285 South’s Reporting Recognized for Community Impact

285 South, a grantee of The Pivot Fund, has been named a finalist in two categories at the 2024 Atlanta Press Club Awards: Digital News and the Rising Star Award for reporter Gabriela Henriquez Stoikow. 

One of the nominated stories focuses on an Afghan family of nine who endured freezing winter temperatures without electricity, despite paying rent and thousands in utility bills. Through in-depth, on-the-ground reporting, 285 South uncovered the negligence of property managers and helped bring the issue to the attention of local officials. The result? The family was relocated to a safe, temporary apartment and began receiving support.

“What struck us about this story was that nobody seemed to be taking Faizlullah’s problem seriously, despite the fact that he and a case worker had been repeatedly going to the property managers and alerting them of the problem. He thanked us so many times just for simply listening to his story, following up with the property company, and pushing for answers and accountability.” said Sophia Qureshi founder of 285 South. 

This is the power of community-rooted journalism. 285 South isn’t just covering stories—they’re driving action and accountability. Their work has recently been co-published with outlets like Grist, Eater, and the Atlanta Coffee Shops newsletter, bringing underrepresented voices into broader public conversations.

As they continue to grow their team and deepen their reach, we’re honored to support 285 South’s mission to reflect the lived realities of Georgia’s immigrant communities—and to make sure their voices shape the narrative.

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See our previous coverage of 285 South:

285 South’s Unwavering Immigration Coverage
What makes the Tomorrow Pictures & 285 South collaboration work?