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The Pudding Journalists Awarded 2026 Pamela Tobey Award

In a significant recognition of excellence in visual journalism, Amanda Sakuma and Jan Diehm from The Pudding have been announced as the winners of the 2026 Pamela Tobey Award for Excellence in Visual Storytelling. This award, presented by the National Press Club Journalism Institute, not only comes with a cash prize of $1,000 but also serves to honor work that continuously pushes the boundaries of creative storytelling through innovative design choices.

The award will be presented at the National Press Club's Journalism Awards Dinner on August 26, with the winning project dubbed "Sizing Chaos". Judges praised the duo's exceptional execution and creativity in transforming complex data into an engaging user experience while maintaining solid research practices.

The project addresses a relevant yet often overlooked topic: the enigmatic nature of women's clothing sizes, shedding light on a system that often confuses consumers. As Sakuma stated, “Women’s clothing sizes reflect an opaque and ever-changing system that routinely keeps consumers in the dark around what we’re actually buying.” The aim of their work was to utilize hard data to affirm a collective experience faced by many women regarding sizing discrepancies, thereby enhancing the public's understanding of how modern clothing fails to cater to the average body shape.

The judges for this year’s awards included respected figures in the journalism world, such as Pamela Tobey—after whom the award is named—a former graphics editor at The Washington Post, and Karen Yourish, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at The New York Times. They evaluated a variety of submissions, ultimately acknowledging the remarkable storytelling presented by Amanda and Jan, which combined a compelling narrative pace with concise graphics.

In addition to awarding The Pudding, the judges recognized two notable runners-up: Reuters for their impactful story on the effects of Hong Kong’s national security laws and ProPublica for an investigation into the dire consequences should vaccines no longer be available. Tobey expressed her delight at the wide range of exceptional entries this year, noting that each project reflected a commitment to crafting complex narratives with creativity and care.

The judges also noted student submissions, such as high school student Veronica Mederos' work, showcasing the potential of future journalists. The aim of the Pamela Tobey Award is not only to reward excellence but also to inspire innovative storytelling methods that resonate within various communities.

Funded through the generosity of Pamela Tobey and her husband Rick Dunham, a past president of the Institute, this award symbolizes Tobey's impact in revolutionizing visual journalism and her commitment to fostering novel forms of storytelling. Moreover, the Calvert K. Collins Family Foundation has contributed an initial grant to support the award, further solidifying its significance in the journalistic community.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute is dedicated to promoting First Amendment values, equipping journalists both in Washington D.C. and across the country with the necessary skills and resources to empower their communities through informed reporting. They aim to protect journalists from interference, ensuring that they can accurately represent the voices of the people they serve, while also increasing transparency to hold governments accountable to their citizens.

As the award recipients, Sakuma and Diehm will share insights into their approach in an upcoming National Press Club Journalism Institute training program this fall. This platform will allow them to engage with fellow journalists and share best practices in visual storytelling, potentially influencing future projects.

The recognition of Amanda Sakuma and Jan Diehm is not merely a celebration of their individual talents but also an acknowledgment of the power of visual storytelling in journalism today. The Pudding continues to raise the bar for creative and responsible journalism, and this award highlights their significant contributions to the field.