2025 Winners

Jacksonville, FL — August 22, 2025 — The Ken Knight Awards Committee is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Ken Knight Awards, an annual celebration of excellence in Black media. The awards will take place on Thursday, August 28, 2025 at the WJCT Soundstage in Jacksonville.

Named after Ken Knight, Jacksonville’s first Black radio news announcer, the Ken Knight Awards honor media professionals whose work informs, inspires, and empowers the community. This year’s honorees represent trailblazers across broadcast, radio, print, and digital platforms who have made a lasting impact on Jacksonville and beyond.

2025 Honorees

• Melanie Lawson — Recognized for decades of excellence in broadcast journalism and as one of Jacksonville’s most trusted voices in news.
• Troy "T-Roy" Hadley — Nationally recognized radio personality rooted in Jacksonville, engaging listeners and shaping culture across the airwaves.
• Chris Porter — Honored for dynamic sports reporting as Sports Director for First Coast News, telling the stories that unite and energize the community.
• Nicky Sparrow — Celebrated as Executive Vice President of Multicultural Sales for iHeartMedia, advancing innovation, equity, and representation in media leadership.
• Erik Avanier — Recognized for impactful storytelling and integrity in coverage of issues that matter most to Northeast Florida.
• Rahman Johnson — Recipient of the Ken Knight Legacy in Action Award, honoring a lifelong dedication to media and ongoing service as a Jacksonville City Councilman using communication to inform and empower the community.

Special Partnership with NABJ Jacksonville
The Northeast Florida Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ Jacksonville) will join the celebration to present its Award for Storytelling Excellence to Dana Michelle Maule, a two-time Audience Choice Award winner in the Jacksonville 48 Hour Film Project. This recognition underscores the power of compelling, community-centered narratives.

"This year's honorees embody the spirit of Ken Knight—giving voice to the community, uplifting stories that matter, and keeping truth and transparency at the heart of media," said Obi Umunna, Esq., on behalf of the Ken Knight Awards Committee.

The Ken Knight Awards is a private, invitation-only event sponsored by England Thims & Miller and VyStar Credit Union, with support from NABJ Jacksonville and community partners. The evening will feature live entertainment, an open-bar cocktail reception, a culinary experience by Chef Kalin Anderson of Feedtheville, and will be hosted by award-winning journalist Dawn Lopez.

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