The Pulitzer Prizes came out last week and one honorary award went not to an established journalist, but a teen who showed immense courage and quick thinking in the face of a crisis. Darnella Frazier, the young woman who filmed the murder of George Floyd last year, was honored for her transformative video which helped spark a racial justice movement across the entire US.
Pulitzer Prizes celebrate excellence in journalism and honor the dedicated reporters who work tirelessly to share critical stories with the public. During the award ceremony, Mindy Marques, co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board, said, “The Floyd story in particular highlighted not only the essential role of journalists, but the increasing importance of ordinary citizens in the quest for truth and justice.”
Frazier was on her way to the store with her young cousin when she saw Floyd being brutalized by the Minneapolis police. Witnessing the injustice, she made the brave decision to document the incident. Reflecting on the experience in a social media post, she wrote, “Even though this was a traumatic life-changing experience for me, I’m proud of myself. If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth.”
