Sudanese-American journalists Isma’il Kushkush and Hana Baba were among the winners of the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) 2026 Salute to Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding work by Black journalists across the US.
The winners were announced during the Salute to Excellence Awards Gala at the NABJ26 Convention and Career Fair on Saturday, 15 August, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kushkush received the award in the Magazine Under 1 Million – International category for his feature Leaving Khartoum, published by The New York Review of Books on 30 December 2025. The piece examines the experience of leaving Sudan’s capital amid the devastating war that began in April 2023.
Kushkush is a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, CNN, the Associated Press, Reuters, Guernica, Voice of America and Al Jazeera English. He has reported on political, economic, social and cultural affairs across Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi, Sweden, Israel, Palestine, as well as the US.
Baba was recognised in the Podcast – Lifestyle category for Bury Me Whole, an episode of The Stoop, the podcast produced by Radiotopia and PRX. The episode features Baba alongside Kristina Loring, James Rowlands and Leila Day.
The episode explores the emotional complexities surrounding organ donation within Black communities, centring on Arlinda Timmons-Love, a mother faced with the decision of whether to donate her 15-year-old son’s organs following his death. The episode has also received recognition from the Online Journalism Awards and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Baba is an award-winning radio journalist and host of Crosscurrents, the daily news magazine on NPR member station KALW Public Radio in San Francisco. She is also co-host and co-producer of The Stoop, which tells stories from across the Black diaspora. Her work has received recognition from the National Association of Black Journalists, the San Francisco Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Religion News Association. She is also a Webby honouree. In addition to her journalism, Baba teaches radio journalism, lectures at Bay Area colleges and works as a voice and narration expert.
The Salute to Excellence Awards are among NABJ’s major annual honours, recognising the work and contributions of Black journalists across a range of media and reporting categories.
During the gala, NABJ President Errin Haines reminded attendees of the importance of recognising excellence in journalism, particularly in a profession that can be demanding and relentless.
“Because in a profession that can be relentless, we do not always stop long enough to recognise our excellence,” Haines said. “Tonight, we stop to say this work matters. Black journalists deserve to be celebrated for the excellence that we bring to this profession every single day.”
The evening’s top honourees included Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Brent Staples, a longtime member of The New York Times editorial board, who received the Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement Award.
The 2026 awards celebrate the achievements, sacrifices and perseverance of Black journalists, with winners contacted by email with information on verifying and receiving their awards by mail.
Kushkush’s and Baba’s recognition adds to the growing body of work by Sudanese-American journalists bringing Sudanese experiences, stories and perspectives to international and American audiences.
For more information or to see the full list of winners, visit the NABJ website.
Watch the NABJ26 Salute to Excellence Awards Gala:
