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WABJ Establishes Community Impact Award in Honor of Dr. Sheila Brooks - News Release (Published March 5, 2024)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 5, 2024)– The Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) recently honored SRB Communications’ legendary founder, president and CEO, by establishing an award in her name. Street Sense Media received the inaugural Dr. Sheila Brooks Community Impact Award during a recent awards gala at Howard University.

Dr. Brooks is a longtime member of WABJ and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) who has more than four decades of outstanding service in journalism, communications and social impact in the community. She is a three-time winner of the prestigious NABJ President’s Award and has also won the Pat Tobin Media Professional Award and organization’s Ida B. Wells Award. Dr. Brooks was also inducted in the NABJ Hall of Fame last year.

“I am honored to have my name on such an award,” Dr. Brooks said. “Using communications to make an impact in the community brings me great joy and it has been my life’s work. I am thankful that the WABJ recognized my passion and will celebrate the achievements of worthy recipients for years to come.”

Street Sense Media is a nonprofit that provides coverage of homelessness issues in the D.C. area. Through its multimedia platform and advocacy initiatives, the organization has established itself as an authority on issues related to the housing crisis, using media coverage to increase awareness, provide insight, and offer solutions.

“Street Sense Media stands as a shining example of an organization that truly embodies the spirit of community service and the track record and legacy of Dr. Brooks, who is a shining example of a communicator who uses her influence in the community to effectuate change,” said WABJ President Khorri Atkinson. 

Dr. Brooks is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington – Seattle, where she is in the Department of Communications Hall of Fame. She received her master's degree and Ph.D. from Howard University.

SRB Communications is an award-winning, full-service boutique marketing, advertising and communications agency located in downtown Washington, D.C. for 31 of its 33 years. SRB is the longest running multicultural agency in the Mid-Atlantic region owned by a Black woman.