2nd annual Henry Fuhrmann Mentor Award given to Kate McQueen
By ACES Staff
The second annual Henry Fuhrmann Mentor Award has been awarded to Kate McQueen, editorial director of the Pollen Initiative, announced ACES: The Society for Editing and the Asian American Journalists Association-Los Angeles.
McQueen was honored for her work with new and aspiring journalists and nonfiction writers who are incarcerated. She mentored writers at San Quentin State Prison who were working to tell their stories from behind bars. The award includes a $1,000 cash prize.
The Fuhrmann Mentor Award is given jointly by ACES and AAJA-LA in honor of their late colleague to a journalism mentor who has consistently guided and supported others.
Selecting the winner
It was immediately clear to this year’s judges that the 2024 nominees are exemplary mentors who have had positive impacts on their mentees’ careers. But when time came to choose the nominee who most embodied mentorship as a way of life, the choice was unanimous.
As Joe Garcia, one of McQueen’s proteges, wrote in his nomination, “No coincidence, my progress as a published writer and, far more importantly, as a better person blossomed since I had the good fortune to cross paths with Kate … I am set to begin a University of California, Berkeley two-year journalism fellowship this fall, which was only possible due to Kate’s coordination and encouragement.”
Before joining the Pollen Initiative, which provides media and leadership training for incarcerated people, McQueen was an editorial adviser for Wall City, the news magazine at San Quentin, and worked with the Prison Journalism Project.
“When you give incarcerated writers encouragement to try hard and excel at the journalistic practice, it’s amazing what they accomplish, from starting prison media centers to bylines in The New Yorker,” noted McQueen. “Thank you, ACES/AAJA, for recognizing that fostering journalists in prison is important. I’m deeply honored that you chose to highlight my work as a mentor inside the walls.”
Lisa McLendon, president of the Education Fund Board of Directors, joined AAJA-LA in extending her gratitude to this year’s judges: Julie Patel-Liss, Maneeza Iqbal, Mark Allen, and Karen Yin.
“We’re excited to support an editor helping to tell untold stories, and we think Henry would be pleased as well. Many thanks to the judges and to AAJA-LA, our partners in this award,” she said.
Honoring Henry Fuhrmann
The award is named for the late Henry Fuhrmann, assistant managing editor and chair of the Standards and Practices Committee at the Los Angeles Times. He also served as a past president and longtime officer of the Los Angeles chapter of AAJA, as well as president of the ACES Education Fund Board of Directors.
Fuhrmann’s quiet persistence in giving generously of his time and expertise, mentoring dozens of writers and editors, not only in their craft but in life, was inspiring to everyone who knew him.
Donations to support the award may be made to the ACES Education Fund or AAJA-LA. Indicate that the donation is intended for the Fuhrmann Mentor Award.
Applications for the 2025 Fuhrmann Mentor Award are open May 1-June 15.
Learn more about the Fuhrmann Mentor Award
ACES: The Society for Editing
ACES: The Society for Editing is the nation’s leading organization of editing professionals, educators, and students. Founded in 1997 by copy editors, ACES is dedicated to improving the quality of the written word and the working lives of editors. It sets standards of excellence and gives a voice to editors in journalism, government, business, publishing, and beyond through top-notch training, networking, and career opportunities. ACES hosts an annual in-person conference and, since 2022, an annual virtual conference. ACES Academy hosts monthly webinars. ACES also offers certificates in editing, which it co-hosts with The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism.
The ACES Education Fund
The ACES Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and its predecessor have awarded nearly 150 scholarships since 1999 to students who have a passion for editing. The ACES Education Fund is run entirely by volunteers, and all awards come from individual donations.
