PHOENIX (Sept. 25, 2026) – Phoenix New Times has named LOOKOUT “Best Protection Against Fascism” in its Best of Phoenix 2026 issue. The award falls under the Megalopolitan Life category.
New Times editors praised LOOKOUT’s “dogged coverage” of “the corrosive, authoritarian machinations of the Trump era.” They also pointed to the newsroom’s recent hire of veteran reporter John Washington, which they said “underscored its commitment to enterprising fact-finding.”
The writeup also recognized LOOKOUT’s in-person work. The newsroom hosts public forums, movie screenings, bar hangs, gym sessions and DJ nights. According to Phoenix New Times, that work is “nurturing a community capable of protecting and validating the very out-groups that fascists have to scapegoat in order to hold power.”
“Queer people have been looking out for each other for a long time. This award recognizes that journalism and gathering in community are part of the same work,” said Joseph Darius Jaafari, LOOKOUT’s editor-in-chief and founder.
“Fascism wants us scared, isolated, and too exhausted to pay attention,” said Jake Hylton, LOOKOUT's Executive Director. “We’re doing the opposite on purpose. Get people in a room, remind them they're not alone, then make sure they walk out knowing exactly what's at stake. Every party, every forum, every DJ night, we're building the thing fascism is trying to destroy. The journalism and the joy are the same fight. And to Phoenix New Times and everyone who keeps showing up: thank you.”
Founded in 2022, LOOKOUT has quickly become the Southwest’s leading LGBTQ+ nonprofit newsroom, producing investigative, accountability and service journalism focused on the issues shaping LGBTQ+ life. The newsroom covers politics, health, education, public safety and culture while connecting readers with resources and community across Arizona.
LOOKOUT's award is an editors’ pick, chosen by Phoenix New Times staff. The full list of Best of Phoenix 2026 winners is available at phoenixnewtimes.com.
About LOOKOUT
LOOKOUT is the Southwest's nonprofit LGBTQ+ newsroom dedicated to accountability journalism and community-centered reporting. Through investigative, explanatory and service journalism, LOOKOUT covers the issues that matter most to LGBTQ+ communities across the Southwest.
About the Phoenix New Times Awards
Best of Phoenix is Phoenix New Times’ annual guide to the people, places and institutions that define the Valley. Editors’ picks are chosen through a combination of an online Readers' Poll and editorial/critic picks.
Cody Hays is a queer and trans media scholar and Ph.D. student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
In its second year of eligibility, LOOKOUT won four national journalism awards, while its Editor-in-Chief Joseph Darius Jaafari was honored with a Spirit of AAN Award
LOOKOUT will receive yearlong research, public records and investigative support ahead of the 2026 midterm elections through MuckRock’s new Sunlight Research Desk initiative.
LOOKOUT Publications (EIN: 92-3129757) is a federally recognized nonprofit news outlet.
All mailed inquiries can be sent to 221 E. Indianola Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012.
