Estelle Ellis, the Eastern Cape journalist known for holding power abusers accountable and feeding children in hospitals, receives the Lorax Caring Award. Her work includes court reporting on DMs, Covid and water issues plus mentoring young journalists. The award recognizes her voice for the voiceless and care for animals. The piece presents her as a model activist journalist whose efforts improve conditions for others.
The cartoon shows a large bird wearing an Uncle Sam hat placing dollar bills into the beak of a smaller bird nestled with military hardware. This imagery addresses the ongoing federal budget debate where defense allocations increase while funding for social programs such as SNAP, school lunches, and healthcare faces reductions. The work responds to recent policy discussions involving figures like Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem on immigration enforcement and military matters. It underscores tensions between national security spending and domestic welfare needs as of the September 2025 publication date.
