Your Vote, Your Voice Committee Meeting this Wednesday!

Just a reminder that the first committee meeting for CAABJ's 2008 candidate forum and voter registration event Your Vote, Your Voice/Su Voto Su Voz will be held this Wednesday (5/28/2008) at 6:30pm at WCNC Studios located at 1001 Wood Ridge Center Drive in Charlotte.

Given the current political climate and recent comments made about the integrity of black journalists (read more here), we hope this will CAABJ's biggest event of the year. So, we need your help. During Wednesday's meeting we will be discussing event logistics, sponsorships, media, and signing folks up to volunteer for the following subcommittees:

* Food & Beverage
* Publicity
* Voter Registration
* Candidate Recruitment
* Sponsor Recruitment
* Signage & Event Materials
* Event Program
* Forum

If you are interested in volunteering for Your Vote, Your Voice/Su Voto Su Voz please be sure to attend the meeting this Wednesday at 6:30pm. If you are unable to attend, and would still like to volunteer, simply respond to this email indicating your interest and we will keep you informed of updates.

If you have any questions please contact committee co-chairs
Ayofemi Kirby at ayofemi@gmail.com or Melody Taylor at mtaylor@wcnc.com.

Thanks and we hope to see you on Wednesday!

NABJ Responds to Geraldine Ferraro's Comments on Black Journalist 'Bias'

May 23, 2008

National Association of Black Journalists

NABJ: Ferraro Comments Shows Unapologetic Bigotry

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) voices a strong rebuke to the remarks made by former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.

In an on-air interview with Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith, Ferraro, the 1984 Democratic vice presidential candidate, implied Saturday that all black journalists were surrogates for the Barack Obama campaign.

"if you have conference calls with these people every week and you give them your message and they put your message in the paper, that to me is a campaign," said the country's first female vice presidential nominee.

Ferraro cited The New York Times columnist Bob Herbert as an example of black journalists as the arbiters of misogynist attacks against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"Have you read Bob Herbert recently in the past six months? There wasn't one column that had anything decent to say about Hillary," Ferraro said.

"NABJ is outraged that a former vice presidential candidate would suggest that all black reporters are mouthpieces for the Obama campaign. To suggest this shows not only a stunning lack of judgment but also her unapologetic bigotry," said Barbara Ciara, president of the nation's largest minority journalism organization. "Ms. Ferraro used her appearance on Fox News to reinforce stereotypes that suggest that black reporters can't be trusted to cover another person of color without bias and favoritism."

"To suggest that black journalists have done anything less than cover this campaign fair and objectively is a direct attack on not only their integrity, but the integrity of all journalists who work every day to provide good, honest journalism," said Ernie Suggs, vice president of print.

"African Americans make up a tiny fraction of journalists covering this historic campaign. We are more than qualified to handle the job objectively," said Kathy Times, vice president of broadcast.

The Democratic and Republican nominees for president will have an audience with journalists of color this summer at the UNITY: Journalists of Color Convention and Career Expo, July 23-27 in Chicago, Ill. Senators Clinton and Obama both spoke at NABJ's convention last fall. Sen. John McCain turned down the invitation due to a scheduling conflict.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with nearly 4,000 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.

Watch Video of Ferraro on Fox News by clicking here.

RSVP for May 17 Meeting

Come network with your fellow journalists and learn more about CAABJ's upcoming events and programs at our next General Body meeting. We hope to see many old and new faces there. Here are the details:

May General Body Meeting
Saturday, May 17, 1 p.m.
Jillian's
200 E. Bland St. (South End)

If you plan to attend this meeting, we're asking that you RSVP (so we can give an accurate count to the restaurant). RSVP by emailing us at charlotteaabj@gmail.com by Friday please.

Upcoming Events!
Stay tuned for details for our 2nd Annual Summer Kickoff Cookout coming in June. This event will be for CAABJ members and invited guests only. Another reason to join our great organization!

Ready to Join CAABJ?
Email us at charlotteaabj@gmail.com to request a membership application. You can mail the completed application and dues to the address listed or bring it to the May 17 meeting.

In Case You Missed It!
Click here to watch a video recap of our Secrets to Accessing the Media Workshop held last month. (Video courtesy of Eastonsweb Multimedia.)

We hope to see you on Saturday.

Sincerely,

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