Emyle Watkins Honored at Ceremony
Disabilities Beat reporter Emyle Watkins was honored this week at the 2025 Journalists Association of New York Awards with a second place Investigative and Watchdog Reporting award. The Journalists Association of New York, formerly the New York State Associated Press Association, focuses on journalism training and advocacy and held its annual awards dinner on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications.
The 2025 JANY Awards celebrate the best journalism produced across New York State in calendar year 2024, honoring outstanding work in broadcast, print, digital and college media. Watkins won for their investigation into Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s carcinogen emissions, a collaboration with Jim Morris and Public Health Watch.
“This award is a huge honor and its recognition that holding power to account for the health and wellbeing of our neighbors remains vitally important. I’m incredibly grateful to Jim Morris and our colleagues at Public Health Watch for this collaboration which brought to light a major, longstanding issue of health and safety for the residents of Niagara Falls,” said Emyle Watkins. “I hope the recognition of our work galvanizes reporters across our state to look into occupational and industrial health hazards in their communities, as these issues have significant long-term impacts on the health of many Americans.”
Emyle Watkins is the lead reporter for BTPM NPR's Disabilities Desk, which focuses on covering disability rights and access issues, and hosts the station's weekly Disabilities Beat segment. Watkins gives voice to some of the most underserved community members of Southern Ontario and Western New York: people living with disabilities, chronic health, and mental health conditions. Their work has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, UpFirst and Morning Edition.
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