CAABJ is off to a great start!

After our Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists General Body meeting nearly a week ago, the energy around our plans for 2008 is at an all-time high.

We would like to thank each of you for joining us at Jillian's last Saturday to meet your new board and fellow CAABJ members, and we hope you'll continue to join us at future meetings and events. If you were unable to make it to the meeting, please remember that we are still accepting membership applications and dues for 2008 (see online form below).

Also, don't forget to mark your calendars for our FREE CIAA "Jump Starter" Mixer, scheduled for February 26, 6:30-9 p.m., at Tutto Mundos on South Blvd.

Stay tuned for more details to be posted here!

January 2008 Meeting Minutes

Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists
General Body Meeting – January 26, 2008

• Welcome and Introduction of members and attendees
- Introductions
• Financial report from treasurer
-$300 balance going into 2007
- Deposit - $82
- Balance - $432 (final balance to come after meeting)
- Board looking to add student membership prices
• Highlights accomplishments of 2007
- (Melody)
- Relaunched CAABJ in 2005
- Race and Education forum with P. Gorman
- Access to the Media
- Networking (Mixers)
- Scholarship – Year End Event
o Two goals for 2008
- Serve Charlotte Area Black Journalists
- Be more engaged with our members
- Ask for feedback to improve service to members
- Serve Community
o Why is CAABJ Important?
- Diversity initiatives, or lack of diversity, in newsrooms
- Need for African-American stories to be told and represented in the media
- Golfweek noose incident – relevance to CAABJ and NABJ
- Organizational responsibility
- Social responsibility and involvement in major stories, as an organization, releasing statements on relevant
issues
- Mini forums on Charlotte/national issues
- Gathering of African-American people making a change
- Allowing general public access to the media
- Networking resource
- Mentorship
- Personal and professional development
o Communication
- Forwarding emails to coworkers and interested journalists
- Feedback, ideas welcome ← send to CharlotteAABJ@gmail.com
- Will add more information to website in 2008
- Events, member news, spotlight members
* (Lena) Accepted into Group Study Exchange program – Taiwan. Visiting with Rotarians and journalists in
field and sharing with them American media experience. Egypt will be 2009 trip.
*Carlton Hargro/ Torrey Fiemster – honored with Urban League awards - Mentorship program
* JCSU email addresses inverted
* Brevette in touch with mentors and get started in 2008
o 2008 Events
- Sign Up sheet circulated
- CIAA Mixer (CIAA Jumpstarter) - Feb 26, 2008
* Tuesday of CIAA week
* Handed out flyers
* Distribute to interested and fellow journalists
* Will be atTutto Mundo, close to Pewter Rose/Sunset Club/McIntosh’s Steakhouse
* Appetizers provided
* 4 people needed at 6pm
* Melody to make personal calls
- Assume people don’t know about CAABJ and meeting, get them informed and involved.
- Access to the Media 2008
- CAABJ Summer Cookout
- The Black and Brown Vote
* Election year – how CAABJ can be involved
* Need volunteers, committee members
* Will discuss over next few months
* Partnership with Hispanic Journalist Association
- Scholarship Event
*Bigger scholarship, more scholarships in the future
o 2008 Membership
- Please make sure you’ve filled out application either in hard copy or online.
o No GB meeting in Feb
- Committees begin to meet in Feb
o Spread word about CAABJ
- Forward all emails!

First 2008 General Body Meeting Next Saturday!

We're getting closer to the first Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists (CAABJ) general body meeting of the year, next Saturday, January 26, 12 p.m. at Jillian's (200 E. Bland St., in South End).

Come meet with us to discuss the exciting projects and events CAABJ has planned for 2008, including our highly anticipated CIAA Mixer! We'll meet for about an hour to discuss new business and introduce all who are in attendance. Then after that, hang around and network with your colleagues.

We are currently accepting membership applications and dues for 2008. You can complete your application online by filling out the form below or at the meeting on Saturday. You are welcome to mail in your dues or pay them on Saturday, January 26.

If you're not sure if you want to become a member just yet, there's no pressure. Come to the meeting, learn a little more about us and our plans for 2008, and enjoy the opportunity to network with some of the Charlotte area's best journalists. We're sure you'll be glad you came.

Also, we want to make sure we know who you are! Please help us update our contact list by sending a quick email to charlotteaabj@gmail.com with the following information:

Your name
Job title
Company you work for
Email address
I will or will not be attending the CAABJ meeting on Saturday, January 26.

If you have any questions, email us at charlotteaabj@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you Saturday, January 26, 12 p.m. at Jillian's, and please pass the word to your colleagues who may be interested.

It's Time for CAABJ's First Meeting of 2008!

Hello and Happy New Year!

By the way, how long is it appropriate to still say Happy New Year? First couple of weeks? But one thing’s for sure, last year went by fast so make sure you cherish this year. Speaking of last year, it was a great success for the Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists (CAABJ) and we owe it to our dedicated members and great leadership of last year’s board. We’re ready to build on that momentum. And it’s time for our first meeting of 2008!

Come meet with us to discuss the exciting projects and events CAABJ has planned for 2008. We want to see you—past members, current members, potential members, those of you who’ve heard of us but have yet to come see what we’re all about.

Meeting Info
Saturday, January 26
12 p.m.
Jillian’s, 200 E. Bland St. (in South End)

We’ll meet for about an hour to discuss new business and introduce those who are in attendance. Then after that, feel free to hang around and network with your colleagues.

We’re currently accepting membership for 2008. You can fill out the application below or complete it at the meeting, at which time you can also pay your dues (see dues amount below). But if you’re not sure if you want to become a member just yet, there’s no pressure. Come to the meeting and enjoy the opportunity to network with some of the Charlotte area’s best journalists.

We look forward to seeing you Saturday, January 26, 12 p.m. at Jillian’s.

Sincerely,

Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists (CAABJ)
Email us: charlotteaabj@gmail.com

Excited about 2008!

CAABJ is excited about 2008! Keep checking back on our site for the date and time of our first meeting of the year. Can't wait to see you.