Trymaine Lee facts for kids

Trymaine D. Lee (born September 20, 1978) is an American journalist. He is known for his important work reporting the news. He even won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of Hurricane Katrina. He worked for big news organizations like The New York Times and The Huffington Post. Today, Trymaine Lee is a national reporter for MSNBC. He also hosts a podcast called Into America.

Early Life and Education

Trymaine Lee grew up in Chesilhurst, New Jersey. When he was a child, he showed an early interest in writing. He also enjoyed sports. He went to the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

After high school, Trymaine studied at Camden County College. He earned an associate degree in communications. Then, he went to Rowan University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. While at Rowan, he wrote for the school newspaper, The Whit. He was also involved with the NAACP.

Journalism Career

Trymaine Lee started his career reporting on police and crime. He worked for newspapers like the Philadelphia Tribune and The Trentonian. His articles also appeared in popular magazines such as Ebony and Essence.

Reporting on Hurricane Katrina

Trymaine Lee was a reporter for The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans. He had only been there for four months when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. He chose to stay and report on the storm as it happened.

His article, "Nightmare in the 9th Ward all too real for one woman," was published online. The newspaper could not be printed because of the storm. This article was one of the stories that helped The Times-Picayune staff win a Pulitzer Prize in 2006. This was the first time a Pulitzer was given for online journalism.

Working at The New York Times

From 2006 to 2010, Trymaine Lee worked as a reporter for The New York Times. He mainly covered news in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. He also reported from other areas like Albany and Brooklyn.

Reporting for The Huffington Post

In 2011, Trymaine Lee joined The Huffington Post. He covered important national issues that affected the black community.

Covering the Trayvon Martin Case

Trymaine Lee was one of the first national reporters to cover the story of Trayvon Martin. He started reporting on the case for Huffington Post's Black Voices in March 2012. He wrote many stories about it that month. He believes his early reports helped bring attention to the case.

Joining MSNBC

In 2012, Trymaine Lee became a national reporter for MSNBC. He reports on social justice issues. He also covers how politics and new rules affect people's daily lives. In 2020, he started hosting the MSNBC podcast Into America.

Awards and Recognition

• Pulitzer Prize: In 2006, Trymaine Lee shared the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting. He won it with other reporters from The Times-Picayune for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina.
• Emerging Journalist of the Year: In 2006, the National Association of Black Journalists named him an "Emerging Journalist of the Year."
• Griot Award: In 2011, he received the Griot award from the New York chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.
• Sidney Award: In 2012, he won the April Sidney Award from the Sidney Hillman Foundation for his reporting on the Trayvon Martin case.
• Alumni Recognition: Both Rowan University and Camden County College have honored him as an outstanding former student.
• Podcast Host of the Year: In 2021, Trymaine Lee won "Podcast Host of the Year" at the Adweek Podcast Awards.