WASHINGTON D.C. – The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance has praised Jon Melegrito, staffwriter of AFSCME, Filipino American community leader and columnist of the Manila Mail, for receiving the Max Steinbeck Award, the highest media award of the International Labor Communications Association (ILCA).

The award was for his story, Victimized by Water, a chronicle of the anguish of union members in their most desperate times when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. A part of the disaster relief efforts of AFSCME Disaster Relief Response, Melegrito captured in his article the resilience of the human spirit.