March 14, 2024
Newsletter

The holy month of Ramadan begins with a somber mood this year in Jerusalem. Last week, AAJA signed onto a letter from the Committee to Protect Journalists calling for the safety of journalists reporting in Gaza. Marcus Yam / The Los Angeles Times.

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Remembering the third anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings
  • Learn about mental health resources for the AAPI community
  • Announcing our 2024 Al Young Sports Journalism Scholarship, Jimmie and Suey Fong Yee Grants and NBCU internship recipients
  • AAJA calls for renewed commitment to AAPI representation 
 

From AAJA-HQ: Remembering Atlanta, prioritizing the mental health of AAPI communities

Atlanta shootings anniversary, mental health resources As we near the third anniversary of the 2021 Atlanta shootings, we reflect on the importance of recognizing the mental health needs of AAPI journalists and our communities at large. For more on recent research around the mental health of AAPI communities, read our post and consider donating to our Mental Health Fund, which provides direct micro-gifts to AAPI journalists who have indicated a need for professional therapy services.

Open letter AAJA joined the Committee to Protect Journalists and other news organizations in signing an open letter calling for journalists' safety, protection and the freedom to report in Gaza. Learn more and read the full letter here.

Ramadan AAJA-HQ wishes a Happy Ramadan to all who celebrate. Nargis Hakim Rahman, an AAJA-Michigan member, wrote a style guide for reporters on how to incorporate Ramadan into their stories. Learn more here.

Scholarship recipients Congratulations to our latest scholarship and internship winners Lorenzo Vasquez, recipient of the 2024 Al Young Sports Journalism Scholarship, Patricia Duong and Matthew Ho, recipients of the 2024 Jimmie and Suey Fong Yee Grants and Muskaan Arshad, Elysee Barakett, Angela Zhang, Amber Chen, Jinny Kim and Sammi Li, recipients of NBCU summer internships.

Elections Meet the new board members of AAJA-Portland and AAJA's Emerson College student group.

#AAJA24 

  • Convention registration is open! Get your discounted early bird rate now. 
  • Room block: To accommodate and prioritize registrants, our room block is accessible via the confirmation process following AAJA24 registration. Register for AAJA24 today!
  • Read our FAQ for questions, including our Covid-19 policy for #AAJA24. We strongly encourage our attendees to be vaccinated to attend. 
  • Have more questions about #AAJA24? Join the conversation in AAJA Slack’s #convention channel!

Statement AAJA released a statement offering 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.

At the start of this year, AAJA, AMEJA and SAJA met with NBC News to discuss our concerns about reduced MSNBC anchor airtime for some Asian American and Middle Eastern talent -- including the loss in anchor time for Katie Phang and the cancellation of the shows of Yasmin Vossoughian and Mehdi Hasan -- and how that may affect representation of our communities in a crucial election year.

NBC has been an enthusiastic leader of diversity and inclusion, and a working partner to engage AAPI journalists. We appreciate NBC’s openness and responsiveness to our concerns. While we empathize that NBC had to make difficult decisions, we shared our concerns about the erosion of the immense progress that NBC has made, and its impact on viewership perception of NBC’s commitment to our communities.

We ask for a renewed commitment to ensuring that progress towards representation does not move backward, but rather we build on the gains that NBC’s leadership has won. AAJA, AMEJA and SAJA commit to monitoring future decisions and stand as a resource and partner to NBC in order to ensure our communities’ representation, on camera, off camera, digitally and in day-to-day coverage.

 

 🗓 AAJA Events

Contact us to list your event on our events calendar.

Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) hold up signs calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during the State of the Union address. Alex Wong / Getty Images

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) calls out as Biden delivers the State of the Union address.
Alex Wong / Getty Images

April 4 | AAJA-NY's Navigating the Arts and Cultural Journalism Landscape | Join AAJA-NY for a conversation on topics like freelancing, pinpointing reliable sources and crafting compelling story pitches at Culture Lab LIC from 7-9 p.m. Learn more and register here.

April 6 | AAJA-D.C.'s Journalism Job Fair | Join AAJA-D.C. for the 2024 D.C. Journalism Job Fair at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn more and register here.

AAJA-New England held their UNIFY Career Summit on Friday, March 1.

AAJA's George Washington University student group held a career fair on Saturday, March 2.

 

📓 News & Resources

survey results A large-scale survey conducted by RJI and SmithGeiger highlights the need for addressing burnout in journalism through flexible shifts and fostering a more supportive culture.

investigation A study by NAHJ reveals a lack of diversity within investigative journalism teams, indicating a critical need for more inclusive hiring practices. The findings emphasize the importance of diversifying newsrooms to ensure a broader range of perspectives and coverage in investigative reporting.

obituary We’re saddened by the loss of Emme Tomimbang Burns, a broadcasting pioneer, mentor to the next generation of journalists and friend of AAJA. Read her obituary here.

 

🌠 SPOTLIGHT: Thomas Huang, AAJA Platinum Member

Tom Huang, Assistant Managing Editor for Journalism Initiatives
The Dallas Morning News

 

"Simply put, AAJA transformed my life and career. I've been a member since 1990, and in the years since then, I've made lifelong friends and benefited from AAJA's many programs, developing into a newsroom leader while remaining true to my authentic self. My AAJA friends were among the first to tell me I could do this work. Now I'm dedicated to mentoring the next generation. This is why I'm an AAJA Platinum Member."

Thank you, Thomas, for your support of AAJA! Join him and upgrade your membership today -- as a reminder, platinum and lifetime members also get complimentary convention registration!

 

👏 AAJA Kudos to...

 

On Our List 🌟📺📸📰🎧

Follow us on X @aaja for more works on our radar from the AAJA community.

  • 📺 “Yanqi Xu: When Your Identity Becomes the News,” National Press Foundation
  • “Asian Americans Are Often Invisible in Polling. That’s Changing.” by Saurabh Datar, The New York Times
  • "Asian Americans in New York say they were targeted over race, study shows," NBC News
  • “The prisoner who shaped Torrance, Boyle Heights & Little Tokyo” by Aviraj Gokool, AsAmNews
  • “With whiskey and sisterhood, Oscar-nominated 'Nai Nai & Wài Pó' challenges images of Asian elders as victims of hate” by Kimmy Yam, NBC News
  • “Korean merchants have kept the Slauson swap meet alive for 40 years. Their final chapter is near” by Ashley Ahn, The Los Angeles Times
  • “Black couple rented to a Chinese American family when nobody would. Now, they're donating $5M to Black community.” by Lynda Lin Grigsby, NBC News
  • “Michelle Yeoh ‘Heartbroken’ by Netflix Canceling ‘Brothers Sun’ After One Season: ‘Hard to Understand Why’” by Michaela Zee, Variety
 

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:

Volunteer Opportunities:

  • AAJA Style Guide | Join us in reshaping AAPI coverage and news standards.
  • AAJA-Chicago Volunteer | Fill out the form to learn more about how to participate as a volunteer mentor for AAJA-Chicago's "Coffee with a Journalist" program.
  • AAJA Scholarships, Internships and Fellowships | Sign up here to join the judging committee for our 2024 scholarships, internships and fellowships.

External and Partner Opportunities:

  • Next Challenge for Media & Journalism | The Next Challenge for Media & Journalism focuses on local news transformation, newsroom technology and global content distribution and offers $150,000 in grants to winning startups. | Deadline to apply: Monday, March 25. | Learn more and apply here.
  • MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship | This four-month MIT fellowship supports freelance and staff journalists to develop news projects focusing on the relationship between climate change or the transition to a low-carbon economy and local communities. | Deadline to apply: Sunday, April 28. | Learn more and apply here.
  • Sahan Journal seeks Executive Director | Sahan Journal, a nonprofit news organization in Minnesota, is seeking an Executive Director. The role involves leading strategic growth and fostering impactful journalism initiatives within the region. | Learn more and apply here.
  • Committee to Protect Journalists Election Safety Clinics | As newsrooms prepare for the 2024 U.S. elections, CPJ is conducting a survey to assess safety needs and concerns, mobilizing safety experts to provide vital support and advice. CPJ offers guides and training to mitigate risks and safeguard digital, physical and psychological well-being. | Fill out the survey here.
 

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Asian American Journalists Association

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