The Walrus Wins Five Golds at the National Magazine Awards

The Walrus is thrilled to celebrate a night of big wins at the 2026 National Magazine Awards. After leading the nominations, The Walrus was recognized in eight categories, winning five Gold awards and four Silvers.

“This was an especially strong year, with so many newsrooms taking big swings,” said Carmine Starnino, editor-in-chief of The Walrus. “It was gratifying to be recognized—to see our own bold, deeply reported work resonate with readers.”

The awards honoured the range of work that The Walrus published over the past year, from Fiction, Essays, Investigative Reporting, Long-Form Feature Writing, and Personal Journalism to Photo Essay & Photojournalism, Illustration, and Best Cover.

The National Magazine Awards take place during a time when journalism in Canada continues to face economic pressure and rapid change across the media landscape. For The Walrus, the evening served as a celebration not only of individual achievements but also of the collaboration and conviction behind independent journalism.

“You make us all proud,” said Jennifer Hollett, executive director of The Walrus. “The Walrus is uniquely designed for this inward-facing moment the country is in. Tonight’s wins showcase the talent of our team, capturing Canada’s conversation. A big thank you to everyone who worked on these stories—and our community of support who make them all possible.”

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and to the writers, illustrators, photographers, editors, fact checkers, and everyone on the team behind these wins.

LIST OF WINNERS AND NOMINEES:

• GOLD for Fiction: “The Miraculous Return of Khalid from the Dead” by Danny Ramadan. Editor: Siddhesh Inamdar; and illustrator: Raz Latif.
• GOLD for Essays: “A Son, a Scientist, and the Secret of Bioluminescence” by Arno Kopecky.
• GOLD for Investigative Reporting: “What Happens after a Death on Campus” by Jadine Ngan and Tahmeed Shafiq. Editor: Carine Abouseif; and fact checkers: Arthur Dennyson Hamdani and Maya ElHawary.
• GOLD for Long-Form Feature Writing: “Zakaria Amara’s Second Chance” by Michelle Shephard. Editor: Carmine Starnino; photographer: Arthur Dennyson Hamdani; and fact checker: Filipa Pajevic.
• GOLD for Photo Essay & Photojournalism: “Should the Arctic Really Brace for an Invasion?” by Pat Kane. Photography: Pat Kane; art director: Zoya Shepherd; editor: Samia Madwar; and fact checker: Lucy Uprichard.
• SILVER for Personal Journalism: “Paper Trail” by Timothy Taylor. Editors: Carmine Starnino and Dafna Izenberg; illustrator: Ana Luisa Ortega Juarez; and fact checker: Mihika Agarwal.
• SILVER for Fiction: “Forest Hill Gothic” by Cassidy McFadzean. Editor: Dafna Izenberg; and illustrator: Anna Teolis.
• SILVER for Illustration: “Painting in Pixels” illustrated by James Lee Chiahan. Art director: Zoya Shepherd; writer: Tatum Dooley; editor: Ariella Garmaise; and fact checker: Filipa Pajevic.
• SILVER for Best Cover: How to Save Canada. Illustrator: Adam Maida; art director: Zoya Shepherd; writer: Wesley Wark; and fact checker: Filipa Pajevic.
• Poetry: “Night Office” by Richard Greene.
• Illustration: “The Strange Case of Monsieur Perron” illustrated by Pete Ryan. Art director: Zoya Shepherd; writer: Sarah Treleaven; editor: Dafna Izenberg; and fact checker: Hailey Choi.
• Illustration: “GI Joe” illustrated by Stephen P. Hughes. Art director: Meredith Holigroski; writer: Lisa Gregoire; editor: Samia Madwar; and fact checker: Emma Wilkie.
• Illustration: “Legal Challenge” illustrated by Ashley Floréal. Art director: Zoya Shepherd; writer: Julie Sobowale; editor: Carine Abouseif; and fact checker: Arthur Dennyson Hamdani.
• Personal Journalism: “A Son, a Scientist, and the Secret of Bioluminescence” by Arno Kopecky. Editor: Harley Rustad; illustrator: Julieta Caballero; and fact checker: Mashal Butt.
• Personal Journalism: “GI Joe” by Lisa Gregoire. Editor: Samia Madwar; illustrator: Stephen P. Hughes; and fact checker: Emma Wilkie.
• Profiles: “Rage Against the Publishing Machine” by Thea Lim. Editor: Carmine Starnino; fact checker: Maya ElHawary; and copy editor: Siddhesh Inamdar.
• Essays: “Publishing’s Gambling Problem” by Tajja Isen. Editor: Carine Abouseif; illustrator: Ana Luisa Ortega Juarez; and fact checker: Amarah Hasham-Steele.
• Investigative Reporting: “Legal Challenge” by Julie Sobowale. Editor: Carine Abouseif; illustrator: Ashley Floréal; and fact checker: Arthur Dennyson Hamdani.
• Feature Writing: “Afghanistan’s Lost Generation” by Soraya Amiri and Samia Madwar. Editor: Siddhesh Inamdar; translator: Said Najib Asil; and fact checker: Hailey Choi.
• Feature Writing: “Greenland’s Resistance” by Laakkuluk Williamson. Editor: Samia Madwar; art: Ningiukulu Teevee; fact checker: Lucy Uprichard; art direction: Ana Luisa Ortega Juarez; copy editor: Siddhesh Inamdar; and digital editor: Monika Warzecha.
• Long-Form Feature Writing (6000+): “What Was Left Unsaid in the Hockey Canada Trial” by Ariella Garmaise. Editor: Dafna Izenberg; and fact checker: Hailey Choi.
• Long-Form Feature Writing: “Swarm” by Inori Roy. Editor: Dafna Izenberg; illustrator: Alexandra Newbould; and fact checker: Amarah Hasham-Steele.
• Long-Form Feature Writing: “Rebuilding Syria” by Samia Madwar. Editor: Carmine Starnino; photographer: Saeed Salha; fact checker: Maya ElHawary; head of research: Ally Baker; art direction: Zoya Shepherd; copy editor: Siddhesh Inamdar; and digital editor: Monika Warzecha.
• Best Branded Content Collaboration: From Exclusion to Equality: Twenty-Five Years Since Bill C‑23.
• Best Issue: November 2025. Editor-in-chief: Carmine Starnino.

For more information, contact: Monita Mohan, Marketing Director, The Walrus, at monita@thewalrus.ca

Social Media:X: @thewalrusLinkedIn: @The WalrusYouTube: @thewalrusTikTok: @thewalruscaFacebook: @The WalrusInstagram: @thewalrusBluesky: @thewalrus.caSubstack: @TheWalrus

About The Walrus

The Walrus provokes new thinking and sparks conversation on matters vital to Canada. As a registered charity, we publish independent, fact-based journalism across platforms; produce national, ideas-focused events, including our flagship series The Walrus Talks; and train emerging storytellers through our fellowship program. The Walrus is invested in the idea that a healthy society relies on informed citizens.