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| Courtesy photo |
| From left, India Jackson, Jory Stewart and Gabrielle Miller traveled to Philadelphia to attend the NABJ national conference. |
Achieving the NABJ 'bucket list'
By Gabrielle Miller
African American journalists from every corner of the country gathered in Philadelphia for the National Association of Black Journalists 2011 Convention.
Whether your area was broadcast, print or public relations, there was something tailored to your personal career needs at this convention. The career fairs and break-out sessions landed me in front of people I could only dream of meeting.
Throughout the convention, I found myself creating lasting relationships with both students and professionals in the journalism field.
My most memorable experiences come from completing what I called my NABJ Convention bucket list. I looked at the convention schedule weeks before my trip to Philadelphia to be sure that I attended everything I wanted.
I met Paul Goodloe from Weather Channel at the Welcome Reception, my first NABJ event in Philadelphia. I was not sure what exactly to say to him. I was still getting over the fact that I just walked past Roland Martin. But somehow I mustered up the confidence to have a short conversation with him.
Everyone I met at the convention was unforgettable. I absolutely loved the experience. Thank you Indiana University School of Journalism.
I met Paul Goodloe from Weather Channel at the Welcome Reception, my first NABJ event in Philadelphia. I was not sure what exactly to say to him. I was still getting over the fact that I just walked past Roland Martin. But somehow I mustered up the confidence to have a short conversation with him.
Everyone I met at the convention was unforgettable. I absolutely loved the experience. Thank you Indiana University School of Journalism.
Bringing the message back to campus
By India Jackson
My overall experience at the NABJ National Convention was outstanding. I have been told for years how invaluable the conferences are, but there is nothing like finding out for yourself.
I was excited about meeting and learning from prolific journalists such as Jeff Johnson, Jackie Reid and TJ Holmes. The number of influential people and business who were at the convention gave me a sense of hope and reassurance that I, too, will find my place in the professional journalism world. These people were very open and friendly, they were willing to exchange contact information, view resumes and reels on the spot, and to offer any words of wisdom for aspirants like me.
The workshops were educational, filled with knowledge that I needed and wanted to learn. The panelists made sure each person had a chance to ask questions and they answered all of them. If the panelist did not have a direct answer to a question, he or she directed the question to a colleague.
I took notes in each session to bring back to the campus NABJ members. I gained knowledge on various topics ranging from black Republicans in the media and Barack Obama’s impact on black people to learning how to create a personal brand.
I would like to thank Dean Hamm for enabling us to be a part of the national organization of our chapter. As president of the organization, I am certain that our chapter will not only grow from the information that I will share to the group, but also perform better as a whole. This convention has given me the extra boost I needed to lead our organization. I greatly appreciate the opportunity.
I would like to thank Dean Hamm for enabling us to be a part of the national organization of our chapter. As president of the organization, I am certain that our chapter will not only grow from the information that I will share to the group, but also perform better as a whole. This convention has given me the extra boost I needed to lead our organization. I greatly appreciate the opportunity.
Gaining advice from the experts
By Jory Stewart
Going to the NABJ conference in Philadelphia was one of the best experiences of my collegiate years thus far. Being around so many black professionals with similar interests who were willing to share their experience and advice was beneficial.
Being at the conference reassured me that this is the field I am supposed to be in. I have a passion for writing and getting stories out to the public.
The sessions I attended at the conference were designed to help me and other aspiring journalists become better at what we do. Many of the sessions were designed to give the attendees tips and tricks to master their crafts.
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| Courtesy photo |
| From left, Gabrielle Miller, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, India Jackson and Jory Stewart at the NABJ conference. |
Listening to the stories of these great people about how they got to where they are made them all seem so humble. A lot of them went through similar experiences that I am going through now in my quest to become a great public relations specialist.
Unfortunately, there were not as many PR representatives at the conference as I would have hoped for. This just made me work even harder to impress the ones who were there.
The conference’s career fair throughout the weekend allowed students to talk to potential employers for future jobs, internships or simply networking. The career fair was my favorite part of the conference because, as a senior, I am pressed for time in looking for a job.
Next year’s conference will be held in New Orleans and I’m sure it will be just as much fun and educational as this year’s.
Q&A with Jeff Johnson
By India Jackson
NABJ campus chapter president India Jackson conducted a Q&A with Jeff Johnson, senior correspondent for theGrio.com and MSNBC contributor.
Q: How long have you been a member of NABJ and how many NABJ conventions have you attended?
A: Four years and four conferences
Q: What is your most memorable moment with NABJ?
A: When BET got the thumbs down award. People didn’t receive the positive messages we were trying to put on BET. It’s not a surprise, though, not a new thing at all. Some people aren’t open to the things BET tries to do, but we have to ask ourselves how do we use our resources positively?
Q: Do you feel it is important to attend these conventions?
A: Conferences are only as good as the next step. It’s good for students to network and for others to network, and it’s an opportunity to learn a lot, but information for information’s sake doesn’t mean anything. What do you do with the information when you leave?
Q: Did you always know you wanted to be a journalist?
A: I never thought about journalism. I never took a class or anything. One day I ran into Steven Hill of BET and was asked if I wanted to be on TV. Commenting on Rap City opened doors to more opportunity… I consider myself a personality instead of a journalist. I think people need to be careful using the word journalist because journalism is a special craft and requires a skill. Not everyone is a journalist.
Q: What advice would you give to students who aspire to be as prominent as you?
A: Whoa! That’s a good question. I don’t consider myself that prominent. Aspire to be more prominent. I believe that all of us are called. If you are called, then master it. Telling a story is one thing, what we need are master storytellers.
A: I never thought about journalism. I never took a class or anything. One day I ran into Steven Hill of BET and was asked if I wanted to be on TV. Commenting on Rap City opened doors to more opportunity… I consider myself a personality instead of a journalist. I think people need to be careful using the word journalist because journalism is a special craft and requires a skill. Not everyone is a journalist.
Q: What advice would you give to students who aspire to be as prominent as you?
A: Whoa! That’s a good question. I don’t consider myself that prominent. Aspire to be more prominent. I believe that all of us are called. If you are called, then master it. Telling a story is one thing, what we need are master storytellers.
A chat with The Frugalista
By Jory Stewart
“Find something you are passionate about, and then write about it.”
These words echoed in my head as I listened to Natalie McNeal, creator of The Frugalista Files, speak at the Brand You session. Advice like this sounded way too easy. I had to ask her more about this statement.
After listening to McNeal talk, I felt empowered about my life and writing styles. “If I cared enough about something, chances are I am not the only person in the world that cares,” she said.
Yes, it does take hard work and determination to make it in this industry. However, writing about something you care about makes the work not seem as hard. It actually makes it fun.
After talking about the passion behind writing, I asked McNeal if she thinks NABJ had an influence in her career and what it had meant to her.
She said when she started out with The Frugalista Files, she wasn’t even a member of NABJ. The blog started as an experiment to see how she could save money. It turned out so well that she built an audience from blogging and eventually went full time with it.
Being a member of NABJ has helped her with networking opportunities, she said. She still receives tips and advice from other members from NABJ.
McNeal, along with many other professionals, also attended other sessions to learn some new things.
“You’re never too experienced to get more tips,” she said. “The best advice I can give is get as much advice and tips from as many professionals as you can, and keep them in a database.”
After talking about the passion behind writing, I asked McNeal if she thinks NABJ had an influence in her career and what it had meant to her.
She said when she started out with The Frugalista Files, she wasn’t even a member of NABJ. The blog started as an experiment to see how she could save money. It turned out so well that she built an audience from blogging and eventually went full time with it.
Being a member of NABJ has helped her with networking opportunities, she said. She still receives tips and advice from other members from NABJ.
McNeal, along with many other professionals, also attended other sessions to learn some new things.
“You’re never too experienced to get more tips,” she said. “The best advice I can give is get as much advice and tips from as many professionals as you can, and keep them in a database.”
Branding yourself
By India Jackson
One of life’s main purposes is self discovery and figuring out the best way to present this finding to the world. At the 2011 National Association of Black Journalists National Convention, this life lesson applied directly to journalists who are trying to establish themselves in the field.
The workshop, “Brand You: Creating Your Online Identity,” was led by online managing editor of Aviation Week Benet Wilson; Natalie McNeal, creator of The Frugalista Files; Associated press writer Jesse Washington; and tech expert Mario Armstrong of marioarmstrong.com. These journalists give credit for much of their success to the brands they have molded for themselves.
Wilson said in order to effectively establish yourself as a brand, you should use various media outlets in the appropriate manner. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google profiles, for example, should be tailored in a way that best represents the professional self, and that clearly shows the personality and expertise you offer. Your brand should remain consistent and evident across different media, and it should be a unique mold that cannot be confused with another person.
The most important question you should ask is “what makes my brand stand out?” McNeal said to use a strong voice. A targeted topic and a built-in audience will help narrow the focus so that your brand is well received.
Armstrong said a key part in creating a brand is outsourcing. He uses several media platforms, and he noted the importance of networking and sharing work with as many media professionals as possible. Armstrong said when allowing others to view your work, focus on engaging them in conversation to keep interaction going. Different people should always be aware of your work, but Armstrong said to remember this one concept, “share more than you give.”
The most important question you should ask is “what makes my brand stand out?” McNeal said to use a strong voice. A targeted topic and a built-in audience will help narrow the focus so that your brand is well received.
Armstrong said a key part in creating a brand is outsourcing. He uses several media platforms, and he noted the importance of networking and sharing work with as many media professionals as possible. Armstrong said when allowing others to view your work, focus on engaging them in conversation to keep interaction going. Different people should always be aware of your work, but Armstrong said to remember this one concept, “share more than you give.”
Give it your best shot – in 45 seconds
By Gabrielle Miller
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| Photo by Gabrielle Miller |
| An audience member tries out a pitch on the panelists. |
The panel of judges at NABJ’s Associate Member’s Task Force (AMTF) session were Trymaine Lee, senior reporter at the Huffington Post; Catherine McKinzie, senior producer of ABC’s Good Morning America; Tatsha Robertson, senior editor of People Magazine; and Bob Meadows, deputy managing editor of Essence.
“We are looking for stories about people, regular people who do extraordinary things and how it affects the people,” Lee told the audience.
Students looking to pursue public relations as their careers must learn how to effectively communicate, because 45 seconds is usually all you get with these top decision makers. With this set up, both onlookers and participants could see first hand what these decision makers were looking for in a pitch.
Each contestant received constructive criticism to improve the pitches. At the end of the session, each judge picked his or her favorite pitch of the day. Winners received a $25 gift card to Starbucks and a 30-minute, one-on-one session with the judge.
AMTF includes marketing and public relations professionals as well as other media professionals. Its goal is to advance the causes of issues related to these sectors.
“If you are even remotely interested in going into the public relations field, you’re in the right place, so many professionals to meet here,” said Meadows.
The session received rave reviews from audience members who stood up and praised the judges at the end. Some said this was the best session the AMTF has put on.
Each contestant received constructive criticism to improve the pitches. At the end of the session, each judge picked his or her favorite pitch of the day. Winners received a $25 gift card to Starbucks and a 30-minute, one-on-one session with the judge.
AMTF includes marketing and public relations professionals as well as other media professionals. Its goal is to advance the causes of issues related to these sectors.
“If you are even remotely interested in going into the public relations field, you’re in the right place, so many professionals to meet here,” said Meadows.
The session received rave reviews from audience members who stood up and praised the judges at the end. Some said this was the best session the AMTF has put on.
Smart reporting with your multimedia phone
By Jory Stewart
In today’s society, a common piece of technology is the smartphone. Not only does everyone have one, but they are used for everything. On an iPhone, it is possible to use social media, talk, text, surf the Web, email, play games and more.
Having all this power at the journalists’ fingertips makes it easier to report a story. In this session, there was much discussion about the benefits of smartphones.
Here are some of the points speakers and audience members made:
When a story breaks, you do not have to try and remember every little detail. It is not necessary to leave the scene to get a camera because you already have one. Some people find taking notes on smartphones is easier than using pen and paper.
It is to our advantage to use this piece of technology to get the story out even sooner and more accurately. Smartphones can even help us with research, as most are capable of surfing the Web.
Even with all the advantages of having a smartphone, they have disadvantages. What if there is a technological glitch? What if the battery dies? All this can happen, so journalists have to be ready to use old technology in a pinch, such as notetaking.
Though mobile devices are easy and convenient, don’t be afraid to practice old methods because they work just as well.
Even with all the advantages of having a smartphone, they have disadvantages. What if there is a technological glitch? What if the battery dies? All this can happen, so journalists have to be ready to use old technology in a pinch, such as notetaking.
Though mobile devices are easy and convenient, don’t be afraid to practice old methods because they work just as well.
Previewing a movie
By Gabrielle Miller
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| Photo by Gabrielle Miller |
| From left, actor Eric Benet, screenwriter Rhonda Baraka, two NABJ members, GMC's Paul Butler and TJ Holmes of CNN talked about Trinity Goodheart, which airs Aug. 20. |
The film is centered around a 12-year-old girl named Trinity who tries everything she can to bring her family back together. Her family, who had been at odds for years due to racial issues, had severed contact. Trinity who is played by actress Erica Gluck, from the CW television show The Game, wants them to forget their differences and be a family again.
The film was inspirational and left some audience members with tears of joy at the end.
After the screening, TJ Holmes of CNN led a discussion with people associated with the film, including Eric Benet, who played Trinity’s father in the film; Rhonda Baraka, the film’s screenwriter; and Paul Butler, GMC’s senior vice president.
