Hashie Awards are leaving LA as social media champions expand; their first stop: Kansas City
October 7, 2026 | Tommy Felts
2025 Hashie Award winner Krystal Ruiz, a public relations specialist and social media manager at the Los Angeles Public Library, holds her trophy alongside Mandy Hoskinson, vice president of operations for Social Media Club, organizer of the Hashie Awards, which were held in Los Angeles in 2026; courtesy photo
After more than a decade honoring the best in social media, digital campaigns and content creation within select cities, an industry advocate has opened its Hashie Awards to global submissions — with an in-person awards celebration slated for May 2027 in Kansas City.
Kansas City is the first host city in the Hashies‘ national expansion, following the program’s inaugural global awards event in Los Angeles. The Hashies recognize marketers of every kind, from independent creators and small business owners to in-house teams and agencies.
“Being first on the list says a lot,” said Mandy Hoskinson, the LA-based vice president of operations for Social Media Club, organizer of the Hashie Awards. “We wanted our first stop to be a place where professional and community growth is accelerating.”
Jessica Sewing, chapter president for Social Media Club Kansas City, with speakers from Kansas City’s State of Social Media Day — Sandra Moore, Caroline Adams, Angie Pedersen, and Maliha Kahn — in June 2026 at Blip Roasters; courtesy photo
The decision also traces to one local leader: Jessica Sewing, who serves as chapter president for Social Media Club Kansas City, which she relaunched a year ago.
A former middle school teacher in Joplin, Missouri, Sewing approached social media with curiosity, she said, initially volunteering to help with the Hashie Awards. That role launched her into a new career in marketing.
“Bringing the global celebration to Kansas City gives our community a stage to show what we can do, and it opens doors for people who are just getting started, the way it did for me,” Sewing said.
The Kansas City celebration is expected to draw about 100 marketers, creators and business leaders, bring visitors to local businesses, and connect Kansas City talent with Social Media Club members nationwide, said Hoskinson.
Jessica Sewing, chapter president for Social Media Club Kansas City, with three of Kansas City’s 2025 Hashie Award winners — Glenn Robinson, Camron Smith, and Comfy Stennis — in May 2026; courtesy photo
It arrives the spring after the FIFA World Cup helped put Kansas City in front of a global audience, she emphasized.
“From a national perspective, Kansas City’s social media efforts were excellent during the World Cup,” Hoskinson said, lauding the work of local content creators, businesses and civic groups during the five-week sports event. “Being heard amongst 16 cities is no easy feat. Translating the success of a major event to local marketing is challenging. Institutions have an opportunity to add more flavor to their accounts, from featuring more unique stories to incorporating the most passionate fans.”
Created by Social Media Club in 2014, the Hashie Awards are currently recruiting Kansas City partners (sponsors, judges and venues), along with award entrants, said Hoskinson, who also serves as president of the organization’s Los Angeles chapter
Click here to learn more about submitting entries to the Hashie Awards. Applications close Dec. 15. Click here for a list of award categories.
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