CAABJ Preps for First Meeting of 2010, Seeks Input

Dear Black Journalists and Media Professionals,

I am excited not only that a new decade is upon us, but it’s another year for CAABJ to shine! And one of you will win a free one-year paid CAABJ membership…keep reading.

First, let me thank Jarvis Holliday for leading CAABJ for the past two years. His leadership as president has kept us strong—and his knowledge has helped make the transition of the new board a smooth one.

The new board has already met and is pumped up about what 2010 holds for CAABJ. I look forward to seeing each of you at our first meeting of the year. It happens Saturday, February 6, 11 a.m. (sharp) at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille (911 E. Morehead Street). RSVP to rsvp@caabj.com if you plan to attend.

Please bring someone with you in journalism or the communications field or anyone who wants to know what CAABJ is all about. Come with your ideas on how we can make CAABJ more effective. I want our local chapter to better serve you. Remember, this is your chapter.

This meeting will be a time of fellowship, networking, and brainstorming. We have included a link below to a survey, seeking your input on what you would like to see from CAABJ. It only takes about five minutes to complete and participation is greatly appreciated.

Now, to the free membership. We will have a random drawing at the meeting and the person selected will receive free CAABJ membership for one year (new membership or renewal). The only catch is you have to be present to win!

Finally, I believe with all the gifts and talents CAABJ members (and potential members) possess, there’s nothing that can stop us but us.

See you at the meeting.

Dedrick Russell
CAABJ President

Click here for the CAABJ Survey
Or copy and paste this link into your web browser: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KVLLN76

Upcoming Workshops for Writers

Two writers representing Main Street Rag Publishing of Charlotte will hold a joint workshop and discussion on getting work published. Following the workshop, both writers--Anne Clinard Barnhill and Maureen Sherbondy--will read from their most recent books and hold a book signing. This workshop is scheduled for January 30, 1 p.m. at Literary Bookpost, located at 110 S. Main St., downtown Salisbury. For more information, call 704-630-9788 or visit www.literarybookpost.com.


The Writers' Workshop, a nonprofit literary center, is offering one-day classes that meet at the Levine Museum of the New South. The next two scheduled workshops are: February 6, Creative Nonfiction Workshop with Jeremy B. Jones; and February 20, Publishing Your Poetry with Richard Krawiec. Registration is in advance only. Financial aid in exchange for volunteering is available. For more information and to register, visit www.twwoa.org/chrwkshps.html or call 828-254-8111. Each workshop is scheduled from 12-5 p.m. and the cost is $75.

CAABJ Member Receives Grant for News Website

Qcitymetro.com, a website offering news and information specific to Charlotte’s African American community, has joined an online partnership with The Charlotte Observer and four other local websites. The project is funded with a grant from J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism, which promotes the use of digital technologies for delivering news and information. The Observer and its five partners will share content and explore ways to cover stories together.


Qcitymetro is led by CAABJ member Glenn H. Burkins, who serves as editor and publisher since launching the site in December 2008. Click here to read more about the grant and partnership.

Partnership Formed to Train Underrepresented Journalists

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Poynter Institute have announced a partnership designed to provide professional development to journalists and media leaders from underrepresented demographic groups in an effort to increase their effectiveness and presence in newsrooms. The partnership calls for Knight to provide a grant of $50,000 to Poynter and individual grants of $20,000 to each of six journalism organizations to help fund scholarships to Poynter programs for more than 100 journalists.

"I see this grant as a stimulus to keep good journalists in the news business," said Karen Dunlap, president of The Poynter Insitute. "To survive and thrive, these journalists and media leaders need continued grounding in journalistic craft and values and new multimedia and entrepreneurial skills. This funding compliments Poynter's ongoing scholarship campaign and its intent to provide access to training for as wide a range of journalists and media leaders as possible."

Dunlap noted that the current downsizing of America's newsrooms has been particularly hard on journalists from underrepresented demographic groups -- the same people that news organizations had been slow to hire and promote when economic times were much better.

The grants are intended to provide the journalists who are selected for the program -- they will be known as Knight-Poynter Fellows -- with training in one of Poynter's broad range of training venues, including News University; Poynter Online; Webinars; online chats; on-site seminars and regional workshops.

Click here to read more.

'State of NABJ' Teleconference Town Hall

Please join NABJ President Kathy Times and Treasurer Gregory Lee for an NABJ Town Hall Teleconference Meeting to discuss the "State of NABJ." This teleconference is scheduled for Wednesday, January 13, 11 a.m.-noon (Eastern time), and is for National Association of Black Journalists members only. Use of a computer is required to participate in the visual component of this teleconference and to submit questions. Members may also dial-in to participate in listen-only mode. Questions may be submitted in advance at nabjtownhall@gmail.com. To register, click here.