Prince Harry, Meghan Markle call 2023 NAACP Award winner 'an inspiration to us'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are honouring "The Markup" CEO Nabiha Syed as this year's recipient of the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award for her tireless work in making democracy work for all.

"When we founded this award with the NAACP, we wanted to highlight and uplift people across the country who are transforming the digital world for the better. Nabiha Syed is doing just that, harnessing her own expertise to push for safer, more inclusive online communities," the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement posted on NAACP.org.

"Nabiha and her team are shedding light on some of the most critical issues of our time and in doing so, empowering all of us to reclaim some of our most basic freedoms: truth, safety, and choice. She's an inspiration to us and so many others, and we're proud to support her incredibly important work."

Syed, a lawyer and media executive, led The Markup previously as President and now as CEO. According to the NAACP, the team has done extensive and award-winning investigations into "how powerful institutions use technology to reshape society." Their "data-driven reporting has analysed the hidden racial bias in mortgage approval algorithms and student risk algorithms; revealed how telecom companies offer lower-income and more diverse neighborhoods slower internet speeds for the same price as other neighborhoods; and how Meta collects financial information through tax filing websites and health information from hospital systems."

In a statement, Syed said she is "humbled and grateful to the NAACP and The Archewell Foundation for their support."

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson also shared his support for Syed "in her mission to make democracy work for all" and praised her and her team at The Markup for "developing equitable platforms and holding corporations accountable." He also shared his gratitude to The Archewell Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, "who have been tremendous partners in the fight to advance civil and human rights across the tech sector."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle launched the annual NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award in 2022, in which the winner will get $100,000 to be used "to advance new work, expand leadership and expertise, and/or continue their impact in the field of digital equity."