Observer honored

Dallas Observer staff writer Kaylois Henry received two Griot Awards, given by the Dallas/Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators to honor "journalism which promotes greater understanding of the lives, conditions, and cultures of African and African-American people."

Henry captured top honors in two of the three Griot Award categories for major market newspapers. In the General News category, she was honored for her story "Academy of Dreams" [April 11], which exposed the fraudulent past of a man who was soliciting money from Dallas parents, supposedly to establish a private school for black youths. Former Observer staff writer Denise McVea was also a finalist in that category.

Henry was also honored in the Feature category for "Clara's Last Supper" [May 16], a look at the hard times that have befallen Dallas' onetime soul food queen. The Dallas Morning News also had two finalists in that category.