The Independent shortlisted for four Atlantic Journalism Awards

Reporters Heidi Atter, Yumna Iftikhar, Derek Montague, Justin Brake and Rhea Rollmann all named finalists

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May 5, 2026

Five Indy journalists have been nominated in four categories [L-R]: Heidi Atter, Yumna Iftikhar, Derek Montague, Justin Brake and Rhea Rollmann. *Background image: AJAs/Facebook. Illustration: The Independent.*

The Independent has been named a finalist in four categories of the 2026 Atlantic Journalism Awards, which recognize the best reporting and journalism produced in the Atlantic provinces throughout 2025.

Reporter Yumna Iftikhar, who joined The Independent in 2023 as a summer student and later became our lead reporter in St. John’s (covering everything from migrant rights to provincial and federal elections) has been named a finalist for the annual Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award. Iftikhar now works for the CBC in Yellowknife.

Labrador reporter Heidi Atter has been shortlisted in the Indigenous Affairs Reporting and Writing category for her story Innu welcome first students into Innu-aimun immersion Kindergarten, which documented a momentous achievement in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish when the schools in both communities launched the fist-ever immersion program for school students in their own language.

Rhea Rollmann is shortlisted in the Arts & Entertainment Reporting and Writing category for her piece What the water holds, which examines artist Ignatius Baker’s exhibit ‘Belonging’. The piece was also recently nominated for a Digital Publishing Award.

And reporters Derek Montague and Justin Brake have been named finalists for their coverage of a Labrador obstetrician/gynecologist who continued practicing while under investigation following complaints from at least 20 women. The same coverage was recently shortlisted for a national Canadian Association of Journalists’ award.

Read or download the full list of Atlantic Journalism Awards finalists:

AJAs Media Release May 5, 2026 Download