Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: CalMatters Entry Title: The pandemic's great divide: Twelve hours in an L.A. restaurant Entry Credit: Nigel Duara Judge Comment: This story places the reader within the restaurant and presents the layers of complexity, policy, personality and persistence in a way that is digestible yet informative. The quotes are powerful and real. The history provided contextualizes the tough circumstances. The access that Nigel Duara was able to get guided the story in a way that offered an intimate look at the restaurant workers' struggle. The structure, writing, pace and quotes were compelling and maintained the reader's investment from beginning to end.
