Last week, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill presented the National Secretaries of State Association’s John Lewis Youth Leadership Award to 15-year-old conservative media personality Brilyn Hollyhand.
Hollyhand is the editor-in-chief of The Truth Gazette, a conservative news service he launched at the age of 11.
Dubbed a “conservative crusader” by The Daily Beast, Hollyhand founded his news service in an effort to combat what he views as false narratives promoted by the mainstream media. He grew The Truth Gazette from a small email newsletter to thousands of subscribers.
In a statement announcing the recognition, Merrill heaped praise upon Hollyhand for his achievements in the media industry.
“I was honored to award Brilyn Hollyhand with this distinguished honor. Brilyn meets and exceeds the criteria for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award,” stated Merrill. “He is an inspiring young man with a passion for informing his fellow citizens on the most important issues of the day.”
In just over four years in media, the Tuscaloosa native has demonstrated the ability to land high-profile interviews on a consistent basis.
He has held sit-down interviews with prominent elected officials such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
The media entrepreneur’s Cruz interview made national headlines in December 2021 when Hollyhand’s questioning revealed that the Texas senator was actively considering a potential 2024 bid for the White House.
Hollyhand has also interviewed a number of the conservative movement’s national leaders such as Donald Trump, Jr., Ben Shapiro, Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as well as Fox News personalities Kayleigh McEnany, Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters and Jeanine Pirro.
His work has been featured in more than 20 national media outlets which include the likes of Fox News, MSNBC, The Washington Post, Politico, Axios, New York Post, The Hill, Breitbart, Daily Caller, among others.
While expressing his honor for being the award’s recipient, Hollyhand stated his intentions to continue his ascension in the media landscape.
“It was an honor and surprise to be presented with the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award today by the Alabama Secretary of State on behalf of the National Secretaries of State Association, and have an official proclamation be signed into the Alabama State Record to honor the occasion,” said Hollyhand on social media. “This is a MAJOR National Award and it’s an honor to be recognized for my work as a Young Leader! As always, it could not be possible without the support of all of you! Thank you all! July will mark the 5 year anniversary of The Truth Gazette and I have no plans of stopping anytime soon!”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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