September 18, 2025
Newsletter

This September marks the first official Hawaiian History Month, as designated by the Hawai'i State Senate, a month to honor and reflect on Hawai'i's complex history, and the legacy of Queen Lili'uokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. Also this month, Kamehameha Schools, established by an endowment of the late Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, faces a legal challenge to its admissions policy that gives preference to students of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
(L-R Photos: PBS Hawai'i and Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

 

From AAJA-HQ: Celebrating Hawaiian History Month, review bylaws for chapter elections

Hawaiian History Month September 2025 marks the first official Hawaiian History Month! The Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition is holding numerous in-person and virtual events throughout this month to celebrate, honor, and remember Queen Liliʻuokalani.

Statement The Washington Post Guild released a statement condemning the unjust firing of columnist Karen Attiah over her recent social media posts. Read the full statement here.

Chapter elections It’s time for Chapter Elections! Please review your Chapter Bylaws and plan accordingly. Election results are due to the National Office by Wednesday, November 5, 2025. If you have questions, please email support@aaja.org. 

VOICES From arts and culture to colleges and anti-DEI policies, the 2025 VOICES fellows reported on stories that reflect the complexity of our communities. Their work shines a light on underrepresented perspectives and drives meaningful conversation. Here are a few highlights:

  • “From Native Hawaiians to Central Asians and Russians, the Asian diaspora is getting a makeover on social media” by Madison Yue
  • “‘What is God up to in our neighborhood?’: Houses of worship navigate a refugee landscape growing increasingly political” by Kabir Burman
  • “AAPI communities navigate dividing policies at Florida and California public universities” by Kat Tran

Check out these stories on the VOICES website, and keep an eye out as we continue spotlighting more of the cohort’s work in upcoming newsletters!

Chapters Thank you to all chapters for your cooperation in submitting financial documents – we appreciate your support in keeping everything on track!

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.

September 27 | AAJA-San Francisco Bay Area’s 40th Anniversary Party | Join AAJA-San Francisco Bay Area for their 40th anniversary celebration in San Francisco’s Japantown from 1-4 p.m. PT.

September 27 | AAJA-New York's Fall Picnic | Join AAJA-New York for their annual back-to-school picnic in Central Park at 11 a.m. ET.

October 3 | AAJA-Los Angeles’ Sports Task Force Affinity Group Meetup | Join AAJA-Los Angeles’ Sports Task Force Affinity Group for a meetup of members and interested journalists in the Los Angeles area. Email for more details.

October 17 | AAJA-Los Angeles’ Trivia Bowl | Join AAJA-Los Angeles for their annual Trivia Bowl at Nishi Hongwanji.

📚 October 22 | The Power of Storytelling and its Intersections | Join AAJA, AAJA-New York, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism’s New York chapter, and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop for a conversation on storytelling and “Intersections: A Journalistic History of Asian Pacific America.”

October 30 | AAJA-Minnesota’s Trivia Bowl | Join AAJA-Minnesota for their Trivia Bowl at Brit’s Pub at 6:30 p.m. CT.

 

📓 News & Resources: 

news Kavitha Rajagopalan, director of the Asian Media Initiative at the Center for Community Media at the Craig Newmark School of Journalism, explores how Asian diaspora digital media strengthens democracy. She underscores the power of in-language reporting and cultural storytelling, as well as the obstacles these outlets navigate.

resource PEN America’s guide, "What to do if you've been doxxed or placed on a watchlist," provides clear steps for safeguarding your digital and physical security. It offers practical advice on documenting abuse, strengthening online protections, and accessing legal and mental health resources.

 

👏 AAJA Kudos

 

On Our List 🌟📺📸📰🎧

  • "ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel after Charlie Kirk comments" by Christine Wang, Axios
  • “Kamehameha Schools’ Admission Policies May Face Legal Challenge” by Blaze Lovell and Megan Tagami, Honolulu Civil Beat
  • “A War Memorial at Risk: Waikīkī’s Historic Natatorium” by Jessica Hilo, VOICES '25 editor, Nā Lei Hilo
  • "‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Pulled ‘Indefinitely’ by ABC Over Charlie Kirk Comments" by Charisma Madarang and Asawin Suebsaeng, Rolling Stone
  • “Outrage, confusion in South Korea after Georgia immigration raid” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee, The Washington Post
  • “U.S. Strikes a 2nd Venezuela Boat, Killing 3, Trump Says” by Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and Charlie Savage, with photography by Eric Lee, The New York Times
  • "What We Know About the Suspect in the Charlie Kirk Shooting" by Christina Morales, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Richard Fausset, Francesca Regalado, and Sonia A. Rao, VOICES '24, The New York Times
  • “Climate progress is still happening: Meet the 2025 Grist 50” with contributions from, Siri Chilukuri, Anita Hofschneider, Rachel Ramirez, and Naveena Sadasivam, Grist
  • “A Nepali Community Media Outlet Is Using TikTok to Counter Disinformation” by Kishor Panthi, Nonprofit Quarterly
  • “Will Zohran Mamdani’s South Asian Support Hold?” by Prajwal Bhat, Documented
  • “How a Group of Students in the Pacific Islands Reshaped Global Climate Law” by Brooke Jarvis, The New York Times
  • “Dozens of colleges could lose funding to serve AAPI students” by Randall Yip, ELP ‘95, AsAmNews
  • 📸 "Photos: The super-fashionable elders of America’s Chinatowns" by Thomas Sawano, with photography by Andria Lo, The San Francisco Standard
 

Opportunities  
Visit AAJA Careers or follow @AAJACareers on X to post jobs or internships and stay up-to-date on available positions. Check in with your AAJA chapters for more opportunities. 

AAJA Opportunities:

  • Futures Fund | Donate to AAJA’s Futures Fund, an endowment campaign that will ensure that AAJA can pursue its mission as long as necessary.

External and Partner Opportunities:

Fellowships and Trainings

  • Sports Journalism Institute 2026 | The Sports Journalism Institute is a nine-week training and internship program for college students interested in sports journalism careers. | Deadline: Monday, November 3.

Job Opportunities:

  • Mansueto Ventures seeks an Audio Producer who can edit rough cuts and implement script notes, has experience directing voice tracking sessions, and has strong research and communication skills. | Deadline: Sunday, Oct. 12.
  • KMBC-TV Channel 9 seeks an Account Executive who has strong negotiation skills, experience in a consultative, customer-focused environment, and an ability to understand and apply qualitative research to support sales efforts. | Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 14.
  • WCVB seeks a Director of Public Affairs & Community Service who can lead content initiatives for digital platforms, maintain consistent visibility at community events, and oversee production and placement of Public Service Announcements. Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 14.
 

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Collectively, we can celebrate 40 years of impact and contribute towards 40 more years of AAJA's mission of supporting and uplifting AAPI journalists. Donate today.

Asian American Journalists Association

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