Alana Semuels of The Atlantic wins Urban Health Journalism Prize for Coverage of Flint Water Crisis

The New York Academy of Medicine recognizes reporting on key issues in urban health including water issues, mental health, childhood trauma and pedestrian safety  

New York (May 25, 2016) – The New York Academy of Medicine announced today that Alana Semuels, of The Atlantic, is the winner of the 2016 Urban Health Journalism Prize for her July 29, 2015 article, “Aging Pipes Are Poisoning America's Tap Water.” The award will be presented at the Academy Gala on June 14 in New York City, and comes with a cash prize of $5,000. In addition, three journalists were named finalists and also will be recognized by the Academy. The winner and finalists were selected by a prestigious committee of journalism, government and urban health leaders. Brie Zeltner of The PlainDealer, the inaugural 2015 Urban Health Journalism Prize winner, and a member of the selection committee, will present the award.

A leader in urban health, the Academy established The Urban Health Journalism Prize in 2015 to be awarded annually for superior coverage addressing the distinct challenges and opportunities for the health of people living in cities. With the rise in stories and outlets dedicated to city life, the prize recognizes and encourages more thoughtful coverage and the inclusion of health in reporting on urban issues across all media platforms.

“Ms. Semuels’ article was one of the earliest in-depth looks at the Flint, MI water crisis and was judged to be the best among many excellent articles on one of the biggest urban health stories of the year,” said Academy President Jo Ivey Boufford, MD. “Her comprehensive research and firsthand stories from some of the most seriously affected people of Flint came through in her well-written article. Her approach underscores the importance of reporting the impact of urban health issues including the voices of those directly affected.”

"The story of Flint illustrates how factors like infrastructure and housing can negatively impact Americans' health. I'm glad The New York Academy of Medicine is encouraging journalists to explore these issues, as they will likely be with us for decades to come," said Prize winner Alana Semuels.

Alana Semuels is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she travels the country looking for good stories about economics, poverty, wealth, segregation, education and housing. She was previously a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, based in New York City, and a California economics correspondent for that publication. Semuels has also worked for the Boston Globe and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She has a MSc in Global Politics from the London School of Economics and a B.A. in history and literature from Harvard College.

The three finalists are:

• Deborah L. Shelton, The Chicago Reporter. For her April 27, 2015 article, “Guilty of mental illness.”
• Susan Dominus, The New York Times Magazine. For her April 23, 2015 article, “How Do We Protect New York City’s Pedestrians?”
• Laura Starecheski, NPR. For her March 10, 2015 segment, “A Sheriff And A Doctor Team Up To Map Childhood Trauma.”

“With over half of the worlds’ population living in cities, the need for excellent reporting on issues affecting the health of those who live and work in cities has never been greater,” said Boufford. “These stories emphasize the important role that high-quality journalism can play to help shine a light on the health challenges faced by people in urban areas, the solutions that are needed, and the leaders who are working to implement them.”

The winner and finalists were selected out of hundreds of eligible stories submitted, nominated and pulled from local and national print, radio and television, by a prestigious committee of leading experts in urban health, journalism and city government who are passionate about improving cities and health. They based their selection on excellence in three areas: the significance of the idea to the field of urban health, the depth and breadth of the reporting, and the quality of the writing.

2015 Selection Committee

• Len Bruzzese, Director of the Association of Health Care Journalists, and Associate Professor, Missouri School of Journalism
• The Honorable Mick Cornett, Mayor, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Shelley Hearne, DrPH, Visiting Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and Senior Advisor, Big Cities Health Coalition, National Association of County and City Health Officials
• Howard Markel, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, The Milbank Quarterly, George E. Wantz Distinguished Professor and Founding Director, Center for the History of Medicine, The University of Michigan
• David Vlahov, RN, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Urban Health, and Dean and Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing
• Brie Zeltner, Health Reporter, The Plain Dealer, and 2015 Urban Health Journalism Prize Winner

About The New York Academy of Medicine

The New York Academy of Medicine advances solutions that promote the health and well-being of people in cities worldwide.

Established in 1847, The New York Academy of Medicine continues to address the health challenges facing New York City and the world’s rapidly growing urban populations. We accomplish this through our Institute for Urban Health, home of interdisciplinary research, evaluation, policy and program initiatives; our world class historical medical library and its public programming in history, the humanities and the arts; and our Fellows program, a network of more than 2,000 experts elected by their peers from across the professions affecting health. Our current priorities are healthy aging, disease prevention, and eliminating health disparities.