Mark your calendar: 11:30 a.m. Feb. 18

CAABJ hosts its next general body meeting at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 18 in the community room of the Plaza-Midwood branch library, 1623 Central Ave. in Charlotte.

We'll recap our media-workshop from last month, talk about membership and possible chapter events, among other topics.


Note: Future CAABJ meetings will be held the third Saturday of each month, time and location TBA.

CAABJ media access workshop a success!

(Photos courtesy of Tiffany Jones)

The afternoon of Jan. 28 was one to remember for all who attended CAABJ's kick-off event for 2006, our media access workshop. About 30 community members joined CAABJ members at UNC Charlotte for the event.

Kudos to everyone who was involved with the event from our speakers to our project committee to all of you who stepped in to provide refreshments or contribute information on your media organization.

See more photos at http://pictures.aol.com/ap/viewShare.do?shareInfo=KnVVBplenSOqtwU6z4oSdsA%2b8M6eW4ozW%2bk%2bUjlSJwu%2fjFCnkV3ciA%3d%3d

Have you joined CAABJ yet?

Networking opportunities. Professional development seminars. Advocacy for more diverse news coverage. Those are just some of the benefits of joining the Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists. I strongly encourage all of you to officially join CAABJ as a full, associate or student member. Click on the link below for a membership application.

Chapter dues will support programs during the year and some administrative expenses. Dues were approved at the December 2005 general body meeting.

Don't forget to sign up for one of our four standing committees:

• Membership: The committee will help recruit potential professional and student members to the organization, and review all membership bids.
• Programs - The committee will help coordinate chapter seminars on journalism topics and newsmaker sessions with Charlotte-area leaders. The committee also will plan special events such as the annual Scholarship/Awards banquet and other social opportunities.
• Media Watch and Professional Development - The committee will monitor local media organizations for fair coverage of the black community. The committee also will be responsible for creating a members-only listserv for job and training announcements, and coordinate possible training opportunities for CAABJ members.
• Fundraising - The committee will brainstorm ways to raise money for the chapter, including scholarship funds for local students interested in pursuing a career in journalism.
  
  

If you are interested in serving on a committee, email charlotteaabj@gmail.com. We'll soon appoint chairs for each committee.

To join, please send the following information and a check for dues (payable to CAABJ) to CAABJ at P.O. Box 31024, Charlotte, N.C. 28231.


Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists

2006 Membership Application

Full Name:________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________
City: _________________ State: ____ Zip Code: ____________
Home phone: ___________ Work phone: ___________ Mobile: ___________
Email: ______________________________________________________

What media organization do you work for?

If applying for a student membership, what school do you attend?

What type of membership are you seeking?

Full Membership ($50): Open to working journalists, i.e., reporters, editors and photographers who work for newspapers, television and radio stations, magazines and wire services and who produce, gather, disseminate and distribute news. In addition, memberships shall be open to free-lance journalists who can prove that they spend more than half their time producing, gathering, disseminating or distributing news.

Associate Membership ($35): Open to journalists employed in public information areas, to journalists employed in an academic field, i.e. college of university professors, high school journalism teachers, or those working journalists who after being employed at a newspaper, television or radio station, magazine or wire service decide to further their education.

Student Membership ($20): Student membership shall be open to anyone who is a full time student at an accredited high school, college or university. Course of study must be in the communications field, preferably print journalism or broadcast journalism.

What CAABJ activities are you interested in? (check all that apply)
-- Programs Committee -- Scholarships and Community Service
-- Media Watch -- Fundraising

Do you have any special skills, experience or talent that might benefit CAABJ?

Questions? Contact CAABJ Parliamentarian Cleve Wootson at cwootson@charlotteobserver.com.