Nice to Mead You, March 2023
• Life on the Edge, April 2023
• Kampai at the Pier, September 2023
• Where the Heart Is, December 2023/January 2024
  • Mālama Kekahi i Kekahi
  • Making Old School New Again
  • Into the Fold
  • For Wahiawā

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Feature Writing/Long Form

First Place: Ola i Ka Hā: There is Life in the Breath, by Robbie Dingeman, September 2023

Judges’ comments: “Such a compelling read on a serious and important topic. Thank you.”

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Overall Page Design

First Place: Design by James Nakamura, Christine Labrador and Kayla Rivera, May, July/August and September 2023

Judges’ comments: “Strong layout throughout makes you want to keep on flipping. Well done!”

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Best Single Feature Layout

First Place: Inspiring Women Who Make Hawai‘i a Better Place, art direction by Christine Labrador, illustrations by JT Ojerio of Aloha de Mele, photography by Aaron K. Yoshino, creative direction by James Nakamura, March 2023

Judges’ comments: “Beautiful layout here. There’s nice balance among all of the various elements that shows us a lot without being busy. Nicely done.”

Second Place: Bon Appé-Chic, art direction by Christine Labrador, creative direction by James Nakamura, styling by Brie Thalmann, photography by Aaron K. Yoshino, September 2023

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Magazine Cover

First Place: 6 ‘Ōiwi To Watch, creative direction by James Nakamura, photography by Aaron K. Yoshino, May 2023

Judges’ comments: “A wonderful image, balanced nicely with the text layout and colors, makes for a very strong magazine cover. Nice work.”

Congratulations are also due for our sister magazine, Hawai‘i Business Magazine, which took home 23 SPJ awards.

For the full list of winners, visit hawaiispj.org.