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The Citizen Journalist Award

For fearless truth-telling and unshakable integrity. Honoring those who prove that journalism does not require a newsroom—only courage in defense of truth, justice, and civic duty.

On November 13, 2025, at Mar-a-Lago, this distinguished award will recognize one extraordinary individual whose work embodies the very spirit of citizen journalism: courage under pressure, a relentless pursuit of truth, and a commitment to shining light where others turn away.

Each of the nominees below has exemplified these values in remarkable ways—standing up, speaking out, and holding power to account. But only one will be honored live on stage at the Citizen Journalist Awards Gala.

YOUR VOICE MATTERS. YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

Help us celebrate the next generation of truth tellers by casting your vote for this year’s Citizen Journalist Award recipient.

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HERE ARE THE NOMINEES

ANDY NGO

Andy Ngo is a journalist and author known for his coverage of Antifa and far-left violent extremism. His New York Times bestselling book, “Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy,” offers an exposé of the international terrorist movement.

In 2019, while reporting on the streets of Portland, Ore., Ngo was nearly killed by masked Antifa militants, an incident that catapulted him into the national spotlight and cemented his reputation for reporting in volatile environments. His writings have appeared in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, National Review and Newsweek. Ngo has also testified before the U.S. Congress on issues of political violence. In 2025, he spoke to President Trump and his cabinet at a roundtable on Antifa. He continues his work as a senior editor at The Post Millennial and operator of the NgoComment.com Substack.


ANTHONY RUBIN

Anthony Rubin is an investigative journalist and the founder of Muckraker.com. Alongside his brother Joshua, he was the first reporter to document the full illegal immigrant pipeline from South America to the U.S. border—an investigation that took them deep into cartel-controlled territory, where they were kidnapped and later released. His reporting has also focused on tracking hundreds of missing unaccompanied minors who crossed the southern border and exposing vulnerabilities threatening the integrity of the 2024 presidential election. Anthony's stories have been shared by Elon Musk and covered by outlets such as NPR, NBC, New York Times, and Fox News. Most recently, Anthony followed the illegal immigrant pipeline from Africa into and across Europe, the first journalist to do so.


CAM HIGBY

Cam Higby is a conservative journalist, political reporter, and field reporter based in Seattle, Washington. Born in upstate New York, he attended SUNY Canton before launching his journalism career. As a teenager he created viral commentary videos that gained millions of views by the age 19. Higby honed his skills through undercover journalism and on-the-ground reporting, often embedding in protests, rallies, and contentious events to capture unfiltered perspectives on political and social issues. Higby rose to prominence covering events for Turning Point USA, where he served as a frontline reporter. His work has been featured on major outlets including Fox News, Good Morning America, ABC’s Nightline, Rolling Stone, and the New York Times. In 2022 Higby joined PragerU as a content creator, hosting The Wrap Up and producing videos challenging progressive narratives. Currently as a personality at Today is America, Higby focuses on news, commentary and investigative reporting.



NATE FRIEDMAN

Nate Friedman is a dynamic New York-based journalist, podcaster, and investigative content creator whose fearless on-the-ground reporting has captivated over 100,000 followers on X and millions of views on YouTube, earning him widespread acclaim as a bold voice for truth in an era of misinformation. A 1997 alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Nate honed his storytelling skills through early gaming content focused on Dota 2, where he helped amplify professional voices and built a dedicated audience before pivoting to high-impact citizen journalism in 2023. As host of “The Nate Friedman Show,” he fearlessly infiltrates protests, exposes taxpayer-funded waste like the $432 million no-bid contract to DocGo for migrant hotel services and confronts radical activists, including paid protesters and fringe groups, revealing inconsistencies in narratives around immigration, campus indoctrination, and anti-Israel demonstrations. His viral videos, such as crashing organized protest meetings and interviewing self-proclaimed communists at elite universities, have sparked national conversation and even influenced congressional inquiries as well as appearances on Newsmax. While his non-confrontational yet incisive style allows his subjects to speak freely to expose their contradictions which has made Nate a trusted advocate for accountability and free expression. Through relentless investigations into government spending, immigration, and cultural divides, Nate not only uncovers hidden truths but inspires a new generation to question authority, making his role pivotal in independent media’s fight to preserve American values 


NICK SHIRLEY

Nick Shirley is a trailblazing American independent journalist and YouTuber, renowned for his fearless, on-the-ground reporting that uncovers global truths through self-funded expeditions to over 15 countries. Born on April 4, 2002, in Utah, and a 2020 graduate of Farmington High School, Shirley launched his YouTube channel in 2015, evolving from early travel vlogs into groundbreaking investigative content. His explosive coverage of the U.S. border and migrant crisis has spotlighted the human and systemic failures at play, earning him recognition as a key voice in exposing the chaos. As the only American granted access to El Salvador's notorious CECOT mega-prison, he delivered unprecedented footage from inside the facility housing thousands of gang members, shedding light on Bukele's iron-fisted crackdown.

In the lead-up to the 2024 election, Shirley crisscrossed all seven swing states twice, conducting raw voter interviews that captured the pulse of America and amplified unfiltered perspectives, directly contributing to Donald Trump's campaign momentum. A pioneer in digital journalism, he became the first YouTube journalist to document an Oval Office meeting with a foreign leader, offering viewers exclusive access to the Eisenhower Building and press room interactions. Shirley's lens has pierced through deception, as seen in his exposés on paid protesters fueling Antifa riots—from U.S. streets to identical operations in the UK—revealing coordinated agitprop with matching signs and bus drop-offs. His global dispatches extend to war zones and flashpoints, including frontline reporting from Ukraine's trenches and the volatile Gaza border, where he navigated dangers to document the raw realities of conflict and displacement.

With a channel boasting over 100,000 subscribers and millions of views, Shirley's unapologetic, high-stakes storytelling—fueled by entrepreneurial grit and zero institutional backing—has redefined citizen journalism, inspiring a new generation to demand transparency amid world events. Now 23, he continues to embed himself in the stories that matter most, proving that one voice, armed with a camera and conviction, can shift narratives worldwide.


SAVANAH HERNANDEZ

Savanah Hernandez is a political commentator and reporter for Turning Point USA, whose main mission has been to counter the lies of the mainstream media through truth and on-the-ground reporting.

Previously banned from Twitter for her reporting on ANTIFA and BLM violence back in 2020, she has reported extensively on every topic from transgender athletes competing in women’s sports to the illegal immigration crisis that has plagued our nation.

Having endured two years of censorship, vicious attacks by ANTIFA and smears on her character by leftwing media, she recently spoke to the President of the United States regarding ANTIFA violence and continues to use her platform to highlight the common man.

Her work has been featured on networks such as Fox News, Real America’s Voice, PragerU and the Charlie Kirk Show and her reporting has been viewed millions of times.

Hernandez continues to travel nationwide to highlight the stories of unheard Americans and has made it a point to use her platform to report on the issues most important to Americans.