Karen Holmes Ward is this year’s recipient of the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition (MAWOCC) Public Service Champion Award. Ward is the host and executive producer of the Emmy-nominated, AP award-winning weekly magazine program CityLine at WCVB. As a staple of the Boston broadcast world, she has had a multi-decade career in public service broadcasting. Presented to leaders who have made significant contributions in this area, Ward has consistently gone above and beyond throughout her career, to shed light on events within the community and amplify what often goes overlooked in the Commonwealth and beyond
A trailblazer at WCVB, Ward has also led a variety of community outreach initiatives aimed at raising awareness about affordable housing in the Boston area and the need for access to common areas for non-profits, through projects such as “Five Fixer Upper” and “Extreme Makeover: My Hometown.”
In her role at CityLine, Ward has had the opportunity to speak to several notable figures, including Oscar award winners Regina King, Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker, Octavia Spencer and Denzel Washington.
At Channel 5, she has provided a platform for stories within communities of color to be heard, raising awareness not only to the complex obstacles they face but also highlighting their many accomplishments. Indeed, The Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition is dedicated to eradicating these racial inequities through authentic inclusion in the areas of political and civic leadership.
A monumental honor, this MAWOCC award would be an addition to the many that Ward has already accumulated throughout her career as a direct result of her hard work and dedication to uplifting the stories of underrepresented communities.
Inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2018, she has also received the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ‘Silver Circle’ Award for Lifetime Achievement, Boston Jaycees Ten outstanding Young Leaders award, National Association of Black Journalist Region I Journalist of the Year award and many others.
