Amendments Debate: The Monitor Aug. 4, 2023

Amendments Proposals Stir Debate Among Membership

Heated Discussion on the Topic Took Place at Business Meeting

BY CHARLENE RICHARDS

As voting closes Friday evening for NABJ’s elections, two amendment proposals for the organization’s constitution have been stirring contentious debate among membership.

Dorothy Tucker, NABJ’s current president who has served two terms, was hesitant to comment on the new amendment proposals, saying that she will not speak directly on the matter because she doesn’t want to “influence anybody’s vote.”

Proposal No. 3 “formalizes an appeal process” and states that “membership shall be terminated/ suspended for malfeasance, i.e. misappropriation of funds, other criminal acts and inappropriate behavior as defined by NABJ Operating Procedures, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics.”

Proposal No. 4 proposes a new amendment that brings clarity to what constitutes a quorum for annual meetings.

The language states that “51 percent of a majority of the voting membership must be registered at the convention,” and that “no less than 5 percent of that number must be present at a duly called and authorized annual meeting for any resolution to be considered adopted and binding on the organization.”

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KATHRYN STYER MARTINEZ/NABJ MONITOR

Candidates, shown at the candidates forum Thursday, talked with the NABJ Monitor about the constitutional amendments.

NABJMONITOR.COM/2023

READY FOR SOME HEALTHY FOOD? HERE ARE 7 NEARBY CHOICES

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY CASSANDRA

DUMAY

This year’s convention destination, the Sheraton and Westin Birmingham Hotel, is close to an exciting downtown food scene. Here are some healthy food locations that are around a five-minute drive from the hotel.

WORTH THE TRIP

2023 STAFF

CAYLA CADE

LENTHEUS CHANEY

ALYSSA COOPER

MAIYA CREWS

EDI DOH

CASSANDRA DUMAY

COURTNEY HANCOCK

SHANAÉ HARTE

GRANT HINES

JASMINE FRANKLIN

KAYA FREEMAN

DEANNA GILES

SHANAÉ HARTE

GEORGE HOWARD IV

ASAR JOHN

ZOIE LAMBERT

MYA NICHOLSON

CHRISTINA NORRIS

TOLU OLASOJI

ELIJAH PITTMAN

CHARLENE RICHARDS

SYDNEY ROSS

MALEIKA STEWART

KATHRYN STYER MARTINEZ

ELAINA WHITE

CARLTON WIGGINS

KHENEDI WRIGHT

ELEAZAR YISRAEL

URBAN COOKHOUSE

1801 5TH AVE. N., BIRMINGHAM PRICE RANGE: $11-$47 HOURS: 10 A.M TO 4 P.M., MONDAY-FRIDAY

2

YO’ MAMA’S

2328 2ND AVE. N., BIRMINGHAM

PRICE RANGE: $11-$14

HOURS: 10:30 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M. MONDAY-FRIDAY

Yo’ Mama’s is a black-owned restaurant offering gluten-free options for soul food classics including chicken and waffles, pork chops, and shrimp and grits. Visitors can select the gluten-free option to any dish on the menu when they order.

MORE INFO: YOMAMASMEALS.SQUARE.SITE/

3 BRICK & TIN

214 20TH ST. N., BIRMINGHAM

PRICE RANGE: $9-$16

HOURS: 10:30 A.M. TO 3 P.M., MONDAY-FRIDAY

Have time to travel a bit farther? These healthy food locations are under a 15-minute drive from the convention location.

4 GREENHOUSE

1017 OXMOOR ROAD, HOMEWOOD

PRICE RANGE: $12-$20

HOURS: 10 A.M. TO 8 P.M. TUESDAY-SATURDAY

Greenhouse is 15 minutes away from the NABJ convention center and aims to sell what it calls feel good, whole food meals. The menu features salads, sandwiches, cookies and sides such as chickpea fritters, white bean hummus and roasted

MORE INFO: WWW.GREENHOUSEBHAM.COM

5 BLUEROOT CO.

2829 2ND AVE. S., BIRMINGHAM

PRICE RANGE: $16-$20

HOURS: 11 A.M. TO 3 P.M. MONDAY-FRIDAY AND 7 A.M. TO 1 P.M. ON SATURDAY

Blueroot Co. specializes in “nutrientdense food for those on the move,” according to the restaurant’s website, and is 8 minutes away from the NABJ convention. The menu includes specialty burgers, warm bowls, salads and smoothies.

MORE INFO: BLUEROOTCO.COM/

6 CHOP N FRESH

291 RELE ST., MOUNTAIN BROOK

PRICE RANGE: $13-$17

7 CHOPT CREATIVE

331 SUMMIT BLVD., BIRMINGHAM PRICE RANGE: $8-$15

HOURS: 10:30 A.M. TO 8 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY AND 11 A.M. TO 8 P.M. ON SUNDAY

Chopt Creative is a 13-minute drive from the Sheraton and Westin and sells salads, wraps and warm bowls. The summer menu, including the summer corn Caesar wrap and sweet summer Cobb salad, features in-season, locally sourced ingredients.

MORE INFO: WWW.CHOPTSALAD.COM/

CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

• HBCU Transformation: The Next Frontier After U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action

12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT

03 NABJMONITOR.COM/2023 FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2023

students and young professionals.

NABJ President Dorothy Tucker’s Tenure Ends Friday but Plans to Stay Active With Organization

BY SYDNEY ROSS

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- After four years, Dorothy Tucker’s presidency of the National Association of Black Journalists comes to an end. Taking office in 2019, she is only the second person to ever hold the position for two consecutive terms, following her predecessor Sarah Glover.

Tucker will conclude her tenure this week, and the newly elected president will be announced today at the NABJ Election Press Conference starting at 5:30 p.m.

Described by her NABJ colleagues as patient and selfless, her tenure as president through the pandemic, increased media layoffs, social justice protests and members’ critiques has been eventful.

Months after she took the top office, all gatherings were canceled after the COVID19 pandemic was declared. That forced difficult decisions about the 2020 convention, which eventually went virtual. When she came into office, LGBTQ+ members were concerned about their place in the organization. She released a statement, the first for an NABJ president, declaring NABJ a safe space for the community.

“It takes a lot to run this organization.”

“I know it’s a small thing, but for me, it means that some young person who is in market number 120 may very well be on ‘60 Minutes’ one day,” Tucker said. Though she will no longer be the president, she hopes to continue working on some key projects including a new gathering on Martha’s Vineyard.

“I want to expand the Investigative Task Force so that we are doing even more sessions, more workshops,” Tucker said. “Right now, we have a couple of webinars throughout the year. I want to have an Investigative Journalism Media Institute… where our members can learn, can grow, and those who are interested in becoming investigative journalists can just gather the tools that they need.” Convention programming chair Glenn E. Rice said Tucker will be remembered for her tenacity and drive.

“It takes a lot to run this organization,” Rice said. “And she is very patient, forward-thinking [and] always putting members ahead.”

As she heads out of office this week, she hopes to see NABJ continue on the path of expanding globally. During her tenure, she has witnessed firsthand how important the need is.

MORE INFO: BRICKANDTIN.COM

HOURS: 10:30 A.M.-8 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY AND 10:30 A.M.-7 P.M. ON SUNDAY

At Chop N Fresh, customers can choose from a menu of salads and warm bowls or customize their own. This restaurant is 9 minutes away from the Sheraton and Westin and offers a long list of salad dressings to choose from, including Korean BBQ, lime cilantro jalapeño and pesto vinaigrette.

MORE INFO: WWW.CHOPNFRESH.COM/

Ballroom - Westin

• Black Women and HIV: The Stories We Need, and How to Tell Them W.E.B. Du Bois

| Session Powered by Viiv Healthcare

2:30 p.m. to 4 pm CDT

East Ballroom A (1st Floor) - BJCC

“Just like you do when you cover a story, you get all the sides before you put out a statement before you make the decision,” Tucker said. “I learned that you have to take a step back. The best way to do that was to move slow and not be pressured.”

She also launched several initiatives and programs and found time to provide a listening ear to members.

“I jokingly say that we have over 4,000 members, and I think every one of them has my phone number,” Tucker said. “People know that they can call me anytime [and] I’m not only going to answer, I really am going to attempt to respond and address whatever issue it is.”

Dr. Syb Brown, a journalism professor at Belmont University and NABJ academic representative, said Tucker has always

been willing to serve and set a high example.

“I grew up watching Dorothy Tucker as a teenager,” Brown said, noting Tucker’s long tenure at CBS News in Chicago, where she currently serves as an investigative reporter. “A part of the reason I wanted to be on camera was Dorothy.”

Among her initiatives, Tucker has established the Entrepreneur Academy and

launched the Investigative Task Torce. But what she is most proud of is the development and success of Black News & Views.

“Since I joined this organization more than 40 years ago, there’s always been rumblings about we should have our own, we should build our own, we should do our own,” Tucker said. “It was under our administration that we did that.”

Tucker enjoys speaking to and inspiring

“In my travels in NABJ, the problems we face in terms of racism, in terms of sexism, in terms of negative portrayals of Black people on television and in the media, those are the same kind of issues they face in Brazil, [and] the same kind of issues they even face in parts of Africa,” Tucker said. “I would like to see [the] NABJ Grant of Advocacy be extended to other journalists around this world who need to learn how we do it, how we fight and how we make change.”

She also hopes to see the organization continue developing more partnerships with other outlets and organizations abroad.

“We are the most respected journalism organization in the industry,” Tucker said. “There are companies out there who, once they know what we do and understand the importance of NABJ, they will be more than happy to support the program that we have.”

Looking Back over Dorothy Tucker’s NABJ Presidency

GLENN E. RICE NABJ CONVENTION PROGRAMMING CHAIR

Dorothy Tucker through the years: Upper left, Tucker at the Hall of Fame in 2016, upper right, Tucker winning in 2019, bottom, Tucker and the board in 2022 in Las Vegas.

MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE/NABJ MONITOR ARCHIVE

JASON MICCOLO JOHNSON/NABJ

CHRISTINA NORRIS/NABJ MONITOR

Amendments Proposals Stir Debate Among Membership

Tucker did, however, talk about why the constitution committee may have proposed the code of conduct amendment, referring to preventing possible events of mismanagement of local level finances, financial improprieties on the national level and sexual harassment to name a few.

“I think it’s important for us to make sure that when our members feel as if they have a complaint, that there is a code of conduct in place that has some teeth behind it, to address their concerns,” Tucker said. “That amendment makes sure that under the code of conduct, there is an ad hoc committee that will hear your concerns and respond.”

Former NABJ member Ernest Owens, a journalist, author and president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, was suspended by the board in March for a “sustained pattern of violations over several years of misinformation, disinformation and defamatory statements” which violate the NABJ Code of Conduct according to an official board document exclusively obtained by the NABJ Monitor.

Owens said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was told by the organization he was the first member in its recent history to be suspended.

Sia Nyorkor, NABJ’s parliamentarian, told the NABJ Monitor that the amendment proposals “come directly from membership” and were selected from 21 submissions. She added that she was not at liberty to say who proposed them, nor was that information public.

“These are things that people have been keeping eyes on, things that they feel that we need to tweak or we need to amend.” Nyorkor said. “The membership, though, has to approve them, and in order for you to have a say you’ll have to vote on them.”

Business Meeting Turns Contentious

Heated discussion of the quorum proposal, which is vital to conduct business at the

annual conference, became intense during NABJ’s business meeting on Wednesday, where longtime members were in attendance.

Constitutional committee member Paula Madison, a longtime veteran of NABJ, said during the business meeting that the issue of quorum has been “a longstanding one.”

“We decided that we would tackle it while we were tackling these 20-plus proposed changes to the constitution. So what’s in front of us and what’s on the ballot is for members, whether they attend the business meeting or not, to vote on those,” Madison said. “We’re trying to clean up the ambiguities and trying to make things clearer than they presently are. So that’s how this particular issue came up this year not because anything happened last year, not from the board perspective. It was that there was a slew of constitutional amendments that were presented and we had to decide based on research, based on talking to people.”

Following Madison’s comments, former NABJ President Vanessa Williams, who served from 1997 to 1999, expressed her disappointment before walking out of the meeting.

“Thank you for your work, but last year was the first time we were told we could not vote as members sitting in a business meeting,” she said. “That is a fact, that is the first time we were told by the board, ‘I’m sorry, according to some interpretation, we didn’t have a quorum. Y’all can’t vote.’”

Some members verbally expressed agreement with Williams’ comments as she continued to get emotional about her stance.

“You’re talking about disenfranchising dues-paying loyal members based on a hypothetical. And, you know, you sound like you’re afraid your members are going to do something, you’re scared of your members? What is up with that? I mean, it’s just not a good feeling.”

Election Candidates Weigh In

The language in the NABJ Code of Conduct amendment proposal makes presidential candidate Tre’vell Anderson skeptical, they said, due to the last line that “a subsequent Board of Directors cannot overturn that decision.”

“You know, as a board, we can only make a decision based on the information we were presented at that time,” Anderson said. “If a future board gets new information, I feel like they should be able to take that information to account and if necessary, overturn that previous board’s decision. And so that’s why

I’m voting no on it.”

Current NABJ Treasurer Walter SmithRandolph, who has been in office for two terms, said that proposal No. 3 should be codified into the constitution.

“We’ve had members who have done some things and there’s nothing really written down, or at least codified about what we can do,” Randolph said. “As treasurer I’ve had to deal with somebody allegedly taking funds from one of our chapters. So we have to be able to look at that and say, ‘Okay, what recourse do we have? So that’s why i’m in favor of it.”

Proposal No. 4 regards membership meeting, powers and voting eligibility with intent to bring clarity to what constitutes a quorum for annual meetings, which was never established.

Presidential candidate Ken Lemon said that he agrees with the quorum proposal saying, “We don’t want a situation where a group of people are able to come in, put something forth, make a decision for the entire body when they are nowhere close to represent what the body looks like when we’re asked for 50% to be present. When you don’t reach that number, It’s not fair.”

Voting members reaffirm change

Younger members also expressed their thoughts on the proposals including Kayla Dealcam a student from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University who said that proposal three would “hold people accountable” all while protecting “the integrity of NABJ.”

The candidates make their case before NABJ voters, who will decide this year not only who will lead them but also on controversial constitutional amendments.

10 Million Names to help discover Black family history

Ancestry Project Seeks to Recover Information for Descendants of Slaves

BY ASAR JOHN

NABJ’s opening ceremony wrapped up with the announcement of the 10 Million Names project, an initiative to recover family history for descendants of American slaves.

Ryan Woods, who’s the American Ancestors’ chief operating officer and executive vice president, told NABJ Monitor about the decision to announce the project at the NABJ 2023 convention in Birmingham.

“We wanted to bring this story to journalists who can help tell the 10 million names mission within their communities and nationally through larger, broadcast networks so that we can help individuals wherever they are,” said Woods.

Paula Madison, a long time member of NABJ, serves on the 10 Million Names advisory board, said it’s imperative for diasporic Africans to be aware of this resource being offered.

“We don’t know who we are, we don’t know our real names,” Madison said.

“There is a way to know those things, but for many of us, we’ve been so separated for generations that we believe it’s impossible.”

The project is managed under American Ancestors, an online repository for ancestral discovery, with a team of 100 research

professionals. This week, convention participants sat down with a group of genealogists from 10 Million Names to consult with them about what information they could find regarding their family history.

To start, participants are asked to offer information they already know about their family. From there, the experts do their “magic,” combing through public resources like 10 Million Names itself, ancestry. com and FamilySearch.org to uncover or confirm family history.

“It’s not like a DNA test where you spit in a tube, come back two weeks later and we tell you how many cousins you have around the country or where you come from in Africa,” said Thom Reed, a genealogist with 10 Million Names. “We’re sitting down with you and going over anything we might have.”

Felicia Parks, a career advisor at American University, took part in Thursday’s sessions and described feeling more credible to become her family’s historian, following what she learned.

“I want to tell my family members, here’s a bunch of family members that we should really try to connect with,” said Parks, emphasizing the need for people to be educated about their origins. “Who knows, maybe there’s some things people have done in history that we want to be proud of.”

Kendall Williams, a junior at Florida A&M University attending her first NABJ convention, said that being a person of integrity is important, also saying that “it’s important to hold yourself accountable for your actions and that you’re a representation of the organization you’re a part of as well.

Of the four amendments proposed on this year’s election ballot, voting members now have until 5 p.m. Central Time Friday to vote yes or no. Two-thirds of the vote needed in order for the amendments to be passed.

Elijah Pittman contributed to this report.

“You’re talking about disenfranchising dues-paying loyal members based on a hypothetical...you sound like you’re afraid your members are going to do something, you’re scared of your members?”

FORMER NABJ PRESIDENT VANESSA WILLIAMS

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KATHRYN STYER MARTINEZ/NABJ MONITOR

An NABJ member talks to a researcher with American Ancestors as the 10 Million Names project kicks off Thursday at NABJ in Birmingham.

RISING COMMUNITY

Latino growth in Birmingham area offsets local population loss

Estela Garcia, 58, loves to eat bread, so much so that she started baking telera, a Mexican bread, in 2005 in her home. She started selling breads and pastries out of her van, visiting her local Latino neighborhoods. People would call her “the van lady with the bread.”

Her passion grew and she opened a bakery called Panaderia y Pasteleria Hidalgo in August 2020 in Bessemer, Alabama. The town is at the southern edge of Birmingham and has drawn a bustling Latino community.

Garcia’s husband, Eliazar, runs the adjoining business, Taquería Hidalgo Garcia, in honor of their family name and Hidalgo, the Mexican state where they lived before making Alabama their permanent home 18 years ago.

The family represents a growing Latino population in Alabama. Bessemer, which is just a 20 minute drive from Birmingham, has seen its Latino population grow 42% between 2010 and 2020, according to an AL.com report.

Latinos still make up only 5.3% of the state’s population, but Bessemer, a town of 1,497, has a higher share, 5.7%, according to the U.S. Census. Driving down the main street after 6 p.m., the change is evidenced by an increase in taco trucks and signs in Spanish with the red, green and white colors of Mexico’s national flag.

Abraham Garcia, Estela’s son, has noticed the change. He said more Latino-owned businesses have cropped up in the past five years in Bessemer, especially since the pandemic.

Beatrice Rico found the Latino neighborhood in Bessemer while visiting Alabama from Georgia earlier this week. She stopped at the panadería and bought ice cream treats with her husband. A Latina herself, she said, “I didn’t know there were that many Latinos (here).”

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATHRYN STYER MARTINEZ

Garcia’s two grandchildren sit in the Panaderia y Pasteleria Hidalgo, above. Below, Abraham Garcia stands outside his parents’ businesses. Right, conches from the oven.

Estela Garcia, 58, left, takes photos of her creations for the bakery’s Facebook page on Tuesday in Bessemer, Alabama. Below, freshly cut pineapple cake sits on a plate. Bottom, Jorge Miranda eats a meal with wife and daughter Maria and Leslie Miranda at Taqueria Hidalgo Garcia next to the bakery.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona Speaks on Affirmative Action, HBCUs at NABJ 23

BY ELIJAH PITTMAN

Affirmative action and HBCUs dominated the floor at NABJ’s forum on Thursday afternoon at the NABJ 2023 conference.

United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, spoke to Errin Haines, journalist and host of the forum, on two of the most pressing topics surrounding American education.

“It seems like education is under attack from many different ways,” Cardona said.

“States are doing their best to disrupt public education attacking, and now we have the Supreme Court with a very bad decision (Affirmative Action), taking us back, removing one of the best tools schools had to ensure diversity on campus.”

Although the decision was a significant

HBCUs Expect Influx After SCOTUS Ruling

Admissions Might Get More Competitive, Resources Scarce

BY SYDNEY ROSS

HBCUs across the country are expecting an influx in applications following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reject affirmative action in the college admissions process.

Ending in a 6-3 ruling, the landmark decision is a result of a lawsuit against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill deeming race-conscious admissions practices in higher education unconstitutional.

The ruling was no surprise to many scholars and educators, including Eddy Carder, Ph.D., professor of constitutional law and philosophy at Prairie View A&M, who said he is more disappointed than surprised because the decision takes away from the overall purpose of affirma-

tive action.

“Affirmative action aimed at increasing representation of minorities in areas of academics and employment,” Carder said.

“This decision misconstrues that foundational premise behind the history of affirmative action.”

Syb Brown, Ph.D., the NABJ academic representative and professor at Belmont University, agreed and advised people to begin strategizing for when the ruling goes into effect in January.

“We’ve already seen partial impact in Texas at Texas A&M. One of our fellow NABJ members and professors was offered a watered-down contract,” Brown said, referring to the case of Kathleen McElroy, who this week settled a lawsuit with the university after it reduced an offer of a tenuretrack position to a one-year contract.

“The fallout now has been the loss of a president, a dean, a department and, unfortunately, this is just the beginning,” Brown said.

Institutions across the country are now scrambling to find ways to ensure diversity

setback in efforts to better the American college system, Cardona expressed that this ruling will only galvanize the education department, and groups across the country to find more effective ways of diversifying college campuses.

Cardona explained that the Department of Education launched three initiatives to battle the striking down of Affirmative Action: providing guidance from DOJ and White House lawyers to college presidents within 45 days of the ruling.

“We brought in over 120 college presidents and civil rights leaders to the Department of Education to see where do we go from here,” Cardona said. “The ideas that came out of that and the regional conversations we’re having across the country, will drive a report that we’re going to

publish in September with practices for increasing diversity on campuses.”

Cardona placed great emphasis on how valuable and important HBCUs are and that they need and deserve support.

Historically, HBCUs have been severely underfunded, and a recent admission of the underfunding was demonstrated by the state of Maryland setting a lawsuit with its four HBCUs, Morgan State University, Coppin State University, Bowie State University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore, for $577 million paid out over the next decade.

“The administration provided more funding [to HBCUs], a total of like seven billion dollars, but what we also did was

we listened better,” Cardona said. “We listened to our HBCU partners and heard from them that not only do they need funding now, with the pandemic, but there has been historic underfunding.”

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks with journalist Errin Haines Thursday at NABJ.

and inclusive student bodies on their campuses as racial gaps in student demographics are expected to rise at predominantly white institutions.

“If you’re a Black student going into a place like that, there won’t be the support, and it won’t be financial support,” said Walter Kimbrough, former president of Philander Smith College and Dillard University. “That’s going to be less of an incentive to go there, which is going to drive people to HBCUs.”

HBCUs across the country are now working to fill this gap and further develop talents that other institutions turn away.

“I suspect that many students of color will opt to apply for admission to HBCUs as a practical result of the decision,” Carder said. “This could have a burdening effect on HBCUs and their resources, such as technology, physical space and faculty-to-student ratios.”

Not only will the lack of resources be a concern, but HBCU admission might become tougher.

“They’re going to be more competitive for

fewer seats,” Kimbrough said. “Everybody can’t go to Howard and Morehouse and A&T. They will not be able to add enough space to handle the demand automatically. So those students will have to go somewhere else.”

That “somewhere else” will be smaller HBCUs that make up a large portion of the institutions across the country, according to Kimbrough.

“Everybody can’t go to the big namebrand institutions,” Kimbrough said. “Maybe they’ll go to a second-level institution that is really strong but doesn’t have the same brand recognition.”

The Biden-Harris administration has made several proposals to clarify college admissions in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling, according to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, who spoke on Thursday at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair in Birmingham.

“We see you, and we need you on campus,” Cardona told convention attendees. “You make our universities better. We are going to keep fighting to make sure you have a seat at the table.”

Talent Team

‘It seems like education is under attack from many different ways,’ official says

Sheila Brooks Talks Legacy, Impact on NABJ

NABJ to Welcome Brooks and Others into Hall of Fame Friday

BY SYDNEY ROSS

Sheila Brooks, founder and CEO of SRB Communications, a boutique agency, has more than 300 awards, and today she will add one more to her shelf: National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.

One of her enduring legacies within NABJ was to start the Student Multimedia Projects, which brings students to the annual convention to produce journalism on deadline for a week.

NABJ Monitor reporter Sydney Ross talked with Brooks this week about her career and her tenure with NABJ. The interview has been edited for space.

Q. Congratulations on being inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame. Tell me what this relationship you have formed with NABJ means to you?

A. I am very passionate about NABJ. Throughout its almost 50 years of existence NABJ has been a voice for the voiceless, and I am so proud that I’ve been a part of all of that.

Q. What are some of the most memorable moments in your four decades of leadership in the multimedia industry?

I started my television news career in Seattle, Washington, in the late 1970s. moved on to Spokane, Washington, where I became the first black anchor and reporter covered some amazing stories there. Lots of racial strife during that time of the ’70s and ’80s. Those were some very good stories to cover. I learned so much about storytelling, and I’m very passionate about that. Went on to Dallas and finally ended up in Baltimore, Washington D.C.

Q. How does it feel to know you are about to be inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame?

A. I am so humbled and blessed to be an NABJ Hall of Fame inductee in 2023. It is such an honor for me to have this prestigious award that I will be receiving on Friday and from an organization that I have been long affiliated with that I re -

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

NABJ Members Ask What Happened to NAHJ

Hispanic Group Decides to Go West to Hollywood in 2024 Instead Joint Conference in Chicago

BY ELIJAH PITTMAN

The National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists split for the 2024 joint convention brought out spirited dialog at the board and business meetings this week.

ing on Tuesday. “All of a sudden they expressed a desire for celebrating the 40th alone.”

spect, people that I admired for so long. We are the best journalist organization in the world.

Q. What legacy do you hope to leave with NABJ?

A. You know, throughout my career, all I’ve ever wanted to do was to leave a legacy of purpose. My God gave me some gifts and talents that I know, I must give back. Service is so important in everything that we do. And that’s why I’m still here at NABJ all these years later, and that I continue to give back.

Q. The Student Projects have grown im-

mensely since its initial start. How does it feel seeing your idea grow to where it is today?

A. You know, the student projects is one of the best things that has ever happened in my lifetime. My first convention was 1982. But I became a member when I was a student in 1977 at the University of Washington.

I found out when I attended [my] first national conference in 1982 there weren’t a lot of activities for students. And I said, ‘You know what, one day I’m gonna do something about that.’

To the surprise of the memberships of each organization, NAHJ chose to divorce NABJ for the 2024 convention and celebrate their 40th convention alone in Hollywood. According to Drew Berry, executive director of NABJ, David Peña, the former executive director of NAHJ, influenced NAHJ’s board to pull out from the convention.

The original hotel agreement for the 2024 Chicago joint convention was signed several years ago by then-Executive Director Alberto Mendoza.

“What changed? A new executive director for NAHJ (Peña), who didn’t see things the way the previous board and ED thought,” Berry said at the board meet-

Berry added that NABJ and NAHJ signed the hotel agreement for Chicago with Mendoza. According to Berry, there were multiple potential reasons for the split, but ultimately it was a decision made by NAHJ.

“You have to ask them why they pulled out,” Berry responded when asked by a member of the business meeting.

Despite Berry urging the board members to ask NAHJ, he suggested several potential reasons for the split, such as losses in leadership, Hollywood being a better fit as it is the city of founding for NAHJ and financial conflicts.

Both NABJ and NAHJ members were disappointed at the lack of a joint convention, as expressed on social media and in person at each organization’s respective 2023 conventions.

“Members, including myself, always look

forward to joint conferences,” said Hugo Balta, former president of the NAHJ who signed the initial agreement for the joint NAHJ convention in 2014. “It gives us an opportunity to see friends and colleagues we normally don’t see throughout the year…I think overall from those I [have] spoken to, it [has] been a disappointment.”

Members of the NAHJ board or staff could not be reached for comment at the time of publication of this story.

At the board meeting Tuesday, Berry explained that Chicago is a union city, which made convention planning expensive because of labor costs, and the collaborative effort between the two organizations would have softened the financial blow of Chicago. Berry mentioned that, despite the break, NABJ would not bear the cost of the convention alone.

“We’re not going to absorb the cost alone and we’re working through those issues in a cordial, professional manner,” Berry told the board.

Berry assured the board and the membership that there would not be a decrease in revenue due to the cancellation of the joint convention, citing previous convention numbers.

He mentioned, in both meetings, that the Birmingham convention is expected to clear in excess of $700,000 whereas the 2022 Las Vegas joint convention with NAHJ cleared only $301,817 in surplus.

“I’m disappointed. I mean, I think it’s great when we meet together,” said Bob Butler, former president of NABJ who was in office when the agreement was signed.

“It’s hard to explain when you walk into a hall and you see Black journalists, Latino journalists all coming together.

“I mean, you’re talking about thousands of people coming together. You have different cultures coming together. I think it’s a great, enriching experience.”

Sheila Brooks at the National Association of Black Journalists conference Wednesday

KATHRYN STYER MARTINEZ NABJ MONITOR

In addition to Dr. Sheila Dean Brooks, six other accomplished members of the National Association of Black Journalists will be inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame on Friday at noon in the Birmingham Ballroom in the Sheraton.

ROY S. JOHNSON columnist and director of content development, AL.com.

ROB PARKER co-host of “The Odd Couple” on Fox Sports Radio

DR. JESSE LEWIS founder and publisher emeritus of the Birmingham Times.

DAVID ROBERTS head of NBA and studio production at ESPN. GWEN TOLBART weather anchor and feature reporter, WTTG Fox 5 DC.

RANDALL PINKSTON educator and journalist, former correspondent, CBS News/Al-Jazeera America.

“What changed? A new executive director for NAHJ.”

DREW BERRY NABJ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ELIJAH PITTMAN, NABJ MONITOR

Six Sites Capture Birmingham’s Spirit

BY CHRISTINA NORRIS

Just 20 minutes from the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex is the cradle of civil rights in Birmingham, one of the key battlegrounds for desegregation in 1963. Six important sites are steps from each other in the Birmingham Civil Rights District.

One of President Barack Obama’s final acts as president was to create this national monument that encompasses several significant locations in civil rights history: The Masonic Temple Building, also known as the “Black Skyscraper,” The Historic Bethel Baptist Church, a key site in the 1961 Freedom Rides, and St. Paul United Methodist Church, one of the oldest African-American churches in Birmingham.

2 BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a good place to start, with its focus on teaching visitors about Birmingham’s civil rights movements. It has permanent exhibits on the Rev. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, the Children’s Crusade and other significant events that happened here. Currently the institute has a special exhibit on A.G. Gaston, one of the few Black hotel owners in the Jim Crow era.

3 THE A.G. GASTON MOTEL

After seeing the exhibit at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, you can head over to the A.G. Gaston Motel, now a national monument co-owned by the city of Birmingham and the National Parks Service. Built by Arthur George Gaston and designed by Stanley B. Echols, this motel was the site of activity for Southern Christian Leadership Conference leaders during the Birmingham Campaign in 1963, where they strategized

WWW.NPS.GOV/ARTICLES/AG-GASTON-MOTELBIRMINGHAM-CIVIL-RIGHTS-MONUMENT.HTM

4 KELLY INGRAM PARK

Kelly Ingram Park, part of the Birmingham Civil Rights Monument and located right outside the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, is famous as the site where children protesting for civil rights were attacked by police dogs. It showcases several sculptures that depict the struggle. It’s free to visit and open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

CIVILRIGHTSTRAIL.COM/ATTRACTION/KELLYINGRAM-PARK/

5 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

16th Street Baptist Church has an extensive history in the 20th century Civil Rights movement, being the first Colored Baptist Church in Birmingham. In 1963, a bomb exploded in the church, killing four girls and injuring 20 other members. This bombing garnered sympathy and support from several parts of the world. More than $300,000 was contributed to its restoration and reopening in 1964.

MORE INFO: WWW.16THSTREETBAPTIST.ORG/

6 EDDIE KENDRICK MEMORIAL PARK

The Eddie Kendrick Memorial Park honors the Temptations’ lead singer, a Birmingham native, known for his falsetto singing style. He and the four other Temptations hit the top of the charts with their Motown music, but did not settle just for fame. While releasing music, they made protest songs such as “Cloud Nine” and “Message From A Black Man.” The park is a block away from the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

MORE INFO: WWW.BIRMINGHAMAL.ORG/LISTINGS/EDDIE-KENDRICK-MEMORIAL-PARK/

Above, a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the entrance of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Far left, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, is a civil rights historical site and active place of worship. Left, artwork at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

CASSANDRA DUMAY, NABJ MONITOR

EDI H. DOH, NABJ MONITOR

CASSANDRA DUMAY, NABJ MONITOR