National, USA - (October 10, 2015)- The National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation (NWCAVE) has announced that John Canzano will receive the 2016 Jane Velez-Mitchell Journalism Award on Saturday, January 16, 2016 during the Southwest Conference Against Trafficking in Ontario, California.
The Jane Velez-Mitchell Journalism Award is named after award-winning journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell. "I am proud to support such an honorable and urgent cause by encouraging journalists to cover the critical issues affecting women. Fighting the 'war on women' must become a priority in our society...this can be accomplished only by making it a priority in our national dialogue," said Velez-Mitchell.
"Canzano, was nominated by The Oregonian for NWCAVE's JVM Journalism Award; although all of the nominees are outstanding in their field, it was the nomination of Canzano that stood out," said Natalie Brand, JVM Journalism Award Chairperson.
In the summer of 2011, Canzano had written a column criticizing Oregon State University football coach Mike Riley for his handling of a domestic violence arrest involving one of his defensive lineman. Four years after that article, an email from a rape survivor would spark what Canzano would consider to be the most important work in his 19-year journalism career.
In 1998, gang raped and sodomized for a seven-hour period by four men (three of them college football players) Brenda Tracy was left feeling degraded, discarded and humiliated. Despite Tracy reporting the rape to police, no one really heard her cry for help and she would begin planning her suicide. Fast forward to 2014, Tracy would connect with Canzano, a sports reporter at The Oregonian that would result in a lifetime friendship. "John doesn't just chase the headlines, he is victim centered and my life has changed because of his determination to seek justice and allow my story to be told," said Brenda Tracy.
About John Canzano:
The Oregonian's John Canzano has been named National Sports Columnist of the Year by the Associated Press Sports Editors and Society of Professional Journalists. He is the host of "The Bald-Faced Truth" radio show on Portland's 750-AM THE GAME. He is also a sports commentator on KGW-TV, Portland's NBC affiliate.
Jane Velez-Mitchell will present Canzano the award at the Southwest Conference Against Trafficking in January. The conference is open to the public, for more information visit www.SWCAT.org.
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