Events

2025 Basics Bootcamp 

March 28-29, 2025  | Texas Southern University | 3100 Cleburne Street | Houston, TX

Theme: Back to Basics, Back to Foundation

Partner

Supporters

Mary Benton

♦View Our Digital Program Book Here♦

NABJ’s Basics Bootcamp returns with a day-long training event for journalism and communications students and emerging professionals. Attendees will learn and build skills that serve as foundations in news and media. They will receive tips and tools from industry leaders and experts. The bootcamp also serves as a refresher for seasoned professionals.

Panel discussions and hands-on learning experiences will leave attendees prepared for success in written, digital, and visual storytelling, as well as fact-checking, personal branding, AI, and career growth, including resume building, demo reels, networking, and mock interviews.

Join us in beautiful Houston. All are welcome!

Registration is available onsite. Register in person during the event! Parking fee of $10 to park in the East Parking Garage.

Schedule-at-a-Glance 

Subject to change.

♦View Our Digital Program Book Here♦

Friday, March 28, 2025

Checking in or registering on Friday? Park in Lot S1. It is right behind the Student Center, which houses the President’s Lounge on the fourth floor. The address is 3347 Blodgett, Houston, Texas 77004. Press the help button and let them know you’re here for NABJ registration.

5-8 p.m. | Registration & Check-In – Sterling Student Center, President’s Lounge

Saturday, March 29, 2025

7-10 a.m. | Registration & Check-In  – Jesse H. Jones School of Business Foyer

8 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. | Welcome to NABJ Basics Bootcamp + Continental Breakfast! – Jesse H. Jones School of Business Auditorium

• Keynote Speaker: Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall Show

• Emcee: DaLaun Dillard, Anchor, FOX26 Houston

This NABJ Basics Bootcamp breakfast and kickoff event features a keynote address from Texas native and journalist/talk show host extraordinaire Tamron Hall! Prepare to be energized for the training day ahead, full of basic skills for success in the journalism and media industry.

9 a.m.–10:30 a.m. | Together We Write: Writing Workshop for All – Jesse H. Jones School of Business Auditorium

• Moderator: Cheryl Smith,  Former NABJ Secretary and Publisher, I Messenger Media LLC

• Presenters: 

  • Terrance Harris, Digital Content Manager, The Houston Defender

  • Scoop Jefferson, Reporter, WFAA News 8 Dallas/Fort Worth

  • Kayla Tucker Adams, CEO & Chief Strategist, KTA Media Group

  • Marlon A. Walker, Former NABJ Vice President-Print and Managing Editor, Local, The Marshall Project

This live writing experience will share examples of writing approaches from various mediums. Professionals in print, broadcast, digital, and public relations will deliver on-the-spot content from a variety of subject prompts with attendees writing in real-time as well!

10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions – Jesse H. Jones School of Business

• Fast Rules for Shooting Great Video – Room #105

  • Presenter: Ted Irving, beingUS.tv and Director for Houston Television (City of Houston HTV)

  • Facilitator:  Walter Smith Randolph, NABJ Vice President-Broadcast and Executive Producer of Investigations, CBS New York

Horizontal or vertical? No matter the orientation, just shoot it well! This interactive session will demonstrate the basics for shooting great video. Be sure to bring your device to get in on the recording action!

• Fact-Checking in the Age of Disinformation – Room #106

  • Moderator: Serbino Sandifer-Walker, Assistant Dean, Texas Southern University School of Communication and Former President, Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ)

  • Presenters:

    • Rilwan Balogun, Reporter, KPRC 2 News Houston

    • Erin Davis, Statewide Political Reporter, “Capital Tonight,” Spectrum News 1 Texas

With so much falsehood at our fingertips, this session explores how to obtain and verify what’s true or not and pitfalls to avoid on the road to disseminating factual information.

• Tips for Resumes, Demo Reels & Mock Interviews – Room #107

  • Facilitator: Tiana Roberts, Newsroom Talent and Training Manager, The Wall Street Journal

  • Reviewers:

    • Mary Benton, Chief of Communications/Senior Advisor to the Mayor, City of Houston and Former NABJ Regional Director

    • Venton Blandin, Executive Reporter, KRIS-TV (Scripps) and Chair, NABJ Arts and Entertainment Task Force

    • Bernadette Brown, Manager of Newsgathering, CNN Newsource; Former NABJ Regional Director; and Former President, Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ)

    • Marlon A. Walker, Managing Editor, Local, The Marshall Project, Former NABJ Vice President-Print

Bring your resumes and demo reels for review (also have them available on your devices) and be prepared for mock interviews as managers across the journalism and media spectrum provide live critiques and feedback. Organizers are requesting to receive a few resumes and demo reels up front to highlight and review. Please send your resumes and demo reels to NABJ Vice President-Print, Eva D. Coleman, at evacolemannabj@gmail.com before the event begins.

12:30 p.m. | Lunch & Learn: Cowboy Carter Class in Session – Jesse H. Jones School of Business Auditorium

• Emcee: Joy Sewing, News Columnist, The Houston Chronicle

• Presenters:

  • Dr. Alicia Odewale, African Diaspora Archaeologist and Professor of Practice, Department of African American Studies, “Before Cowboy Carter: Black Towns, Black Freedom” Course, University of Houston

  • Monique Welch, Diverse Communities Reporter, Houston Landing

A Beyoncé-inspired class is topping the charts and taking Black History by storm. Learn about it and more from renowned archaeologist and class creator Dr. Alicia Odewale.

2–3:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions – Jesse H. Jones School of Business

• Social Media and Personal Branding – Room #105

  • Moderator: Erica Simon, Anchor, ABC13 Houston

  • Presenters: 

    • Jahmal Kennedy, General Assignment Reporter, CBS Austin 

    • Tashara Parker, Founder/CEO, Loud Women Lead

    • Tierra Smith, Social Media Editor, Black Enterprise

This session is about content and your presence. Whether working for a journalism/media entity or creating a space of your own, discover the power in how you move on social media and maintain your authenticity.

• Appropriate Journalistic Use of AI Tools – Room #106

  • Presenter: Paris Brown, Publisher, The Baltimore Times

  • Facilitator:  Dr. Anthony Ogbo, Visiting Professor, Texas Southern University and Former President, Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ),

Your artificial intelligence (AI) game may be tight; however, there’s a time and place to implement it. Discover appropriate use in the journalism setting.

• Tips for Resumes, Demo Reels & Mock Interviews – Room #107

  • Facilitator: Tiana Roberts, Newsroom Talent and Training Manager, The Wall Street Journal

• • Reviewers: 

    • Mary Benton, Chief of Communications/Senior Advisor to the Mayor, City of Houston and Former NABJ Regional Director

    • Venton Blandin, Executive Reporter, KRIS-TV (Scripps) and Chair, NABJ Arts and Entertainment Task Force

    • Bernadette Brown, Manager of Newsgathering, CNN Newsource; Former NABJ Regional Director; and Former President, Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ)

    • Marlon A. Walker, Former NABJ Vice President-Print and Managing Editor, Local, The Marshall Project

Bring your resumes and demo reels for review (also have them available on your devices) and be prepared for mock interviews as managers across the journalism and media spectrum provide live critiques and feedback. Organizers are requesting to receive a few resumes and demo reels up front to highlight and review. Please send your resumes and demo reels to NABJ Vice President-Print, Eva D. Coleman, at evacolemannabj@gmail.com before the event begins.

3:45–6:00 p.m. | 50/50 Celebration: NABJ’s 50th Anniversary + the 50th Anniversary of TSU’s School of Communication Salute & Networking Extravaganza – Jesse H. Jones School of Business Auditorium

• Emcee: Eva D. Coleman, NABJ Vice President-Print, Lifestyle & Culture Editor, I Messenger Media LLC

As the NABJ Basics Bootcamp: Back to Basics, Back to Foundation comes to a close, we celebrate the founding of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Texas Southern University (TSU) School of Communication, both reaching the milestone of 50 years of existence.

Registration 

Registration Rates

(Total includes a $3.00 administrative fee.)

On-site registration is available in-person on March 28-29, 2025 ( See locations above.)
*No Cash Accepted • Debit or Credit Cards Only

• Professional Member (Professional/Emerging Professional/Alumni/Academic/Media-Related Members) – $100

• Student Member – $50

• Nonmember – $150

• Student Nonmember – $100

*** Additional Parking Fee of $10:  East Parking Garage, 3701 Tierwester St., Houston, TX 77004. ***

Early-bird and online registration closed March 17, 2025

• Professional Member (Professional/Emerging Professional/Alumni/Academic/Media-Related Members) – $50

• Student Member – $25

• Nonmember – $75

• Student Nonmember – $50

Note: You’ll need to log in using your NABJ username and password to view the discounted member rates.