The 天美影视传媒 Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) has announced award-winning journalist Angela King, 鈥�94, as the next recipient of the Charles E. Odegaard Award. For three decades, King has produced hard-hitting reports on race and equity, exposed white supremacist organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and has long been a champion of diversity and inclusion in the newsroom. She has selflessly given back to the 天美影视传媒 and is a long-time advocate of OMA&D. King will receive the highest 天美影视传媒 community-awarded diversity honor for her work advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
About听Angela King
King grew up in Pasadena, California, coming from a strong family of leaders and accomplished individuals, notably American musician and composer Hall Johnson, considered by many as the godfather of Negro spiritual music. She learned the flute and played professionally as a teen with the Hollywood Wilshire Symphony Orchestra and the Highland Park Symphony Orchestra in southern California. King moved to Washington in 1989 to attend the University of Puget Sound, notably the only Black female freshman in her class. Shortly after, she transferred to the 天美影视传媒 pursuing a double major in Broadcast Journalism and American Ethnic Studies, which fed her natural curiosity to learn about difference. While a student at UW, and as a young mother, King spent her free time at the UW School of Communications, the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center and even managed to find time to participate with the Husky Marching Band.听
Immediately after graduation, King launched into her career as a journalist. Her internships at KOMO News, KING 5 News, and the UW School of Journalism, along with her tenacity and fearlessness, paved the way for her first career opportunity as an overnight news writer for KING 5 news. 鈥淚 was going through my divorce, and I had just bought a ticket, literally to leave,鈥� King said. 鈥淚 was going to go back home to California with my son to raise him there. And within a couple of days, KING 5 offered me a job.鈥� As the station and their affiliates merged creating the first 24-hour regional news station, King took her shot and moved from a writer to take a position as anchor for their Portland bureau 鈥� her first role in front of a camera.听
New to her role, King was inquisitive, motivated and willing to take on tough issues head on. Amidst news of a growing white supremacy movement in the region and in the wake of race-based murders, she began her investigative reporting on the topic. Her first interviewee for a news story was civil rights activist听Angela Davis. 鈥淎nother fascinating moment for me as a journalist in my early years was explaining to people the difference between white supremacy, the difference between Neo Nazis, the difference between KKK 鈥� because we often just kind of lump all of those people in one group, and they are completely different groups,鈥� In a 2023 interview with KUOW, she recalled her attempts to interview the founder of the White Aryan Resistance when he was scheduled to come to Oregon to recruit. 鈥淸I] called him up on the phone and said, 鈥榣et鈥檚 talk.鈥欌�� She continued, 鈥�I 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 let him know I was a Black reporter, and my managers did not like that. They quashed the interview because they were afraid and concerned about my safety. So, I studied the groups from afar.鈥�听
鈥淎ngela has spent her career bringing tough issues into the light, and she has done so with integrity and an honest desire to inform the public,鈥� said Rickey Hall, Vice President for Minority Affairs and Diversity听and the UW University Diversity Officer. 鈥淚n addition, she has given so much of her time and talent back to the UW, to OMA&D, and to the students who came after her.鈥� King has been a mentor to UW journalism students, gives her time often as an emcee for UW events and has been the voice of OMA&D鈥檚 Annual Celebration for over a decade.听
Kin驳鈥檚 excellence has been honored by such groups as the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 2009, UW鈥檚 Viewpoint Magazine also named her as one of the 鈥淭op 40 to Watch,鈥� and in 2024 listed her as one of 20 extraordinary UW alumni of the past 20 years. In addition, King has received the following accolades for her work; 2021 Gracie Award鈥揑nterview Feature, 2013 NATAS Emmy Award 鈥� Interactivity/Online Correspondent, 2010 NATAS Emmy Award 鈥� Informational News Segment, 2004 Society of Professional Journalists 鈥� Same Day Feature and 2002 Office of the Mayor, Albuquerque, NM 鈥� Broadcasting Achievement Award.听
In addition to her work as a journalist, King is an independent documentary producer and has contributed her talents to a variety of local organizations such as the 天美影视传媒, Seattle City Club and Neighborhood House.听
About the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity
We create pathways for diverse populations to access postsecondary opportunities, nurture and support their academic success, and cultivate a campus climate that enriches the educational experience for all. Our programs serve over 25,000 students in 86 school districts, 179 schools and 19 two-year colleges through the state of Washington as they prepare and plan for college; over 6,500 UW undergraduate students with new student orientation, academic advising, instructional support, mentoring, financial aid and scholarship opportunities; and 450 students as they prepare for, apply to, and succeed in graduate and professional programs. Find out more at .
About the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program Board of Trustees
Established in 1971, the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) Board of Trustees promotes academic excellence for underrepresented, educationally and economically disadvantaged students. The FEOP Board serves as an advisory pipeline between the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) and the community and provides counsel to the vice president on resource development and diversity initiatives. The FEOP Board joins OMA&D in selecting the 天美影视传媒 Charles E. Odegaard Award, the OMA&D Spark Award and student scholarship recipients and serves as the host for OMA&D鈥檚 Annual Celebration. Find out more at 鈥�/omad/alumni-resources/feop/.听
About the Charles E. Odegaard Award
The Charles E. Odegaard Award was established in April of 1973 to honor a member of our community whose leadership sustains the former 天美影视传媒 President鈥檚 distinguished work (1958-1973) on behalf of diversity at the UW and citizens of the state. It is the only University and community selected award and is regarded as the highest achievement in diversity at the University. For a list of past recipients, visit听/omad/celebration/odegaard-recipients/.