Volume 1, Edition 1
Published Online: Feb. 22, 2020

In this Issue: President's Corner | NABJ History | My #NABJBasics Experience | #AskNABJ |
|Task Force Notes | Chapter Happenings | Job & Training Opportunities |
| #NABJCongrats | In Memoriam |

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
2020 is Off to a Great Start
Dear NABJ:
 
The year 2020 is off to a great start thanks to your various contributions and involvement!
 
On Feb. 14 and 15, we held our annual “NABJ Presents: The Basics Bootcamp,” providing training, tips and tools for hundreds of attendees. The event was held at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas, and included dozens of sessions with expert trainers and influential speakers like Kelley Carter, Roy Wood Jr. and Judge Tammy Kemp. Hats off to event organizer and VP-Print Marlon Walker, our Board members, planning team members, staff and all of the trainers (including some of our Founders) who helped to make the event a success. 
 
I was proud to spend time with our attendees and flew in from Chicago to facilitate an intimate training session on broadcast writing. It is important to me to engage with our members at every level. You can read more about all the many offerings “The Basics” provided below. Learn more about our upcoming Millennial Media Summit in New York on March 7 in the "Jobs & Training Opportunities" section. I am also happy to report that we will host conferences in all four regions this spring. More information can be found at NABJ.org and in this newsletter.
 
Since the start of the new year, we have been hard at work in our commitment to providing you with the services and resources necessary to help you navigate today’s media landscape and work effectively at the chapter level. And that commitment is highlighted by the Board’s focus on ensuring that it is also trained to operate at the most productive level possible. During our January Board meeting in Birmingham, we participated in various training modules throughout the weekend focused on effective engagement, goal setting, teamwork, accountability and more. We also took time to brainstorm about how to further NABJ’s impact as an advocacy, educational and career advancement organization. I am proud to say that we have already hit the ground running with finding unique ways to bring more training and support to our members.
NABJ HISTORY

NABJ History Fact of the Month from Founder Allison Davis

Did You Know? 
NABJ’s first national conference was convened the weekend of October 2, 1977 at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. Approximately 75 Black journalists attended.
#ASKNABJ

Award-winning and Veteran Journalists BenĂ©t Wilson and Ernest Owens Answer Your Questions About Navigating the News/Media Industry

Submit Questions for next month's issue  here .
 
Q1 :  I’ve been with my employer for a little over a year and I love it. I was contacted on LinkedIn by a few recruiters and the opportunities sound great. I’m not searching for a job, but also don’t want to ignore the options. Should I hear them out AND tell my employer I’m being courted by other outlets, or should I decline the meetings since I like where I work?
 
BenĂ©t:  No matter how happy you are at your job, you should never turn down the opportunity to chat with potential employers, especially if they reach out to you. They may have your dream job. Even if they don’t, you still want to stay on their radar in case things change. Do NOT tell your current employer about these chats until you have a job offer in hand. There’s no reason to make your current employer panic.
 
Ernest:  First off, NEVER tell your employer you’re talking to anyone else unless you’re planning on leaving or up for a competitive contract renewal. There is nothing wrong with having a conversation with other employers that may one day hire you in the future -- just be sure to inform them that you’re not seeking current job openings right now, but interested in learning more about their company. This is called networking. 

Q2.  How do I tell my editor I want to pursue freelance opportunities with national newsrooms because it wouldn’t be a conflict of interest? I’m trying to pay down my student loans and the additional money would help.
 
BenĂ©t:  If you have a contract, check and make sure that you’re not banned from doing freelance work. If it’s not in your contract, have a discussion with your boss. First, make sure any freelance writing you’re doing doesn’t conflict with your day job. It will definitely help to discuss with your boss who you want to write for and the types of stories you hope to cover. You can even throw out using a pseudonym when you’re writing. If you’ve been given a job offer, negotiate that as part of your employment package. If your boss says no, then come up with a Plan B to make money.
 
Ernest:  Yes, read that contract first and if you aren’t barred from outside work -- go talk to your editor. If they allow it, great! If not, then clearly this isn’t the job that is paying you enough to have you exclusively, so I would encourage you to start looking elsewhere in general. 
SPECIAL FEATURE

My #NABJBasics Experience

By Jessica Hayden
I Messenger Media LLC

On February 14-15, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) hosted the third annual NABJ Presents: The Basics Bootcamp at Paul Quinn College. It was a two-day event that brought in many different students and professionals from around the country. This event was sponsored by Paul Quinn College, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Dallas Morning News and I Messenger Media, LLC. 
 
According to Bootcamp founder and NABJ Vice President-Print Marlon Walker, the purpose of the bootcamp was to learn different skills, network and soak in all the knowledge you can from the many sessions. 
 
This was my first time attending the #NABJBasics Bootcamp and it really opened my eyes to what I needed to know going forward in the industry. 
 
The first workshop I attended was “Radio for the People.” This workshop focused on how the radio world works and the importance of making lasting impressions in any company you may join.
TASK FORCE NOTES

Photo Recap of the NABJ Sports Task Force NBA All-Star Weekend Panel

Captions By: Exavier Pope
Photos By: Mark Braboy, freelance entertainment writer and photographer

1. Participants in "NABJ Sports Task Force Presents: The State of the NBA and Sports Media" at the event's VIP Reception:
(L-R) Panelist Ryan Baker (CBS 2 Chicago), Panelist Candace Buckner (Washington Post), Moderator Marc J. Spears (ESPN’s The Undefeated), Panelist Zora Stephenson (Fox Sports Wisconsin), Featured Panelist Kenyon Martin (Retired NBA All Star), Host Exavier B. Pope I, Esq. (Forbes.com), Panelist Benny Bonsu (GiveMeSport).
 
2. Panelists Chicago Tribune’s Phill Thompson and CBS 2 Chicago’s Ryan Baker with moderator ESPN’s The Undefeated Marc J. Spears on the panel covering sports in Chicago.
 
3. NABJ President and CBS 2 Chicago’s Dorothy Tucker gives welcome address to attendees. 

Submit notes to journal@nabj.org .
#NABJCONGRATS

Recent Member Promotions and New Job Roles
Submit member news  here .

  • Keith Woods - NPR chief diversity officer
  • Mary Irby-Jones - Editor of The Clarion Ledger, Hattiesburg American
  • Alyxaundria Sanford - Social media at CBS This Morning
  • Delano Massey - Supervising producer, Crime & Justice at CNN
  • Errin Haines - Editor-at-large for The 19th
  • Deon Hampton - Investigative reporter at the Cincinnati Enquirer
  • DeAntae Prince - Sports content editor for the Chicago Tribune
  • Phil Thompson - Promoted to Blackhawks beat reporter for the Chicago Tribune
  • Adrienne Samuels Gibbs - Features Editor at Zora
  • Kyra Kyles - CEO of YR Media 
  • Wesley Lowery - Correspondent for 60 Minutes’ “60 in 6”
  • Terrence Lee - Anchor at Fox Chicago
  • Felicia Henderson - Table stakes coordinator for the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
  • Georgette Johnson - Executive editor/general manager of the Michigan Chronicle
  • Tony Betton Jr. - Anchor/producer/reporter at WPTA
  • Alexis Mathews - 5 and 10 p.m. weekday anchor at WTAP and WOVA
  • Lee Bey - Editorial Board at the Chicago Sun-Times
  • Natasha Alford - VP of digital content for theGrio
  • Alexander Pineda - Producer at CNN
JOBS & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Jobs (Click red links to apply)


Visit NABJCareers.org for the latest job and fellowship opportunities. Upload your resume to share with recruiters who will join us at #NABJNAHJ20.

Register Now for These Training Events
Visit NABJ.org or click the event titles below.
 
CHAPTER HAPPENINGS

Updates and News from Our Chapters

  • The Baltimore Association of Black Journalists hosted "Making Magic: Tips and Tricks of the Trade" on Feb. 22.
  • The Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists was featured in the Jan. 25 edition of the Cincinnati Herald for being honored by UC Health at its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. President Dorothy Tucker was the keynote speaker.
  • Region II adds a new chapter to the family: Welcome The Flint/Saginaw Association of Black Journalists. Follow them on Twitter: @Flint_Sag_NABJ
  • The NABJ-Los Angeles chapter hosted a panel discussion on Jan. 18 on how the AB-5 law will affect freelance journalists. According to NABJLA Vice President Jarrett Hill , AB-5 is a law in California that went into effect Jan. 1. Its intention — rooted in the ride-share industry — was centered in changing the definition of who is an employee and who isn’t. The outcome of the law as written has a significant, negative impact on freelance journalists, extremely limiting their ability to work. More information here.
  • The NABJ-Buffalo chapter added two new board members: Karys Belger-Parliamentarian, and Sheldon Anderson-Treasurer.
  • The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists swore in its new executive board: Amir Vera - President; Raisa Habersham - VP of Print; Gary Cotton - VP of Digital; Karvis Jones - VP of Broadcast; Shelitha Hurd - Treasurer; Eric Nickens Jr. - Secretary; and Craig Allen Brown - Parliamentarian.

Submit happenings to journal@nabj.org.