Zaydee Sanchez is an independent Mexican American documentary photographer and writer from Tulare, California, an agricultural town in the Central Valley that deeply inspires her work. Her storytelling centers on labor workers, the environment, and migration, with a focus on long-form narratives that aim to inform, connect, and illuminate the resilience of humanity. Zaydee is a recipient of the 2025 American Mosaic Journalism Prize, where a panel of judges recognized her “poignant coverage of farm workers, migrants, and transgender Latine groups.” Some of her clients include ProPublica, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NPR, Palabra, and more.

Emil Lendof is a Managing Photo Editor for The Wall Street Journal. Over the past six years, he has helped expand and elevate the Journal’s visual storytelling through thoughtful photography assignments and impactful illustrations for core coverage areas in the Newsroom. Emil serves on the NAHJ’s Visual Task Force and the Society of Publication Designers boards. In his free time, you can find him photographing and developing his own film or lost in the stacks at the nearest bookstore.

Virginia Lozano is a Senior photo editor at NPR covering special projects and U.S.immigration. She also produces photo essays for NPR’s Picture Show with a focus on race and identity. Previously, she edited at The New York Times, where she helped lead their 2020 election photo coverage and investigations projects. Virginia has also photographed and edited for The Intercept and The Detroit News. She is an alumna of the University of Michigan.

Emily Curiel is from Los Angeles, California. She graduated from San Francisco State University and is a photojournalist at The Kansas City Star, where she covers breaking news, sports, and features. In 2024, she received Photo of the Year for Best Action Sports Photo. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, spending