The Appeal Wins Community Engagement Award at 2023 LION Publishers Sustainability Awards

The Appeal was honored to recently accept the Community Engagement Award from the LION Publishers Sustainability Awards in Durham, North Carolina.

The Appeal was recognized for our work with incarcerated writers. In 2022, 14 percent of our writers were currently or formerly incarcerated and this number jumped to nearly one third in 2023. This year, we brought on Christopher Blackwell, who is currently incarcerated in Washington State, as our first Contributing Editor.

“The team at The Appeal demonstrates a deep and unwavering understanding of the identities and needs of their audience. Their deliberate efforts to amplify the voices of incarcerated journalists and writers showcase a genuine commitment to authentic representation,” the judges said. “They also create a nurturing environment where marginalized voices can thrive, contributing to a more equitable and inclusive media landscape.”

We understand the risks our incarcerated writers face daily and developed Harm Minimization Guidelines which, among many important approaches, helps us to proactively protect writers and avoid retribution from officials. 

The Appeal was also shortlisted for Business of the Year, in recognition of our impacts and significant revenue growth, and for Operational Resilience, for our intentional work on bylaws, user manuals, operating principles, HR policies, and other documentation.