Remembering Photojournalist Nick Oza
His images define him as a documentarian and humanitarian
We lost a great one this past weekend. Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Nick Oza passed away from injuries sustained in a single vehicle accident a couple of weeks ago. We all knew Nick had been severely injured. I, for one, couldn’t consider a scenario where he wouldn’t recover and return to his important and essential work. The loss is monumental.
As a journalist, you could count on Nick to deliver impactful photos. The very life of those he captured leap from his images. Words are often just words. Words with Nick’s photos were always alive. His contributions earned him two Pulitzer Prizes as part of teams covering the border and devastating hurricanes.
Human Face On A Divisive Issue
Nick was Arizona’s foremost documentarian of the immigrant experience, his photography delivered the truth about the people arriving at our borders, their lives, hopes, suffering, the very humanness of those seeking the promise of America. His kindness, the empathy he directed toward his subjects, and his tireless pursuit of a visual truth, propelled his contributions beyond photojournalism and into humanitarianism.
Nick wasn’t political. He didn’t have to be. Just look at his work and no matter your politics, you see the very direct message: These are people who deserve our best. His impeccable eye for the persons at our borders defies the ongoing demonization of immigrants and rise in white nationalism. His photography calls out for solutions to humanely handle the inevitable arrivals of those demanding better lives.
An Immigrant With A Camera
Nick knew their experiences firsthand, because he’d been an immigrant too. Certainly, that influenced his photography and outlook. But so did his fundamental kindness. Those of us lucky enough to work with him saw it in his ability to treat us all as if we were his best friends. Nick always took the time to ask about you, your family, your life, and before running to the next assignment, to wish you good fortune.
He also represented a critical ingredient in our imperative to find truth. As a journalist of color, Nick had access and perspective to worlds many of us do not know but simply must grow to understand. While the number of diverse journalists is increasing, the profession has the proverbial “long way to go” toward achieving newsroom staffs that consistently and accurately reflect the reality of multi-cultural America.
You can help this process by seeking out the work of diverse journalists and by sharing their perspectives in your social feeds and through your conversations with friends, relatives, and colleagues.
As you read the tributes to Nick from his team at The Arizona Republic and the many touching posts on Facebook, you’ll identify themes: professionalism, dedication, humility, integrity, and most importantly, a way of dealing with people that made everyone feel special.