The State of NABJ: A Message From the President

Dear Members and Supporters:

Amid COVID-19 challenges, together we are successfully navigating through the very choppy waters of uncertainty. Through it all, the state of NABJ is not just strong, but extremely strong. It is clear that the commitment to NABJ from you, our members, and our partners is unwavering. So much so, that we are on track to launch a new news operation this year while reinvesting more than $1.2 million back to our members, NOT including what we invest in our year-round training activities at conventions, regional conferences, institutes, and webinars. Our reinvestment commitment to our membership is at an unprecedented level. However, let’s start with details of our new news operation and other areas of impact.

NABJ MEDIA NETWORK

• Set to launch in late June
• News focused on relevance to the Black community and reported by NABJ members and contributors
• Opportunity for members to showcase their work from around the country
• Paid opportunities for journalists, freelancers and others who do exclusive stories for our network (video, online/print stories, podcasts, and editorials)

REINVESTMENTS TO YOU

Here are the specifics of our reinvestments, as we are on track for more than $1.2 million in cash and value going back to our members in 2020 and 2021.

• COVID-19 hardship relief grants (for those negatively impacted financially)
• NABJ-CZI Black Media Press Grants 
• Convention and Regional Conference hardship grants
• PAID fellowships and internships for members (Some fellows are paid up to $70,000 a year, thanks to the generosity of our partners)
• Scholarships for members, some up to $10,000 each (Focusing on sports reporting, print, broadcast, digital and visual journalism, entrepreneurship, technology, and more)

Note: We want more members to apply or encourage others who need assistance to apply for these opportunities as we continue to roll them out. We are not done! Stay tuned!

JOB SOURCES

• The NABJ Career Center (visit NABJCareers.org) has tracked nearly 500 opportunities listed.
• The Producers Database has 160+ broadcast and digital members 
• The Editors Database has 50+ print and digital members
• The Freelance Database has 100+ broadcast, print and digital members

Members on all databases receive information about the latest jobs and are connected to members/companies looking to hire. In June, managers will have direct access to databases to increase hiring opportunities. We will share more information soon with database members. 

ADVOCATING FOR YOU (A Small Sample of Our Activities)

Below is just a sample of the results we have seen as a result of our strong role in advocating for our members. The reawakening of social justice awareness in America and our newsrooms, fueled by the George Floyd tragedy, and further ramped up by NABJ and other advocacy groups, is resulting in earned elevations for our members while rooting out those who stand in the way of diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Called for independent investigation and removal of CBS executives accused of race and gender discrimination and homophobia. (Executives were removed after the investigation.)
• Called for an independent investigation and dismissal of an ABC executive on racial discrimination charges.  She was dismissed.
• Called for ABC News to hire a Black executive to run its news operation (Kim Godwin became the first Black executive and the first Black woman to lead a broadcast network news operation.)
• Called for major changes within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which had NO Black members for 20 years. HFPA, which manages the Golden Globes, initiated changes starting May 9.
• Publicly called out Chicago Sports Radio/The Score when the host insulted a Black sports reporter (The host was fired.)
• After a series of advocacy meetings with the Miami Herald publisher, the paper named its first Black executive editor in its 112-year history. 
• Circulated a list of hundreds of NABJ members who are worthy of management positions from SVP levels to general manager, news director, executive editors producers, and editors. This raised awareness about our talented members and the companies motivated (for a variety of reasons) to look from within and outside to hire/promote, and has resulted in numerous promotions and hires at all levels of the industry. As previously noted, we also maintain active producers, freelancers and editors databases for all aspects of the industry (digital online, broadcast, print, cable), coupled with our career center to actively share information with and from employers.

TRAINING WEBINARS YEAR-ROUND

We’ve already offered 19 webinars in the first months of 2021 and offered 30 plus in 2020, all aimed at educating and empowering our members, providing industry insights/tools, and helping them cope with the pandemic and other concerns. Topics included:

• Dealing with Microaggressions
• State of Natural Hair
• Salary Negotiations: Getting Paid What You’re Worth
• Mental Health Check-in
• Reporting on Equity, Justice and Race in the 21st Century
• Becoming a Change Agent in Your Newsroom
• Covering Coronavirus: A Reporter’s Guide to Covering the Pandemic

NABJ CARES

We hosted the following activities focused on the needs of our members.

• LGBTQ Sensitivity Training: NABJ Board members and Sports Task Force leaders, in partnership with the NABJ LGBTQ+ Task Force, recorded a 90-minute session that was sent to chapter presidents and made available to all members. 
• Sexual Harassment Sensitivity Training: NABJ Board members and chapter presidents took part in a 90-minute session that addressed sexual harassment in the workplace and within NABJ. 
• Chapter Day: Nearly 60 NABJ Chapter presidents or their representatives took part in a half-day virtual retreat to share a Grubhub meal, exchange ideas, ask questions and get answers on how to improve chapter engagement. This was preceded and followed by targeted webinars on chapter leadership and obtaining chapter nonprofit status. Look for more events like these. 
• #NABJWomen: A new initiative to focus on the specific needs of women within NABJ held its inaugural webinar on negotiating salaries. 
• The NABJ Black Male Media Project continues to expand. Stay tuned for more updates. 

ANNUAL CONVENTION & CAREER FAIR (August 18-21, 2021)

We are building on the successful conference last year, which saw 3,713 attendees! We are virtual for our convention again this year. 

Important #NABJ21 updates:

• Registration is flat like last year, and at $190 is cheaper than other journalism association conferences, which have less than half the number of sessions we offer
• 100+ workshops and training sessions (schedule is being finalized)
• At least 4 meal events where meals are sent to your home or office
• Several networking events (with some even delivering adult beverages to your home)
• Dozens of media companies in the career fair, and yes they are hiring
• Ability to upload resumes and request interviews 10 days ahead of time to avoid the “long lines” usually in place at the in-person conferences
• Big-name newsmakers and surprise celebrities and special guests (to be announced when finalized)
• The always popular NABJ Sports Task Force Jam
• The spectacular Disney opening reception that surprises and amazes each year
• Register: NABJ21.vFairs.com

NABJ family, we continue to work for you!

Yes, today, NABJ is even stronger and because of your engagement, we are making a greater impact. Stay safe and be well!

Yours in Service,

Dorothy Tucker, NABJ President

@Dorothy4NABJ