This past weekend was a winning one for L.A. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets and are headed to the World Series, the L.A. Rams bested the Las Vegas Raiders and we, the L.A. Parent team, headed to Chicago, where we won seven awards at the annual Parenting Media Association (PMA) Editorial and Design Awards ceremony. 

Each year, faculty members at the University of Missouri School of Journalism judge the rigorous competition, looking for the best local and regional parenting magazines, special issues, websites and social media. This year’s competition covered editorial content published between July 2023 and June 2024.

Here are the winning entries, with judges’ comments following each win and links to individual stories.

Gold Award for Calendar of Events

Gold Award for two printed versions of our calendar, “The Time is Now” and “From Blooming to Beaming.”

Judges: “There’s so much to do in Los Angeles that a listing simply won’t do! This calendar offers longer takes on some experiences along with more traditional listings. It breaks them down into categories and points online for more information. The items are written with pizzazz, but are concise as well.” Check out our ongoing digital version of events.

Gold Award – Personal Essay

Gold Award for writer Dominica Ruta’s riveting essay, “When Mom Has Cancer.”

Judges: “This poignant essay evokes all the emotional tugs of hearing about parenting while treating cancer. The writer takes us on her journey and addresses questions and talks about how she found peace while juggling all sorts of needs, personal, medical and familial. The writing and pace help keep readers engaged and hoping for a good outcome by the end of her story.”

Gold Award – Family Matters

Gold Award for writer Shelley Gaske’s insightful article, “Back-to-School Mental Health.”

Judges: “To borrow a phrase from the article’s deck, this guide to help parents tackle mental health
conversations is ‘life-affirming.’ Expert-guided tips both normalize mental health issues in kids
of all ages and empower parents to dig in with their children. It reminds parents to care for themselves, too, and model learning, mistakes and opening up. The writing tone is sympathetic and hopeful, and there is rarely a paragraph without valuable, specific advice woven in.”

Gold – General Feature Writing

Gold Award for writer Amy Chesler’s soul-stirring article that weaves the pain of loss with the healing that can occur in our kitchens while “Cooking Through Grief.”

Judges: “Grief is a part of everyone’s lives, and the writer introduces us to the idea of grief rituals, or ways we can honor and remember those who have passed. For her, cooking and the kitchen are a safe space to remember her mother. Along the way she helps readers envision ways they can navigate grief and trauma through the power of ritual. Well written, fast paced and helpful.”

Silver Award – Best Overall Writing

Silver Award for Best Overall Writing for the magazines dated September/October 2023, November/December 2023 and January/February 2024. Writers in these issues include: Cassandra Lane, Elena Epstein, Nina Harada, Chelsee Lowe, Taylor Nelson, Julia Hansen, Shelley Gaske, Tonilyn Hornung, Tarana Khan, Rosemary Miller, Renee Elefante, Isabella Melendez, Lisbeth Coiman, Lolis Eric Elie, Luke Perez, Amanda Fletcher, Domenica Ruta, Kim Van Dusen, Jennifer Gay Summers and Mike Sonksen.

Judges: “This publication’s focus on reader service is evident with articles that give Los Angeles parents a lot of information in useful, bite-sized pieces. Stories about local chefs, business owners, families and kids keep the publication grounded in the community. And first-person stories add emotional weight, as do pieces that address issues such as book banning, gender
diversity and AI.”

Silver Award – Travel Feature

Silver Award for Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Lane’s travel story, “Buellton Beckons.”

Judges: “Everyone seems to think Napa and Sonoma counties are America’s wine country, but Santa Ynez Valley has its share of family distractions. Zip lines are not just for rain forests. And an upscale RV park offers the usual, newer cottages, glam safari tents, pool and jacuzzi. Food options are plentiful. Accompanying photographs back up the author’s positive view of the
available experiences.”

Bronze Award – Editor’s Column

Bronze Award for two of Lane’s columns: “A Holiday Wish” and “Cheers to a New Year.”

Judges: “These letters tackle difficult subjects, including strained parental relationships and
finding joy amid global turmoil. With a distinctive voice, the writer recognizes the whole lives of
fellow parents, and successfully transforms personal stories into universal themes.”

We’re so thankful for all of our staff, freelance writers and photographers, Art Director Edwin Alpanian, Alyssa Baker (graphic designer) and Chiwan Choi (copy editor).