Got the WRITE stuff?

Many journalists write fiction and poetry in their spare time, hoping perhaps to publish their work.  If this sounds like you, I recommend The North Country Institute and Retreat for Writers of Color, organized by Medgar Evers College (CUNY) in Brooklyn, NY. 

There are still some spots available for this summer.  If you are interested, check out the NCI's Facebook page.  Maeshay Lewis is to go-to person for applying and registration.

Last summer, I took part in the fiction workshop with about a dozen other writers of varying abilities and experiences.  Our teacher was Victor LaValle, author of "The Ecstatic" (Mos Def named his latest album after the book) and "Slapboxing with Jesus." 

What a great experience!  I had a major breakthrough with my writing, made new friends, and came away feeling really inspired. Just last month our group had a reunion reading in Brooklyn, where we each got to share a piece of work with an audience of about forty people at a restaurant called the Red Bamboo.

Here is some info about this summer's instructors:

Fiction – Donna Hemans is the author of ‘River Woman’ (Washington Square Press, Pocket Books), which was a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in 2003 and co-winner of the 2003-2004 Towson University Prize for Literature. 

Poetry - Major Jackson is the author of two collections of poetry: ‘Hoops’ (Norton: 2006) and ‘Leaving Saturn’ (University of Georgia: 2002).

Biracial Moment.. Continued.

I contributed an article to the "Diversity" section of this month's Quill.  Of course the editors cut and trimmed it;  still, there was some useful information I wanted to share.  So, here is the entire article, with resources for more information at the end.

QUILL ARTICLE
by Holly Edgell
Diversity Committee
Region 7 Director

NOW IS AMERICA'S BIRACIAL MOMENT

These days one sure sign that an issue has entered the zeitgeist is the production of a reality television show on said issue.  Recently I received a Facebook message with this in the subject line:
       
        “Production Company Seeking Multi-Racial, Blended Family For
          Reality/Documentary Television Show”

With demographic data showing increasing number of Americans identifying as more than one race, it’s no surprise the entertainment world is taking notice.  Perhaps even more influential in what I have heard called America’s “biracial moment,” is the fact that the President of the United States is biracial, not to mention bicultural.

Since the beginning the United States has been a nation of racial and ethnic blending.  The difference now seems to be that people of color who are “mixed” are choosing to step out of the boxes that used to define them, such as the old “one-drop rule.”     

One organization that has its finger on the pulse of this issue is MAVIN Foundation, based in Seattle.  The “Our vision” blurb on the MAVIN web site reads:   

        “We strive to be the most comprehensive resource to expand awareness and bring              mixed heritage issues to the forefront of the mainstream dialogue.”

The 2000 Census marked the first time that Americans could check multiple race boxes to describe their heritage.  Seven million people did so.  From a journalist’s perspective, that’s at least seven million stories waiting to be told.  While we might not get around to all of them, we can and should make a start.

I recently conducted an e-interview with MAVIN board members Louie Gong (president), Kelly Jackson, and Monica Nixon to get their perspectives of biracial societal and cultural issues and how journalists can approach coverage.

HE:  Can you comment on the tendency of Americans to prefer racial/ethnic categories that do not embrace mixture and intermarriage?  Especially as our society is becoming more and more blended?  Do you see changes now, or coming in the future?

MAVIN:  We don’t necessarily view this as an “American tendency.”  Rather it seems that with more and more mixed race people voicing a desire to claim an identity that acknowledges multiple heritages, we are helping to shift the paradigm of the one-drop rule. That said, it’s important to MAVIN that individuals who wish to claim a single racial identity have the space to do so. There are lots of reasons – personal, community, systemic – that impact how and why people identify the ways that they do. 

HE: President Obama has advised people of mixed race to resist segregating themselves from the other racial and ethnic groups to which they belong. What are some of the challenges people face in finding acceptance from the groups that represent their roots?  What are the benefits of success?

MAVIN:  Research has shown that mixed race people actually do not self-segregate and often desire and attempt membership in numerous ethnic minority communities. Sadly they are often rejected and denied membership within these communities.

Challenges:
•   The false perception that mixed heritage organizations like MAVIN promotes a “multiracial” or post-race identity. Communities of color can sometimes feel as though this outlook on racial identity undermines ongoing efforts toward cultural renewal and racial solidarity.
•   Internalization of the idea of race as biological. This underlies the perception that mixed heritage people represent a dilution of bloodline and therefore a move away from authenticity.

Benefits of success:
•    A common understanding and appreciation of culture and human potential
•    The idea that many Americans share a common experience of ethnic and cultural mixing

HE: Some observers have remarked that the president’s biracial/bicultural background prepared him to lead this country in a way that another person of color from an “unblended” background could not do at this particular moment in history. Is this a valid observation?  Why or why not?

MAVIN:  In his interview on 60 Minutes, Obama described his multiracial background as the single most important factor in shaping him for his role and tasks as president. Ethnic minorities often provide examples of successful navigation in both mainstream society and their respective cultural communities. This skill acquisition can be highly valuable when attempting to communicate and collaborate effectively with different groups.

To offer another perspective, without undermining how ecstatic we are about President Obama’s leadership – and the ways that his heritage and experiences have certainly impacted the kind of leader he is – this kind of statement could run the risk of heading down a slippery slope that says mixed race people are the “answer” to solving racism in the U.S. Barack Obama is a superb organizer, relationship-builder, and consensus-seeker. It seems reductionist to say that he possesses or developed those qualities because he is biracial.

HE: How can journalists get beyond the sort of stock “biracial” stories (e.g. interracial dating, basic demographic stories about the number of people who identify with more than one race) and provide timely, sensitive coverage of issues facing people who don’t fit into a particular racial category?  What stories are severely under covered?

MAVIN:
•    Intersectionality of identity and oppression – For example, how do the experiences of a working class mixed race person differ from those of someone who is wealthy? How do mixed race and *** identities intersect?

•    Mixed Native experiences – Forty percent of the American Indian population identified as more than one race on Census 2000, a rate 12 times greater than the general population. As well, people who are mixed Native and another race comprise the largest part of the mixed race population. Despite these striking trends, mixed Native issues receive virtually no attention from media and, unfortunately, from mixed heritage organizations. MAVIN is working to change that by building bridges with Native communities and bringing mixed Native issues to the forefront of racial dialogues.

•    Health issues impacting mixed race individuals and families

•    The experiences of transracial and transnational adoptees are sometimes considered equivalent to mixed race experiences. Although there are similarities in terms of understanding identity, it’s also important to convey what makes these experiences distinct.

•    The experience of multiracial persons and families whose background is comprised of two or more ethnic minority groups (i.e., Native and Mexican; Black and Mexican, etc.).

•    Mixed couples raising multiracial babies

HE: What are some phrases, assumptions, and stereotypes of biracial people that journalists (and indeed all Americans) should be aware of and sensitive to?

MAVIN:  It should not be assumed that all mixed race people want to identify collectively as multiracial. Some institutions that collect demographic data have moved toward adding a multiracial category but still requiring that users choose one descriptor (e.g., I’m either Asian or Black or multiracial, but I can’t choose to be Asian and Black or Asian and Black and multiracial).

•   “Multiracial” isn’t a label that describes a new racial group. It’s an adjective that describes the diversity within traditional racial groups.  As such, it’s possible to be Black and multiracial at the same time.

•   The term “biracial” excludes the growing number for whom choosing one or more means choosing at least three races/ethnicities. Multiracial and mixed heritage are more inclusive terms.

•   Mixed heritage people and families aren’t new to America. Historical context is often missing from stories about the mixed heritage population.

•   Do not pathologize multiracial individuals (i.e., “Tragic Mulatto” or “Marginal Man”). Research has shown that multiracial people are comfortable with their identity and do not suffer psychosocial difficulties related to their mixed-race identity. Often it is their context (i.e., discrimination, prejudice) that contributes to the challenges some multiracial people and families experience.

-----------------------------------
RESOURCES & READING

US Census Bureau
Census 2010 will provide a wealth of data for journalists to mine.  Especially interesting could be the projected increase in the number of Americans identifying as more than one race.

MAVIN Foundation, Seattle

Swirl, Inc., New York (Chapters nationwide)

Association of Multiethnic Americans, Los Angeles

Biracial Family Network, Chicago

Mixed: An Anthology of Short Fiction on the Multiracial Experience
Chadra Prasad, Editor (W.W. Norton)

Black, White, Other
by Lise Funderburg (Harper Perennial)

Conversation Starters

A conversation in my Covering Urban Affairs class last week reminded me of how much work there still is to be done in our journalism classrooms.

I teach at Columbia College Chicago.  It tilts liberal and takes pride in its diverse student body.

My Covering Urban Affairs class is a hybrid between civics and urban reporting.  I drag my students to City Hall and require them to visit the offices of elected officials so they can see how the "City That Works" really works.  The course is pretty intense -- much reporting and writing is required -- and with only a couple of weeks left in the semester, the class roster has thinned from 13 to seven.

Of the students in the class, five are white, one is Filipino and one is black.  Oh, and the teacher -- I'm black, too.

The other day during a brainstorming session we were talking about multiculturalism and diversity in urban elementary classrooms, the focus on one of the student's enterprise story.  The discussion stumbled onto the challenges faced by white teachers in predominantly black classrooms.  One of the students mentioned how he had heard stories from some of his teacher friends about black students refusing to do work because they said they could not relate to their white teachers.

A couple of my students shrugged this off as the black kids simply trying to get out of work.  (The one black student in the class was absent that day.)

I attempted to get the class to explore why some of the elementary students might be defensive and why they might feel distrustful of an outsider of a different race.  I also raised the possibility that teachers need to be better trained to deal with these situations. Some of the students appeared to consider these possibilities and the student writing on the education topic added that she had read materials raising a similar explanation.

In the end, we had a good discussion.  But, I realized that journalism instructors need to do much more to encourage discussions that touch on race and class even if we have to push the envelope.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder took a lot of heat recently for calling us a nation of cowards for ducking and diving conversations about race.  I think he's right. What a better place to start the conversation than in our journalism classrooms.

Teaching our students to have a more empathetic and reasoned approach to race is important, especially for developing journalists.  Of course, we all bring our own baggage and experience to our writing and reporting.  But, we have to work with our students to get them to identify their biases and to think, explore, report and write with open minds.

Curtis Lawrence is a journalism professor at Columbia College Chicago and a member of the SPJ Diversity Committee.

Study: Black and Asian journalists losing jobs at a greater rate than other groups

In the current national newspaper crisis, black and Asian journalists are losing their jobs at a faster rate than other ethnic groups, according to a newly released study of newsrooms across the country. The Diversity Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists sees this as an emergency that threatens to further reduce the quality of news coverage and weaken the democratic institutions that depend on comprehensive and fair journalism.
 
In order to ensure fair and accurate news coverage, the SPJ committee urges journalism organizations to redouble their commitment to diversity initiatives and multicultural newsrooms despite the trying economic times. Over the past few months, we have received feedback from around the country that newspapers are losing a disproportionate number of minority journalists during widespread newsroom cutbacks.  In uncertain times such as these, our nation is in even greater need of the benefits of the comprehensive coverage.

In its annual study, the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) found the percentage of minorities in newsrooms fell .11 percentage points to 13.41 percent since the previous year. The biggest declines were among black and Asian journalists -- 13.6 percent and 13.4 percent -- compared to 11.3 percent overall.
 
SPJ recognizes the importance of diversity in hiring, so that newsroom staffs are more reflective of the overall population they are serving. Recent cutbacks have hurt decades of diversity initiatives. According to ASNE, in this decade, there has been a net increase of Latino, Asian and Native American journalists and a net decline of black journalists.
 
As a result of the ASNE study, UNITY: Journalists of Color is inviting ASNE and other industry organizations to a summit this summer to address specific recommendations to help newsrooms achieve their diversity goals. SPJ plans to be part of that discussion.
 
The bright spot in the study showed that there was a small increase in the number of minorities who were working solely online. Of the 2,300 online-only journalists in 2009, 19.6 percent were minorities compared to 16 percent of 1,900 in 2007.
 
"The loss of journalists is a loss for democracy," said ASNE President Charlotte Hall. "The loss of people of color from our newsrooms is especially disturbing because our future depends on our ability to serve multicultural audiences. ASNE is committed to keeping newsroom diversity on the front burner even in tough times." SPJ's Diversity Committee shares Hall's commitment and will continue to work to realize her essential vision.

Black in America -- Take 2

CNN is getting ready to roll out "Black in America 2," the continuation of a special report series that first hit airwaves last summer. 

The first series focused on three main topics:  "The Black Woman and Family," "The Black Man," and "The King Assassination."  Soledad O'Brien was the face and voice of the series and served as correspondent.  The people behind the scenes -- including producers, photojournalists, editors, production staffers, interns, you name it -- numbered more than one hundred.  This represents a major commitment of time and resources, even for a behemoth like CNN.

Not surprisingly there were a number of different reactions to the series.  It could hardly be otherwise in a country that still grapples with a legacy of racial prejudice, mistrust, and stereotyping.  Here are a few remarks I found on Racewire.org

"Maybe I'm too close to the Black Experience; however I just did not see anything ground breaking or enlightning about the series. If I truly had to depend on this series to get an understanding of the African-American condition, I would come away thinking, "Oh well, they made their bed so let them lay in it." The series did not do enough to explain why (in many cases) our plight is what it is." -- Rosalind

"CNN, thank you for viewing black community problems. The question that I would like to have answered is: Why America can send 12 billion dollars a month overseas to fund a losing war and can't fund school books for a poor black community school and teachers." -- Taza

"I thought the documentary was awful. It was simply stereotypes on parade, no matter how accurate the data or the bald facts. There was no context and absolutely no attempt to challenge any images we've long seen but never questioned. There was no challenge in this piece at all. All in all, it was an irresponsible piece of journalism." -- JB

"As a white woman, married for almost 40 years to black man and having a black son and daughter, we were very interested in viewing your show. Interesting but too many negative images - the images are true but the 'bad' images were way too numerous compared to the positive images." -- Diane B.

"As a senior white of the virtuous left, I saw most of this program and was deeply impressed with how truly incompetent, superficial and totally self-serving it was. This was about CNN ratings and Soledad." -- Richard Mason

Many people praised CNN for the series, if only for trying to tackle the thorny issue that is America's oldest problem.   It will be interesting to see how the continuation plays out, but early indications are of a much different approach to the subject matter.

Here's a little blurb from CNN.com about the sequel:

"Coming in July 2009, Soledad O'Brien reports on the innovative and unexpected ways people are transforming the black experience by confronting the most difficult issues facing their community."

As part of this endeavor, O'Brien will travel to Africa with thirty "Global Ambassadors," schoolchildren from Brooklyn.  There's a portal to blogs on this journey on the "CNN Presents" page.

Another element of "Black in America 2," arguably more of a marketing strategy than anything, is a Campus iReport contest asking college students to show "innovative and unexpected ways that you or someone else are confronting issues and challenges facing the black community."  Viewing these iReports from around the country gives one a great sense of what young adults are saying and thinking about race these days.  I hope CNN will glean some kernels of wisdoms from the contest submissions for real examination.

Still, I can't help but think that the very best television piece I've seen on race in America was "Meeting David Wilson," a documentary that aired last spring on MSNBC.  It was totally absorbing, moving, and revealing.  As a companion piece, MSNBC aired a live 90-minute discussion featuring Brian Williams and large audience at Howard University.

Here's ghow Rachel Sklar of The Huffington Post described it:

"...(A)bout a young black man, David A. Wilson, whose search for identity led him back through his family tree to a plantation in North Carolina where his ancestors had been slaves — and David B. Wilson, a descendant of the slaveowners who'd owned them. It was an extraordinary and moving documentary, tracing David A's journey to David B's doorstep and the frank, if sometimes uncomfortable exchanges that followed (i.e. "Do you think you should pay me reparations?"). It's thoughtful and moving and works because both David Wilsons are decent, genuine people who seem not only to really want to move the state of race relations ahead in this country...."

I think one of the reasons it worked so well was because of the ordinariness of the two David Wilsons and their manifest and genuine good intentions, feelings of wanting to bridge a divide that neither created but both live with.  David A, especially, seemed to exemplify the very best of America and in its promise.

It's not too late!

To attend the SPJ Region 7 Conference April 24-25 in Clayton, MO (St. Louis)

Early bird registration is over, so registration for students is now $60 and professionals it's $85.

Here's some of what's on tap: 

Brant Houston, the former director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, will speak about how you can still do investigative journalism on a tighter budget.

Mark Horvit, the current director of IRE, is part of a panel on whether the press is still filling the role of watchdog.

Bernie Lunzer, president of the Newspaper Guild, and Arnie Robbins, editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, discuss the future of printed newspapers.

And that's only the big-picture stuff. We also have speakers who can help you improve your writing, polish your resume and make sure that people find all the great stuff you're publishing online. We've got some backpack journalists who will talk about how they manage to produce multimedia stories on deadline. And, of course, we'll talk about the ethical questions raised by our profession's new technologies and new economics.
 
We hope you'll also join us for a Friday-night reception on Friday night and a Saturday-night party at the world-famous Blueberry Hill. It's all included!!

Registration information, including a printable registration form, is here.

That page will tell you how to register via email and PayPal, or you can print out the registration form and mail it to us.
 
The conference is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Clayton, a suburb of St. Louis. If you want to stay there, call 800-980-6429 or 314-726-5400 and ask for the SPJ rate.
 
If you have any questions, please email: 2009conference@stlspj.org or call David Nicklaus at 314-340-8213.
 

Write for a new mag out of Canada

It seems like a tough time to start a new magazine, but the people behind POIZE and POIZE Teen in Toronto see and niche and they're going for it.

Here are a couple of excerpts from the POIZE Group page on Facebook:

"POIZE is a magazine for Black women of all ages, and of all social and economic statuses; that encompasses the African Diaspora and Africa. Independently owned and directed by women of diverse groups.... 

AND

"We are working hard to critically empower our community by reconstructing the image of black women around the globe."

Editor-in-Chief Zella Llerena contacted me to say the magazines are looking for freelancers in the United States, the Caribbean, Africa and the United Kingdom.

To apply, e-mail humanresources@poizemag.com

Students: Apply for an NABJ Scholarship!

Annually, NABJ awards more than $60,000 in scholarships to deserving students interested in pursuing careers in journalism. Scholarships are worth up to $25,000. Scholarships are open to any foreign or American born student, currently attending or entering an accredited four-year college/university in the U.S. or those who are candidates for graduate school.

--DEADLINE: APRIL 23, 2009--

General Requirements

All applicants must be a student member of NABJ.

All applicants must be a journalism major or pursuing a career in journalism.

All applicants MUST send FOUR complete packets which include application form, resume, essays,transcripts, and work samples for each packet.

All applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college or university and have at least one year of school remaining. Awards will be granted for the 2008-2009 school year.

Previous NABJ scholarship winners are not eligible to reapply.

Scholarship Descriptions:
Allison E. Fisher Scholarship - $2,500
Carole Simpson Scholarship - $ 2,500
NABJ Scholarship up to $2,500
Newhouse Foundation Scholarship up to $5,000
Visual Task Force Scholarship up to $1,250
Larry Whiteside Scholarship - $2500
NABJ/CNN Scholarship - $25,000

For complete details, click here.

Leadership for Women in Journalism

The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) is now accepting applications for the 6th annual U.S. Leadership Institute for Women Journalists.

This year's institute will convene 20 mid-to-upper level female journalists for on-the-ground leadership training on July 20-22 in Chicago. During these three days, participants will:

Take part in highly interactive skills-building sessions on issues crucial to effective leadership, including What Is Leadership, Who Am I As A Leader, Leading Change, Leading in the Newsroom, and Critical Conversation: Advocacy/Managing Up;
Participate in small “mastermind groups” on topics participants have expressed an interest in within written questionnaires and essays submitted prior to the on-site;
Develop a personalized action plan for future career goals; and
Network with colleagues from across the country.

The on-site sessions will be facilitated by industry leaders such as Marci Burdick, Senior Vice President of Broadcasting for Schurz Communications; Liza Gross, Former Managing Editor/Presentations and Operations for The Miami Herald; and Marcy McGinnis, former Senior Vice President for News Coverage at CBS News and current Associate Dean of Stony Brook University's School of Journalism.

Institute participants will receive one-on-one (telephone and online) coaching on implementing their personalized action plans for the three months following the institute. This coaching will be conducted by veteran journalists and professional coaches.

Additionally, participants will be become members of the IWMF network free of charge for one year.

Funding from the McCormick Foundation is enabling the IWMF to offer this program at no cost this year. Additionally, 10 minority participants will be eligible to receive a $500 stipend to cover their travel expenses.

Who Should Apply:

We expect this year's participants – like the previous years' – to be mid- to senior-level female newsroom journalists, including Managing Editors, Deputy Managing Editors, Program Directors, News Directors, Editors, and Editorial Page Writers/Columnists.
We will cover topics of interest to television, newspaper, magazine, radio, and Internet journalists alike.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY MAY 1ST. Please click here to apply.

For more information:   Kate Hartnick Elliott - (212) 489-6077

NY Post failed in its ethical obligations by publishing cartoon

Last week, the New York Post published a cartoon that was widely interpreted by many press observers as an attack on President Barack Obama, applying the racially-charged stereotype of a chimp to the author of the stimulus bill proposed to Congress by the country's first African American president.

 

We believe that the Post failed in its ethical obligation to its diverse constituency -- not simply by publishing the cartoon, which it had every legal right to do, but by failing to appreciate the racial overtones before publication and, more damningly, by its narrow-minded defensiveness after the heated reaction to its publication.

 

The cartoon portrays a recent attack of a Connecticut woman by a chimpanzee later shot and killed by police. In the cartoon, one of the officers says over the body of the dead chimpanzee, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.” 

 

The cartoon drew immediate condemnation from such groups as the NAACP and UNITY: Journalists of Color. The NAACP said the cartoon encourages violence against the president. That the reaction was so widespread and vociferous should have alerted the Post's editors to the fact that they had previously overlooked one obvious interpretation of its cartoon. Instead, the newspaper reacted by reiterating its initial interpretation of the cartoon to lampoon legislation, spurning an important ethical obligation to enter into a dialogue with its readers and the journalism professionals who were offended by its publication.

 

New York Post Chairman Rupert Murdoch has since personally apologized for the cartoon and to “any reader who felt offended, and even insulted." He said the Post will work to be more sensitive.

 

The apology is late and much of the damage has already been done, but the incident presents an opportunity for the Post and all other journalism organizations to learn.

 

The Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics calls on journalists to “avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.” That respect for cultural sensitivity includes journalists' obligation to “examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.”

 

SPJ has traditionally encouraged the news media to diversify their hiring, so that their staffs are more reflective of the overall population they are serving. This controversy is a good example of how important that policy is to all news coverage. Through cultural ignorance, journalists can and often do -- as in this case -- fail to consider the racial and ethnic cues and stereotypes they are communicating through language and images.

 

The code also states that journalists "are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other" and should "clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct."

 

After the cartoon was published, the New York Post's weak apology showed no understanding of why its cartoon might have been deeply offensive to others. The newspaper said it was not their "intent" to express racism, and they blamed the criticism on critics who had other reasons to attack the newspaper.

 

Those ethical injunctions include any form of incendiary commentary on news events. Even aside from the racial overtones missed by the Post's tone-deaf editors, it's hard to accept that shooting a politician for a political act is not incendiary and therefore subject to more pre-publication deliberation.

 

We strongly oppose such misuses of power by journalists and believe journalism organizations can learn from this when reporting and commenting on news in a culturally diverse society. 
 

Call for Entries -- NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards

NABJ Announces its 2009 National Media Awards Call for Entries
Salute to Excellence Awards recognize outstanding coverage of black people, issues

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 10, 2009 - The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) announces its 2009 Salute to Excellence Awards Call for Entries. Print, broadcast and online media entries submitted by journalists from throughout the United States will compete for the only national media awards program exclusively devoted to coverage of African and African American themes. The contest is open to all journalists and entries will be judged on content, creativity, innovation and relevance to the black community. Deadline for Award Entries is Feb. 23.

"We've seen the news media shine a brighter scope on the black experience in 2008 than at any other time in American history," says NABJ President Barbara Ciara.  "From rich documentaries and breaking news to the extensive, worldwide coverage of this historic Presidential Election of Barack Obama, these poignant and enriching stories deserve extraordinary recognition."

NABJ's awards are distributed to large and small-market circulation newspapers and magazines, online media, broadcast networks and market television and radio stations. Only work performed from January to December 2008 is eligible for nomination.

2008 winners included documentary work from CNN on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; reports from The Philadelphia Inquirer on suburban policing; a WRGB-TV Albany profile on New York Gov. David Paterson; commentary by Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr.; an "NBC Nightly News" profile on educator Ron Clark; and the Detroit Free Press' profile of legendary singer Aretha Franklin.

Nominees are announced in June. Winners will be announced at the Salute to Excellence Awards Gala scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8 in Tampa, Florida. The awards gala is held during NABJ's Annual Convention and Career Fair, planned Aug. 5-9 at the Tampa Convention Center.

The entry fee is $75 per submission for members and $100 for non-members. Checks, money orders or credit card payments must accompany each entry. Log onto www.nabj.org to download a Call for Entries packet. For questions regarding the NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards competition or gala, contact Ryan Williams, NABJ director of programs and professional development, at (301) 445-7100, ext. 113 or email rwilliams@nabj.org.
 
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4,100 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.    

Meet us in St. Louis -- Registration Open!

Meet us in St. Louis -- Registration Open!

The St. Louis Pro Chapter of SPJ invites you to join us April 24-25 for professional development sessions that can help you become a better journalist. And, after all that brain work, we plan to throw a great party.
 
Our keynote speaker is Brant Houston, a nationally known expert on investigative reporting. We'll have other speakers who can:

*    Help you jumpstart your career, with tips on finding a job and making money as a freelancer.
*    Make you think about the future of traditional media and about whether the press is fulfilling its watchdog role in this era of layoffs and shrinking newshole.
*     Help you fine-tune your writing and reporting skills
*    Tell you how to make sure people see the great content that you're putting online.
*    Introduce you to new storytelling techniques

We'll also recognize dozens of student journalists with the Region 7 Mark of Excellence Awards.

In addition to all of that, you're invited to an arrival reception on Friday night and a bigger bash on Saturday night at the world-famous Blueberry Hill.

Registration fees are:

*    $75 for pros
*    $50 for students
*    $10 additional charge if you register after April 1.

And we offer two easy ways to register:

By check

1.    Print out the Conference Registration Form
2.    Determine your registration fee and circle the appropriate amount.
3.    Make check payable to: SPJ-St. Louis.
4.    Send registration form and check to:

        SPJ St. Louis
        c/o Jeff Tomich
        St. Louis Post-Dispatch
        900 N. Tucker Blvd.
        St. Louis, MO 63101

By PayPal

1.    Log into PayPal.com
2.    Click on the "Send Money" tab.
3.    Enter the email address 2009conference@stlspj.org as the recipient's email.
4.    Enter the registration amount due (see rates above)
5.    Select "service" as the category of purchase.
6.    Enter your full name as the email subject line.
7.    After you have paid the fee via PayPal, check your email for a confirmation receipt.
8.    Email the following information to 2009conference@stlspj.org
            PayPal Transaction ID so we can cross reference with our records
            Your full name
            First name or nickname for conference badge
            Mailing address: Street, City, State, & ZIP
            Your daytime phone number
            Your company or school
            Your title  
            Any special dietary needs.

Hotel reservations
Crowne Plaza St. Louis-Clayton
1-800-980-6429
1-314-726-5400
7750 Carondelet Avenue
Clayton, MO 63105

Ask for SPJ rate of $109 per room

First Family Shows the Nation & World an Updated American Face

I was pleased to come across an article on NYTimes.com that discusses the extended Obama-Robinson-Soetoro-Dunham families' roots.

In the article, by Jodi Kantor, the new president's sister boils down the article's theme quite eloquently:

“Our family is new in terms of the White House, but I don’t think it’s new in terms of the country,” Maya Soetoro-Ng, the president’s younger half-sister, said last week. “I don’t think the White House has always reflected the textures and flavors of this country.”

My own family tree is pretty diverse:  My mother is black, from Belize.  Her ancestors include Africans, Scots, Spaniards, Mayans, and who knows what else.  My father is white, from the Upper Pennisula of Michigan.  His ancestors hailed from Bohemia, Germany, England, and who knows what else.  

Growing up (I was born in 1969) I was painfully self-conscious about my parentage. I felt
"different," the last thing most kids want to be!  So, this paragraph from the article resonated with me:

"As they convened to take their family’s final step in its journey from Africa and into the White House, the group seemed as if it had stepped out of the pages of Mr. Obama’s memoir — no longer the disparate kin of a young man wondering how he fit in, but the embodiment of a new president’s promise of change."

As an adult I've come to believe that my heritage is not only very cool, but it provides me with the best of many worlds. 

In terms of journalism, the president's family history provides a jumping off point for oodles of stories that we can do in just about any community. 

I'd sure love to hear from SPJ-ers who have done stories relating to diversity within families or are thinking about it.

I'll leave you with one more excerpt from the article: 

Diversity inside families, said Michael J. Rosenfeld, a sociologist at Stanford University, is “the most interesting kind of diversity there is, because it brings people together cheek by jowl in a way that they never were before.”

“There’s nothing as powerful as family relationships,” Mr. Rosenfeld said.

Keeping It To Yourself, Take 2

A few months back (Oct. 12, to be exact) I posted some thoughts about journalists keeping their political opinions off of social networking sites.  To wit, journalists should refrain from announcing their support for a political candidate on these sites -- as well as car bumper stickers, t-shirts, button, etc. 

Only one person, Aiesha Little of Cincinnati, weighed in with her opinion...  Here it is:

Facebook is where you "friend" people so presumably the only people who have access to your profile page are the people you want to have access to it. To me, there's an important difference between displaying a piece of flair on your Facebook page that supports a candidate and, say, this:

Radio reporter fired over Obama T-shirt
George Hunter / The Detroit News

SOUTHFIELD -- Longtime Metro Detroit radio reporter Karen Dinkins has been fired after wearing a pro-Barack Obama T-shirt while covering a rally for the presidential candidate Sunday at the Detroit Public Library.

Dinkins, who has worked at WWJ (950 AM) for 13 years, acknowledged that the radio station fired her Monday, but she did not elaborate.

"I don't want to comment at this time," she said.

Georgeann Herbert, WWJ's director of programming, said in a statement that Dinkins compromised the station's objectivity by wearing the T-shirt.

"(The station) believes that our credibility with our listeners rests on the independence of our newsroom staff," the statement said. "WWJ does not favor any candidate, party or issue.

"While we encourage employees to exercise their rights as citizens, we expect them to be on guard against any actual or perceived conflict of interest when covering news stories," the statement said.

Now Poynter is weighing in, with an interesting study.  Check it out.

Reaching Mexican-American Audiences in Idaho

An item from the Idaho Statesman caught my eye today.  An excerpt:

"KIVI-Channel 6, which is ABC's Boise affiliate, has launched a new Spanish-language channel at digital 6.2.

The channel is Mexicanal, which features news, information and programs from central and southern Mexico, including the states of Jalisco, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi and Oaxaca.

That's exciting news for Mexican-American residents in the Valley, many of whom have family in Jalisco, said Juan J. Saldana."

Here is a link to Mexicanal.