Literacy in Media Awards
Literacy in Media Awards™
This site is a work-in-progress that preserves the history of the Literacy in Media Awards, held annually in Los Angeles from 1999 through 2007, honoring excellence in media for depictions of literacy and the importance of reading and writing.
The Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles, a 501c3 nonprofit, created and produced this red carpet event, launching it in the Los Angeles Times Auditorium at 1 Times Mirror Square in Downtown Los Angeles on September 8, 1999.
Supporters of the Literacy in Media Awards included:
Commendations:
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First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush
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First Lady of the United States Laura Bush
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United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley
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United States Department of Education Western Region
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United States Senator Barbara Boxer (CA)
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United States Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA)
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United States Congresswoman Maxine Waters
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California Governor Gray Davis
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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
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California Senator John L. Burton
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California Assemblyman Robert M. Herzberg
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California Secretary of State Debra Bowen
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California State Controller John Chiang
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City of Beverly Hills Mayor Jimmy Delshad
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City of Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn
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City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
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Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
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Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy D. Baca
Major Support:
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Times Mirror Foundation
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Verizon
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Writers Guild Foundation
Corporate Sponsors:
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20th Century Fox
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ACTV HyperTV Networks
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Bank of America
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Barnes & Noble
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BBDR Pacific Production Services
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BCD Travel
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Borders
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British Petroleum
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California Literacy Inc.
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Carsey-Werner-Mandabach
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City National Bank
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Ciudad Border Grill
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Creative Artists Agency
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C-SPAN
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Ed Smart Music
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Endeavor Talent Agency
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Ernst & Young
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Fields Pianos/Home of Steinway
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Florida State University School of Motion Pictures, Television & Recording Arts
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Fundacion Azteca America
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FTA Events
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HBO
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Hollywood Reporter
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Kaiser Permanente
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KCET
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KNLA
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KSCI
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KTLA
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KVEA
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Lawrence & Ponder Ideaworks
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Liberty Hill Foundation
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Lifetime Networks
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Lightning Dubbs
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Literacy Volunteers of America
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Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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Los Angeles Times Reading by 9
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Majestic Realty Foundation
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Manpower
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Media Venture Partners
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Mervyn's
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MGM
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Milken Institute
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National Basketball Association (NBA)
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Odesus
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OneVoice Insurance
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Our Daily Red
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Parking Company of America
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Plus8Video
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PBS
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Providence Health System
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Scholastic
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Screen Actors Guild Foundation
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Showtime
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Songs Inspired by Literature Project
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Southern California Library Literacy Network
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Stanford Post Multi-Media Studios
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Steck-Vaughn
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Time Warner Cable
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Time Warner Trade Publishing
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Training Education Management
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Union Bank of California
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United Airlines
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United Way of Greater Los Angeles
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University of Southern California
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Variety
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Venture Technologies Group
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Village Roadshow Pictures
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Walmart
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Warner Bros.
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Warren Cowan & Associates
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Warwick Group Architecture & Construction
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Westmount Asset Management
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Workplace Literacy Associates
History
"I couldn't sleep. Newly hired as the Executive Director of the Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles, the Board of Directors tasked me with three tall orders. This wasn't just any Board either. A mix of rising stars and established lions of economic industry, major film studios, community collaboratives, faith-based organizations, and various government leaders hired me as a final attempt at turning around a nonprofit under mounting financial pressure. "The first task required immediate action: relocation. Find office space that includes a conference room in or near Downtown Los Angeles where the organization can replant, grow, and, by the way, it has to be accomplished within two months and rent-free. How that succeeded is a story for another time but the short of it was that I managed to bring us to 1 Times Mirror Square as the only nonprofit service organization housed by the Los Angeles Times. "The second task had a longer and less concrete goal: add more board members, ones with diverse perspectives from fields not already represented. Toward that end, I brought in a few board members and several advisors spanning the arenas of media, medicine, and education. "The third task they assigned was a signature event -- something that will catapult our quiet organization into the limelight. "It was around 3am when the idea came. There we were in the city built by the most powerful voice in the world: the media. I had already forged partnerships between the media and literacy events in past jobs and gained connections. I also well knew how 'the industry,' as it was known, thrived on awards. In that wee hour moment, it clicked -- an event to honor the entertainment industry for excellence in depictions of the importance of literacy. "Over the next few days, I searched everywhere I could think to find where this idea had already been implemented. Strangely enough, I couldn't find anything exactly like the idea of honoring the entertainment industry for literacy depictions. "Little did I know that a mentor up at the California State Library in Sacramento had just been contacted by the Writers Guild of America West, asking how they could engage with the literacy issue in Los Angeles in a way that would make sense for screenwriters. "He said, 'Call Patricia Smart. She heads up a big network of literacy providers in LA that's based at the LA Times and she's worked with the entertainment industry.' He stepped out of his own government arena to do this for our nonprofit, knowing I'd read it as a sacrifice that deserved my best effort. Thank you, Al Bennett. "So the WGA West calls and I explain my idea. They jumped on it enthusiastically and became more than a partner, advising on every question, recommending high-profile WGA officials and members to serve as judges, and lifting awareness to some of the highest stature production leaders in town. "That's how the Literacy in Media Awards event was born. It ran for about eight years beginning in 1999 and created a legacy of many impactful achievements and poignant Hollywood moments." Patricia Smart, Founder
© 2025 Patricia Smart
1999
Literacy Network
Executive Director
Patricia K. Smart
LNGLA Board of Directors
Donald Ford, PhD, Chair
Training Education Management
Murray Blank, CPA
William Byrne
Southern California Library Literacy Network
Judith Drury
Scribner's Book Shop
Holly Johnston
Metropolitan Transit Authority
Patricia Kunkel, PhD
KCET (PBS)
Alec R. Levenson, PhD
Milken Institute /
University of Southern California
Annabelle Palacios
City of Commerce Public Library
Lisa Rawlins
Warner Bros.
Joanne Robinson
Kaiser Permanente Watts Learning Center
Rev. Jacqueline Russell
Faithful Central Missionary
Baptist Church
Reggie Smith
ACTV, Inc.
Aryola Taylor
Los Angeles Unified
School District
Karen Wong, Esq.
Milbank, Tweed,
Hadly & McCloy
Judges
Rachel Flores
Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences
Joseph Hunter, PhD
Warm Springs
Rehabilitation Center
George Kirgo
Writers Guild of America West
Del Reisman
Writers Guild of America West
Arthur Sellers
Writers Guild of America West
Socorro Serrano
Los Angeles Unified
School District
Communications Office
Stephanie Taylor-Dinwiddie, PhD
Pediatric & Family Medical Center / University of Southern California
Phil Yeh
Cartoonists Across America
Advisors
Patricia Cummings & Angela Wales Kirgo
Senior Administrators
Writers Guild Foundation
Ed Smart
Music Director
HBO, Nickelodeon, Harpo
Michael Turner
A/V Tech
Los Angeles Times
Marvin Wadlow, Jr.
Line Producer
Sony Pictures
John Wierick
Screenwriter
Paramount, Miramax, Miller-Boyett
Presenters
Steve Allen
Keynote Speaker
"The Tonight Show" Host and
Bestselling Author
Susan Carr George
"Belle," Beauty & the Beast
(L.A. Company)
The Honorable John Corcoran
National Literacy Advocate and Bestselling Author
Doc on the Roq
KROQ Radio Personality
Wendie Malick
"Nina Van Horne,"
Just Shoot Me (NBC)
Val Zavala
Host, Life & Times Tonight (KCET)
Winners & Honoree
Honorary Distinction:
"Middle of Nowhere" episode,
ER (NBC)
Feature Film:
Pleasantville
Episodic Television Series:
Oz (HBO)
Public Service Announcement (Television - English)
The More You Know (NBC)
Public Service Announcement
(Television - Spanish)
Los Angeles Campaign (KVEA)
Radio Public Affairs Program
Talk of the City with Kitty Felde (KPCC)
Los Angeles Times:
2000
Literacy Network
Executive Director
Patricia K. Smart
LNGLA Board of Directors
Joanne Robinson, Chair
Kaiser Permanente
Murray Blank, CPA
William Byrne
Southern California Library Literacy Network
Donald Ford, PhD
Training Education Management
Alec R. Levenson, PhD
Milken Institute /
University of Southern California
Annabelle Palacios
City of Commerce Public Library
Anna Parra
Warner Bros.
Rev. Jacqueline Russell
Faithful Central Missionary
Baptist Church
Reggie Smith
Teacherforce
Aryola Taylor
Los Angeles Unified
School District
Karen Wong, Esq.
Milbank, Tweed,
Hadly & McCloy
Judges
Rachel Flores
Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences
Joseph Hunter, PhD
Warm Springs
Rehabilitation Center
George Kirgo
Writers Guild of America West
Del Reisman
Writers Guild of America West
Arthur Sellers
Writers Guild of America West
Socorro Serrano
Los Angeles Unified
School District
Communications Office
Stephanie Taylor-Dinwiddie, PhD
Pediatric & Family Medical Center / University of Southern California
Phil Yeh
Cartoonists Across America
Advisors
Pat Cummings
Angela Wales Kirgo
Senior Administrators
Writers Guild Foundation
Ed Smart
Music Director
HBO, Nickelodeon, Harpo
Michael Turner
A/V Tech
Los Angeles Times
Marvin Wadlow, Jr.
Line Producer
Tollin Robbins
John Wierick
Screenwriter
Paramount, Miramax, Miller-Boyett
Presenters
Garth Kemp
Emcee
CBS News
Gerald McRaney
Keynote Speaker
Major Dad, Designing Women,
Touched by an Angel
Lou Diamond Phillips
La Bamba, Stand and Deliver
Bill Fagerbakke
Coach
Meryl Marshall Daniels
Chair, Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences
A Martinez
L.A. Law, General Hospital
Laurel Schaeffer
Miss America
Socorro Serrano
Sunday Edition, KLSX
Winners & Honoree
LeVar Burton
Lifetime Achievement
We're researching the 2000 winners list. More to come...
2001
Literacy Network
Executive Director
Patricia K. Smart
Kyle Landin
Administrative Assistant
LNGLA Board of Directors
Joanne Robinson, Chair*
Kaiser Permanente
Murray Blank, CPA
William Byrne*
Southern California Library Literacy Network
Donald Ford, PhD
Training Education Management
Alec R. Levenson, PhD
Milken Institute /
University of Southern California
Annabelle Palacios
City of Commerce Public Library
Anna Parra*
Warner Bros.
Rev. Jacqueline Russell
Faithful Central Missionary
Baptist Church
Reggie Smith
HyperTV Networks
Aryola Taylor
Los Angeles Unified
School District
Stephanie Taylor-Dinwiddie, PhD*
Pediatric & Family Medical Center/USC
Karen Wong, Esq.
Milbank, Tweed,
Hadly & McCloy
* LIMA Advisory Committee Member
Judges
Jose Cruz
San Diego Council on Literacy
Joseph Hunter, PhD
Warm Springs
Rehabilitation Center
George Kirgo
Writers Guild of America West
Del Reisman
Writers Guild of America West
Cathay Reta
Southern California Library Literacy Network
Arthur Sellers
Writers Guild of America West
Stephanie Taylor-Dinwiddie, PhD
Pediatric & Family Medical Center / University of Southern California
Jamie Ruth Watson
Santa Monica READS
Advisors
Pat Cummings & Angela Wales Kirgo
Writers Guild Foundation
Nelson "Salsa" Fernandez
CBS Radio
Richard Kahlenberg
Los Angeles Times
Barney Lichtenstein
UCLA Extension
Socorro Serrano
Kaiser Permanente Public Affairs/KLSX
Ed Smart
HBO, Nickelodeon, Harpo
Michael Turner
A/V Tech
Los Angeles Times
John Wierick
Screenwriter
Paramount, Miramax, Miller-Boyett
Scott Young
City of Angels Film Festival
Presenters
Patt Morrison
Event Host
Los Angeles Times
Carl Reiner
Lifetime Achievement Presenter
Pamela Reed
Feature Film Presenter
James Reynolds &
Eva Tamargo Lemus
Children's Feature Film Presenters
Val Zavala
Feature-length Documentary Presenter
Andy Garcia
Student Film Presenter
Elliott Gould
Made for Television Movie Presenter
Tom Bosley
Television Drama Series Presenter
Barbara Bain
Informational Programming: Interview/Biography
George Kirgo
Informational Programming:
Social Commentary
Socorro Serrano
Children's Television Series Presenter
Emmett Miller
Public Service Announcement
Rick Chambers
Radio Program
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
James Barbour & Hershey Felder
C R E W
Rob Loos, John Wierick, Marvin Wadlow, David Dean, Ed Smart, Patrick Nolan,
Steve Davis, George Artope, Dennis Walman
V O L U N T E E R S
Carol Baldon, Angie Bera, Michele Biagioni, Carlos Canjura, Susan Canjura, Andra Clarke, Cheryl Diaz, Sandy Gold, Alice Hartline,
Steven Hartline, George Hernandez,
Lynda McPherson, Adela Munoz,
Rosalinda Padilla, Libby Slate, Elise Sholder, Bella Thomasson, Jon Thomasson,
Jean E. Virtue, Nina Yagi, and the
Ramona High School Drill Team
Winners & Honorees
Sidney Sheldon
Lifetime Achievement
Feature Film
Save the Last Dance (Paramount)
Television Drama Series
ER "Rescue Me" Episode (Warner Bros./NBC)
Children's Television Series
Hey Arnold "Oskar Can't Read" Episode (Nickelodeon)
Informational Programming: Interview/Biography
Barbara Walters Special: "Faith Hill Interview" (ABC)
Informational Programming:
Social Commentary
Dear Home: Letters from WWI
(Tne History Channel)
S P E C I A L H O N O R S
Children's Feature Film Special
Gary Trousdale
Atlantis (Walt Disney Pictures);
Lin Oliver
Trumpet of the Swan (Columbia/TriStar)
Feature-length Documentary
Sheila Nevins & Susan Froemke
LaLee's Kin (Maysles Film)
Student Film
Greg Marcks
Lector (Florida State University)
Made for TV Movie
Jane Seymour, James Keach, Susan Cooper, Paul Taublieb, Austin Hearst, Christopher Lofton
Enslavement (Showtime);
Jane Rosenthal, Robert DeNiro,
Cheryl West, Robert Townsend
Holiday Heart (Showtime)
Public Service Announcement
Bob Lanier
NBA Read to Achieve Campaign
(NBA Entertainment)
Radio Youth Program
Kitty Felde
Book Club of the Air for Young Adults (KPCC)