The UNITY board will elect new officers at its fall meeting, October 6-7 in Washington D.C. Following a nomination period that ended September 23, 2012, these board members have announced their candidacy. 

 *   Tom Arviso (Native American Journalists Association) for UNITY President

 *   Doris Truong (Asian American Journalists Association) for UNITY Vice-President

 *   Janet Cho (Asian American Journalists Association) for UNITY Vice-President

 *   David Steinberg (National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association) for UNITY Treasurer

 *   Nominations for UNITY Secretary will be taken from the floor

UNITY's new officers will be announced after the vote on October 6, 2012.

Dear UNITY Nominating Committee:

I am submitting my name to be UNITY Journalists Vice President.

We are in a pivotal period for the organization, and I will offer key support in a leadership role. I have a track record of coalition building, successful fundraising and membership recruitment.

Through my years serving AAJA, I have furthered our relationship with important industry partners, including groups whose main thrust is not necessarily focused on journalism diversity.

I have a deep understanding of the needs of corporate sponsors, media and non. I effectively promote the message that journalism diversity is a business imperative. And I am ready to have deeper talks with corporate executives about how they can help us achieve a news landscape that better reflects the changing face of America.

As we prepare to select a UNITY 2016 host site, I bring a breadth of knowledge about convention planning and contract negotiations. I will ensure that UNITY reaches the best deal for our alliance partners.

What can I help us accomplish?

* I am committed to restarting the conversation about bringing NABJ back to the UNITY fold. I will work with NABJ to outline areas that need mutual agreement and will keep alliance members apprised of progress.

* I have experience with executive searches that will position us to make a strategic hire in our next UNITY ED.

* I bring my strong sense of branding and knowledge of social media. I will make sure that UNITY's online presence gets more traction for issues of importance to our partners as well as to the journalism industry at large.

Successful leadership requires buy-in from all levels, so I will organize and participate in any number of virtual town halls so that our association members feel as invested as I do in continuing the success of UNITY and our common goals.

Yours in journalism diversity,

Doris N. Truong

I am running for Vice President of UNITY Journalists because I am both passionate about the noble principles upon which UNITY was founded - and concerned that we are falling short of our potential as the foremost coalition for media diversity and inclusion.

As a UNITY officer, I would strive to better communicate with our members; work toward reconciliation and reunification with our founding member, the National Association of Black Journalists; and boldly remind the media industry that the strength of this alliance is much greater than a quadrennial convention.

My first journalism convention was also the first UNITY Convention, and I've never forgotten the moment when I - a Korean-born reporter in a mostly white newsroom - realized there were thousands of us across America, demanding an industry that better reflected the nation's diversity and news coverage that more accurately and authentically told our stories.

UNITY faces enormous challenges over the next few years: Keeping diversity top-of-mind as media companies become more digital; chiming in on national and international issues affecting journalists and the news business; adapting our business model to reflect fewer media sponsors; and answering critics who would love to see UNITY disband and dissolve.

As a 15-year board member of AAJA - including the last five years as National Vice President for Print - I offer a record of leadership, credibility and integrity. I've spearheaded national fundraising campaigns, wrote a keepsake book commemorating AAJA's 30th anniversary, and helped hire our last four executive directors. As a 10-year business reporter, I'm well-versed in ethics, finances and accountability.

And as your UNITY Vice President, I promise that even if we don't always agree, I will always act in the best interests of UNITY.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Janet

This is a critical time for UNITY, with our longtime executive director having left and issues raised by NABJ's departure still unresolved. We have an opportunity to remake this alliance in a way that will benefit all our organizations while also providing the leadership that's needed to focus our industry on the value and necessity of newsroom diversity.

Now more than ever it is important to have UNITY leaders with strong managerial experience who can lead the search for a new ED and work with the alliance groups and NABJ to chart the direction we should take. I have had very good conversations with Greg Lee and Bob Butler of NABJ, as well as others who have a vested interest in seeing NABJ rejoin UNITY, and I believe we have an opportunity to make progress toward a reconciliation.

I can bring a lot to the Executive Committee, including the experience I gained during two executive director searches. Before I was president of NLGJA for four years, I was treasurer for four years, so I have a good idea of what's needed in that job.

From my leadership in NLGJA to work I've done at The Chronicle, I have long been an advocate of diversity in the newsroom. Helping guide NLGJA's entry into UNITY is one of my proudest achievements as NLGJA president. It fulfilled a dream of our founder, Roy Aarons, who made sure that a strong commitment to diversity was a keystone of NLGJA's mission. At The Chronicle, I have worked for several years as a member of the paper's Diversity Steering Committee, most recently leading an effort to promote diverse candidates for several posted openings. I also have the strong support of my supervisors and top editors in my bid to join UNITY's Executive Committee.

Sincerely,

David Steinberg