Please join us in congratulating Diné journalist Chelsea Curtis on being named the 2026 Richard LaCourse Award for Investigative Journalism recipient by the Indigenous Journalists Association for her in-depth investigative reporting with Arizona Luminaria.
Named for Yakama journalist Richard LaCourse, the award honors groundbreaking work by Indigenous journalists who serve as watchdogs, using innovative reporting and storytelling to create meaningful change in their communities. For more than 30 years, LaCourse, who died in 2001, was recognized as the “gold standard” in Indigenous journalism.
Chelsea’s relentless dedication to reporting with and for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Transgender People (MMIWG2T), centering care and integrity, embodies that mission.
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled to receive this award. It’s surreal to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Richard LaCourse, let alone recognized alongside the extraordinary Indigenous journalists who’ve received this award before me. There really aren’t enough words to express what this recognition means to me,” Chelsea said.
“From the beginning, this reporting has been about helping amplify the voices of Indigenous people across Arizona who have long asked for their stories to be told and, quite simply, for people to care. I share this recognition with the families and communities who opened their homes and their hearts to me.
I hope this award serves as a reminder that sustained, community-centered Indigenous journalism matters, and that our communities deserve the same attention, urgency and investment as anyone else’s.”
Over the past two years, Chelsea filed more than 100 public records requests to build and publish Arizona’s first centralized MMIP database, a free public resource that had never existed before.
Along the way, Chelsea’s reporting uncovered serious failures in the systems meant to protect Indigenous communities. It helped prompt changes to Arizona legislation, exposed shortcomings in the state’s Turquoise Alert system before it became law, and drew public attention to several overlooked MMIP cases.
“Chelsea’s work in nearly single-handedly building a database coupled with strong narrative work that had an impact on state legislation is what ultimately made her the best candidate for the esteemed Richard LaCourse Award,” said Sunnie Clahchischiligi, IJA president. “Chelsea’s work is exemplary of strong Indigenous journalism that is both innovative and influential.”
Chelsea is among the underrepresented 1 percent of Indigenous journalists nationally, building trust and leading reporting that demands accountability from those in power. During her time at Arizona Luminaria, her reporting has also earned the Institute for Nonprofit News’ 2026 INNY Breaking Barriers Award (small division) and the Arizona Press Club’s 2024 Virg Hill Arizona Journalist of the Year Award.
In her nomination letter, Becky Pallack, co-founder of Arizona Luminaria, said Curtis’ work is already impacting law and policy within the state.
“Her work demonstrates what is possible when an Indigenous journalist combines deep community trust, rigorous data skills, and relentless public records advocacy. It is exactly the kind of groundbreaking, community-serving investigative journalism the LaCourse Award was created to recognize,” Pallack said.
Chelsea’s impactful reporting requires patience, trust and time. It means spending months, sometimes years, pursuing public records, building relationships with families and asking difficult questions.
“As a Latina- and women-led nonprofit newsroom, we set out to rebuild local journalism in a more ethical and equitable way for and with our communities, for and with local journalists,” Co-founder and Executive Editor Dianna Náńez said. “We are beyond grateful to the IJA committee and board president Sunnie Clahchischiligi for recognizing Chelsea and her powerful accountability reporting that seeks justice through journalism.”
If you believe local news should strengthen communities, hold those in power accountable and create meaningful change, we hope you’ll consider making a gift to support Arizona Luminaria’s continued reporting. Whether it’s a one-time donation or a monthly contribution, your support helps us provide free, community-centered journalism in Southern Arizona for years to come.
We’re incredibly excited to celebrate Chelsea and her well-deserved honors for and with her communities. We’re grateful for readers like you who make this possible.
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