A series of pictures that depicts a feature story line or single feature theme. 12 photos maximum per story. A picture story depicting the President of the United States, other U.S. politicians, or U.S. politics is NOT eligible in this category.
First Place
Salwan Georges, The Washington Post
Virus Orphans: In Michigan, an Iraqi-Chaldean father of three came home sick from work, soon learning he had COVID-19. By May, he and his wife were dead. The orphaned Ismael children struggled to cope with grief, but also with how to pay bills, mow the lawn, and shop. Nash, 20, became his sisters’ caretaker. He took them to their parents’ graves on Father's Day - where Nadeen, 18, had collapsed at her dad’s funeral. Nanssy, 13, sleeps in her parents' bed, where she used to curl up with dad. The Ismael children knew COVID-19 reached their working-class suburb in March, but they seldom worried. That’s how their parents wanted it. The family came to America in 2012, after escaping Iraq. The oldest children still remember sounds of bombs in Baghdad. In Michigan, their parents tried to provide. Nameer worked long days at a manufacturer to pay for his son’s car, and Nada never let her daughters do chores because, she said, there would be time to teach them when they were ready to face life on their own.
Second Place
Jim Lo Scalzo, EPA
The Big Empty: As the coronavirus pandemic crept into the Capital Region, the normally bustling area became a ghost town. Businesses shuttered, commuters stayed home, and the region’s vitality surrendered to COVID protocols.
Third Place
Susan Walsh, The Associated Press
Saving Senior Year: No prom. No graduation. No award ceremonies. No last school pranks. The coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of so much, but parents at one Maryland high school were determined to make their children’s senior spring memorable, nonetheless.
Award of Excellence
Jim Watson, AFP
Mourning the Drive-Thru: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged funeral directors to try innovative ways to connect grieving families with their friends and family. One local funeral home decided to use “drive-by” viewings to help honor the deceased and enable the family to deal with the loss in a more normal way.
Award of Excellence
Jacquelyn Martin, The Associated Press
Keep Our Community Fed: Local volunteers in the southeast neighborhood of DC are determined to “keep our community fed,” as they lead a grassroots community effort to keep Washington’s most vulnerable neighborhoods fed, with the help of community partners, during the unprecedented coronavirus crisis which has nearly shut down the American economy.