March 6, 2025
Newsletter

Maria Ressa, journalist and Rappler co-founder, spoke with Amna Nawaz, PBS NewsHour co-anchor, on Monday, March 3, about the decline of democracy and growing threat of authoritarianism in the U.S. Ressa expressed concerns about continuing attacks on the press and press freedom, saying, "If you do not hold the line at this crucial moment — this is the moment when you are strongest — you will only get weaker over time." (Photo: PBS NewsHour).

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

• Last call! Apply to VOICES by Friday, March 7
• Applications now open! Sign up to join Team AAJA at the TCS New York City Marathon
• *Deadline approaching* Apply to the Al Young Sports Journalism Scholarship and Michael Kim Journalism Fellowship by Monday, March 10
• Read AAJA’s statement on MSNBC’s cancellation of The Katie Phang Show and Alex Wagner Tonight

From AAJA-HQ: Read our MSNBC statement, don't miss your chance to apply to VOICES

Statement AAJA is deeply concerned about MSNBC’s cancellation of The Katie Phang Show and Alex Wagner Tonight, reducing AAPI representation in national news. We urge MSNBC to prioritize diversity as it undergoes major changes. Read our full statement here.

VOICES Are you a college or graduate student who wants to network with recruiters and take the next step in your career? Apply to VOICES, AAJA’s flagship journalism fellowship, by Friday, March 7!

Scholarships Are you passionate about sports journalism? These opportunities can help take your journey to the next level. Apply to our Al Young Sports Journalism Scholarship and Michael Kim Journalism Fellowship. Deadline: Monday, March 10.

Team AAJA Want to run in one of the most competitive marathons? Only about 2% of applicants get selected for the TCS New York City Marathon, but you can sign up to join Team AAJA for a chance to race! Apply by Monday, March 31.

#AAJA25 Convention registration is open! Don't wait – get your discounted early bird rate now. 

• Sponsorship Join us in Seattle! Check out our prospectus to learn about sponsorship and partnership opportunities, and contact sponsorship@aaja.org to get involved. The early bird deadline for sponsorship is Friday, March 14.
• Room block To accommodate and prioritize registrants, our room block is accessible via the confirmation process following #AAJA25 registration. Space is limited, so register for #AAJA25 today!
• Chapter stipends AAJA-Sacramento is offering stipends to help members attend #AAJA25 in Seattle. If you are interested, fill out this form by Saturday, March 15.

Resources AAJA provides resources to journalists affected by recent layoffs. Some of our resources include consideration for waived membership fees and our career center that allows journalists to find job postings and connect with recruiters. Read the full statement here.

🗓 AAJA Events

Visit our events calendar on AAJA's website for more chapter events.

March 12 | AAJA-Los Angeles’ Fireside Chat | Join AAJA-Los Angeles for a fireside chat with AAPI news leaders at 6:30 p.m. PT.

March 13 | AAJA-Chicago’s Journalists Wellness and Resource Forum | Join AAJA-Chicago for a discussion about safeguarding journalism and supporting Chicago area journalists from 6-9 p.m. CT.

March 18 | AAJA-San Francisco Bay Area's Event | Join AAJA-San Francisco for a conversation with journalists, comedians, and musicians about the Bay Area at KQED Headquarters at 6 p.m. PT.

March 22 | AAJA-Portland’s Speed Networking | Join AAJA-Portland for speed networking at Willamette Week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT.

On Our List 🌟📺📸📰🎧

• “NPR host Adrian Ma remembers girlfriend Kiah Duggins, who died in D.C. plane crash” by Mallory Yu, NPR
• 📺 “Fired employee says NOAA layoffs will affect storm preparations” by MJ Lee, CNN
• “Reporting on a burning world” by James Salanga, JCal mentor ‘23 and ‘24, RJI Online
• 📺 “Amanda Nguyen reflects on life in ‘Saving Five: A Memoir of Hope'” by Gia Vang and Christine Ni, NBC Bay Area
• “The Asian Game of Mahjong, Which Creates Order Out of Chaos, Is Trending in the West” by Claire Turrell, photography by Alex Wong, Smithsonian Magazine
• 📺 “Inside a gallery that remembers the forced Japanese internment” by Ryan Yamamoto ft. Paul Kitagaki, CBS Evening News
• 🎧 “With dozens of awards so far, 'Shōgun' continues to pick up viewers (and more awards)” by Heidi Chang, Hawai’i Public Radio
• “Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman's wife, was a businesswoman, former pianist and decades-long companion” by Kimmy Yam, NBC News
• 🎧 “Decline of student newspapers at public high schools impacts local journalism” by Cassie Ordonio, VOICES ‘21, Hawai’i Public Radio

👏 AAJA Kudos to...

• Ema Ryan Yamazaki whose film, "Instruments of a Beating Heart," was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film.
• Teresa Watanabe, long-time AAJA Los Angeles chapter leader, who most recently covered educational issues, is leaving the Los Angeles Times after 35 years.
• Tom Llamas, who will succeed Lester Holt as anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” and become the first Latino journalist to host the weeknight edition of the program.
• Linda Yu, who was honored at the Asian American Coalition of Chicago’s Lunar New Year Celebration. 
• Yiwen Lu, who started as a LevFin reporter at 9fin.
• Alexandria Kenney, who won a 2025 Excellence in NJ Local News Award. 
• Tiffany Marquez Escobar, who is the 2025 AAJA-Portland-SPJ Emerging Northwest Journalists intern.
• Joshua Yang, JCamp ‘19, who received the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
• Siqi Lin, AAJA-San Francisco Bay Area scholarship recipient ‘16, who was selected for Marquis’ Who's Who.

AAJA Opportunities:

• *Deadline approaching* VOICES | Apply to AAJA’s multimedia journalism training fellowship for college and graduate students by Friday, March 7. 
• *Deadline approaching* AAJA’s 2025 Scholarships | Apply to our Al Young Sports Journalism Scholarship and Michael Kim Journalism Fellowship by Monday, March 10.
• *Deadline approaching* AAJA-Sacramento Internship with The Sacramento Bee | Apply to AAJA-Sacramento’s internship program with The Sacramento Bee by Saturday, March 15. 
• Futures Fund | Donate to AAJA’s Futures Fund, an endowment campaign that will ensure that AAJA can pursue its mission as long as necessary.

Fellowships and Trainings

• Legal Briefing: Serving immigrant communities in the Trump era | This virtual clinic on Tuesday, March 25 will discuss best practices for newsrooms to follow when reporting on anti-immigrant policies. Space is limited.
• NLGJA’s Mentorship Program | NLGJA’s Mentorship Program pairs together members who will make a meaningful impact on each other’s careers. | Deadline: Monday, March 10.
• Trans Journalists Association Webinar | The Trans Journalists Association is hosting a webinar with the Dart Center on how to cope with stress, trauma, and burnout. It is only open to TJA members. | Deadline: Wednesday, March 12.
• The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism | CUNY’s McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism awards grants up to $15,000 and gives journalists the support needed to produce investigative stories. | Deadline: Monday, April 14.
• Walter and Shirley Wang Foundation Media Scholarship | The Walter and Shirley Wang Foundation Media Scholarship grants Asian Pacific writers pursuing English language stories reimbursements for expenses that provide a barrier to access.

External and Partner Opportunities:

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