KCABJ Newsletter for May 2013

KCABJ Academy
KCABJ at its membership meeting this month picked six students for the 2013 KCABJ Urban Student Summer Academy at Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley.

They are Tonyae Thomas at Plaza Academy, Nathan Hunt at Liberty High School, Monisha Hawkins at the African Centered College Preparatory Academy, Zach Kilgas at Liberty High School, Molly Dillinger at Lincoln Early College Academy and Miesha Miller at Howard University.

The academy will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 17 through June 28 at MCC-Penn Valley. The first week will focus on print journalism. The second week will be on broadcast journalism and new media.

A mandatory orientation session will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at The Kansas City Star Press Pavilion, 16th and McGee. All of the students will get letters this week notifying them of their acceptance.

KCABJ annually has sponsored the program since 1982 to try to increase the number of journalists of color in the news industry. Similar programs are run through black journalists association chapters throughout the country.

After the membership meeting at the Plaza Library, a committee met to work on enhancing KCABJ’s presence in the social media. Look for the outcome of that soon on Facebook and Twitter.

NABJ News
The struggle continues on issues of diversity. ASNE soon will release its annual report on journalists of color in America’s newsrooms. The news once again is not expected to be good.

National Association of Black Journalists reports that recent data from 2010 to 2011 shows that newsroom employment overall contracted 2.4 percent but the drop in minority journalists fell by 5.7 percent. From ASNE’s 2012 data, of 41,600 print professionals, only 5,300, or 12.7 percent, were minorities.

ASNE in 1978 set a goal for the year 2000 to have the percentage of journalists of color equal people of color in the population. When it became obvious in 1999 that the goal would not be reached, ASNE pushed the deadline back to 2025, and still, the news industry can’t keep up with the demographic changes in society. Minorities currently constitute more than a third of the U.S. population.

This will be a key topic at the NABJ convention in Orlando running from July 31 to Aug. 4.

News You Can Use
The Society of Professional Journalists is seeking applications for its Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship. For more information call 317-927-8000. Applicants must have at least three years’ experience as an editorial writer or columnist to be eligible.

The Society of Professional Journalists is seeking applicants for its 2013 Eugene S. Pulliam First Amendment Award. For more information send email to awards@spj.org.

The Kansas City Star has an editorial board position open. For more information send email to Miriam Pepper, vice president, editorial page editor, at mpepper@kcstar.com.

KC People
Steve Penn has re-upped as a member of KCABJ. Steve has a new book out and is embarking on a new career.

Kia Breaux, bureau chief for The Associated Press in Kansas City, has been picked for a study exchange program in Brazil. The program, sponsored by the Rotary Foundation, each year sends a team of young professionals to another country for a month-long vocational and cultural exchange. This year’s group left April 29. The foundation helps promote world understanding and peace through an international humanitarian, educational and cultural exchange programs.

Carlton Houston, a 1987 KCABJ academy graduate and former president, has been named news director of the Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR. Carlton had been in Tulsa at ABC affiliate KTUL.

Kamariah Al-Amin, a KCABJ academy graduate in 2012, was the valedictorian at the African-Centered College Preparatory Academy graduation on May 15 at the Scottish Rite Temple. She will be attending the University of Missouri-Columbia in the fall, majoring in journalism.

KCABJ Vice President-Print Ramanda Hicks at the May membership meeting shared a thank you card from the True Light Family Resource Center, where KCABJ did its day of service, speaking with people about preparing for jobs. “The ladies really enjoyed having KCABJ come out and speak. You are a blessing,” the note said.

KCABJ Newsletter for April 2013

Day of Service
A handful of KCABJ members gathered at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30 at True Light Family Resource Center at 31st and Charlotte streets for a day of service.

KCABJ Vice President/Print Ramanda Hicks coordinated the event and had members speak about ways they could better prepare themselves for the job market. Members who participated include KCABJ Secretary Anita Parran, Treasurer Lewis Diuguid and Members Pamela Woodley and Bette Tate-Beaver.

The women and men were appreciative of the pointers and the clothes and luggage that Bette left for the women to help them in their job search. The church is operated by the Rev. Alice Piggee-Wallack. Pastor Piggee-Wallack’s goal helps women transition from homeless to stable housing and a supportive lifestyle.

KCABJ members at the April meeting decided to go on “Generation Rap” on KPRS-FM on a Saturday to drum up interest in the journalism academy. KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice also informed members about the upcoming regional NABJ convention in Little Rock. It took place April 19-20.

KCABJ members set Saturday, Oct. 26 as the date for the KCABJ Media Awards program. It will be at 2 p.m. at The Kansas City Star Press Pavilion., 16th and McGee.
The next KCABJ meeting will be May 18. The location will be announced.

NABJ News
The National Association of Black Journalists has picked Gregory L. Moore, editor of The Denver Post, for the NABJ Lifetime Achievement Award. It is NABJ’s highest honor.
NABJ also picked Roland Martin, syndicated columnist TV host and radio and television commentator, for its Journalist of the Year award.

Dawn Kelly was picked for the professional of the year award. She is vice president and account team leader for Global Communications for Prudential Financial Inc.

NABJ also commented on the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing, urging news outlets to use caution on labeling potential suspects as “dark-skinned individuals.” It is not to encourage censorship but to push responsible reporting on issues of race, NABJ said in a prepared release.

The NABJ convention this year will take place at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Fla., from July 31 through Aug. 4. To pre-register go to http://www.nabj.org. The deadline to preregister is June 15.

News To Go Places
KCUR-FM public radio is offering internships for students interested in radio broadcasting careers. For more information contact Sylvia Maria Gross at Sylvia@kcur.org or call her at 816-235-6696.

UNITY Journalists of Color Inc. through the Ford Foundation is offering a $200,000 grant to promote entrepreneurial journalism. For more information go to http://www.unityjournalists.org or call 703-854-3685.

NABJ has added a Sports Task Force Scholarship Jam to its convention line up. For more information go to http://www.nabj.org.

KCABJ Newsletter for March 2013

Day of Service
KCABJ members will gather at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30 at True Light Family Resource Center at 31st and Charlotte streets for a day of service. KCABJ Vice President/Print Ramanda Hicks arranged for KCABJ members to help women served by the church, which is operated by the Rev. Alice Piggee-Wallack. Pastor Piggee-Wallack’s goal is to help women who are homeless get back on their feet and into housing and a stable, supportive lifestyle.

KCABJ members are encouraged to donate business-like clothing for women and also to dress professionally. What Ramanda has arranged is for KCABJ members to work with women at the center to write resumes, help with interview skills and professional demeanor, making it easier for women to get jobs so they can support themselves and their families.
True Light ministries is open from 5 to 6 p.m.

KCABJ Treasurer Lewis Diuguid reported that he moderated a candidate forum for the Historic Northeast-Midtown Association in Kansas City, Kan., ahead of the April 2 mayoral and council elections for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan. KCABJ member Amber Mobley had encouraged KCABJ to be among the sponsors of a candidate forum to help inform the public about the people seeking seats in the election.

The KCABJ chapter retreat remains on hold. However, work on preparing for the KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Academy continues. The applications went out this month and are posted online at http://www.kcabj.org. The one with the deadline and dates is on the blog site on the webpage. Ramanda, Lewis and KCABJ Secretary Anita Parran have spoken with groups at the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, school groups and with a parent organization at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. The deadline for the application is April 27. Already a number of students have expressed an interest. For more information call Lewis at 816-234-4723.

KCABJ will go on “Generation Rap” as in previous years to try to gin up more students for the summer program, which runs from June 17 through June 28 at Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley. The academy can accommodate up to 12 students each summer. KCABJ has annually run the program since 1982 for high school and college students who are interested in journalism careers.
KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice also informed members about the upcoming regional NABJ convention in Little Rock. It will be April 19-20. It will include workshops and professional development sessions. Registration for nonmembers is $75; $45 for people who are members of NABJ and KCABJ. For more information go to http://www.isiahfactor.com/2013/03/12/the-nabj-regional-conference-in-little-rock-is-around-the-corner/.

The next KCABJ meeting is at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at the Waldo library.

NABJ News
It’s time to pre-register for the National Association of Black Journalists convention July 31-Aug. 4 in Orlando. For more information go to http://www.nabj.org.
NABJ is holding its fifth annual Media Institute on Health: Health Policy and Health Inequities sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation. It will take place April 4-6 at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, D.C. For more information and to register go to http://www.nabj.org.

News Media study
The latest State of the News Media report shows that older, white Republican males are less likely to pay attention to the news sources they once relied on.

The Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism annual report found that nearly one in three Americans polled had given up on their news outlet. That’s combined with the number of reporters dropping drastically in the last 13 years and local news being less dominant than international news from the wire services. Local news is more costly to produce for newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television outlets. Newsroom cutbacks at newspapers last year showed the industry employment down 30 percent compared with a peak in 2000, Pew reports.

For the first time since 1978 there were fewer than 40,000 people working in 2012 in newspaper newsrooms in the United States. Local TV news has been affected as well with 40 percent of local TV content consisting of sports, weather and traffic. Audiences are down, and TV news stories are shorter.

Only 42 percent of adults under age 30 counted themselves as regular local news viewers in 2006. Last year it fell to 28 percent, the study showed.

The report says stations have sliced in half their coverage on government compared with 2005. People who said they had given up on news sources cited the declining quality of the journalism. Sixty-one percent said the stories were less complete than they had been in the past.

Diversity Reversals
Expect to see fewer persons of color on TV. Soledad “Brien and Roland Martin and CNN were expected to part company, The Call of Kansas City reported this month.
CNN also may be dropping Donna Brazille, a Democratic strategist and the cable news network’s only African American female commentator. This is taking place while CNN is hiring three white commentators. Speculation is that CNN will soon hire other black journalists. Stay tuned.

KC People
KCABJ’s membership inched up by two with the additions of Jonathan Carter, a KCTV-5 news anchor, and Michele Watley, director of the Kansas City branch of the Missouri Secretary of State’s office.

KCABJ member Pamela Woodley, who relocated from a broadcast job in Detroit, is teaching classes for the University of Phoenix and National American University.
Former KCABJ member Steve Penn had a book signing on March 23 at the Black Archives of Mid-America Inc. for his first book, featuring former Black Panther Pete O’Neal. The title is “Case for A Pardon.”

KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice was notified that he has won a first-place award from APME for breaking news for his coverage of Kansas City Chiefs Javon Belcher’s murder suicide in December. Glenn also won second place for general news reporting.

KCABJ Membership Application for 2013
Mail this application with your $20 check or money order to KCABJ, P.O. Box 32744, Kansas City, Mo. 64111. It covers your annual membership dues. Membership entitles you to receive the KCABJ monthly newsletter sent via e-mail and emailed monthly meeting notices.

NAME___________________________________

DATE____________________________________

HOME ADDRESS_________________________

_________________________________________

Email address____________________________

Phone (w) _____________ (h)________________

Cell Phone _______________________________

Occupation (Title, company and address):

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

FULL/ASSOCIATE/STUDENT MEMBER
(circle one)

Years of Experience________________________

KCABJ and/or NABJ member

(circle one or both)

(Membership in KCABJ runs from January through December. Annual dues of $20 has not
changed since 1981. It is the lowest of any of the affiliates of the National Association of Black
Journalists. Membership is subsidized by donations from KCABJ members.)

Applications are being accepted for the 2013 KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Academy

2013 Urban Student Journalism Academy

June 17-28, 2013

at Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley

3201 Southwest Trafficway

Sponsored by The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists

KCABJ is a not-for-profit corporation registered with the Secretary of State of Missouri and affiliated with the National Association of Black Journalists.

About the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists

KCABJ was founded in 1981, and this year it celebrates its 30th anniversary as an organization of professional black journalists. This is the 31th KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Academy. Many graduates of the program are established in the field or are pursuing careers in journalism.

For more information about the academy or the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists call KCABJ member Glenn E. Rice, a reporter with The Kansas City Star at (816) 234-4341 or KCABJ Treasurer Lewis W. Diuguid, editorial board member, letters editor and columnist at The Kansas City Star at (816) 234-4723.

About Penn Valley Community College

Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley, 3201 Southwest Trafficway, is part of the Metropolitan Community Colleges, which includes five colleges in nine locations in the Kansas City, Mo., area. The others are Blue River, Maple Woods, Business Technology and Longview community colleges.

The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists is committed to working with high school and college students to prepare them for careers in print and broadcast journalism or other communications fields. This year’s academy continues that tradition.

The 2013 KCABJ Urban Journalism Academy is free to students. It is a commuter program and will be at MCC – Penn Valley June 17-June 28. There is a mandatory orientation set for Saturday, June 15 at The Kansas City Star, 16th and McGee streets. Each student is responsible for his or her own transportation to and from the college each day. Class begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley is on a major bus line.

This academy is unique in our area because it is taught by black journalists working for newspapers, television and radio stations and in public relations in Greater Kansas City. Educators will add their knowledge to the instruction. Students will be:
Assigned stories to report and write.
They will work on computers.
Shadow reporters.
Benefit from lectures from major newsmakers.
Network with influential people.
Produce their own newspaper and radio and television newscasts.

Every student who attends the academy leaves with enhanced reading, writing, analytical, communication and questioning skills. Teachers and parents have said teen-agers and young adults have returned from the summer energized and far more interested and able to learn than before.

Scholarships & Other Opportunities
Students selected for the academy will compete for scholarships offered by KCABJ. The awards go to the best students in the class. The class size will be limited to 12. Many of our graduates are award-winning journalists today.
To Apply
1. Write a one-page essay on the role people of color should have in journalism.
2. Send one sample of your writing — if possible something that has been published (e.g. an article in your school newspaper). We are seeking committed students who are not afraid of hard work and who already have a demonstrated interest in journalism.
3. Mail this completed application, your essay and writing sample by April 27, 2013, to KCABJ, P.O. Box 32744, Kansas City, Mo. 64111.

Academy Application

Name_____________________________________

Email:____________________________________

Male______ Female _______ Birth date_________

Address___________________________________

City_________________ State/ZIP _____________

Phone ____________________________________

School Name_______________________________

Year in School ______________________________

GPA_______________________________________

Journalism/English/Yearbook Teacher’s Name:

___________________________________________

In which area are you most interested? Rank
each 1, 2, 3 or 4 with your favorite being #1.

_____Newspaper Television ________

______Radio Public Relations _____

List journalism and/or writing experience in courses you have taken or media companies

where you’ve worked:________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

On a separate sheet of paper list your career
goals and why you want to attend this academy.

Student signature_______________________________________

Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian_____________________________________________

KCABJ Newsletter for February 2013

Retreat rescheduled
The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists at the February membership meeting elected officers for 2013.

The same persons who held executive board positions in 2012 were retained for the New Year. Glenn E. Rice will continue to serve as president; Ramanda Hicks, vice president/print; Robyn King, vice president/broadcast; Anita K. Parran, secretary; and Lewis W. Diuguid, treasurer.

The executive board retreat, which had been scheduled for Feb. 17 has been rescheduled for the Saturday, March 16 membership meeting at the Waldo branch library on 75th Street. It will begin at 12:30 and run until 2 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

KCABJ members at the February meeting did set the dates for the KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Academy. It will run from June 17 through June 28. KCABJ will work to have it again at Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley, where it has been nearly every year since it was begun in 1982. The academy is open to high school and college students who have an interest in journalism careers. A mandatory orientation is set for Saturday, June 15. The academy can take up to 12 students.

Glenn also informed KCABJ members that Region V of the National Association of Black Journalists will have a regional convention April 19-20 in Little Rock, Ark. The theme is “Seizing Opportunities, Confronting Challenges in the Media Industry.” The host chapter is Central Arkansas Association of Black Journalists, Region V Director Mary Benton said. The conference, the first in years, will provide members with professional development, student training and networking opportunities. The Region III conference will run March 8-10 at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. The theme is “Unplugged: Wireless in a Hi-Tech World.”

The revival of the regional conventions stems from a challenge by NABJ President Greg Lee to sponsor more quality programming. For more details go to http://www.nabj.org.

KCABJ member Amber Mobley provided KCABJ with dates to participate in a candidate forum for mayor and commissioners of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan. The primary is Feb. 26; the general election is on April 2. Of the possible dates, KCABJ members picked Tuesday, March 19 to be part of a candidates’ forum. It will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Community Center at 10th and Washington. KCABJ members agreed to provide members to attend, moderate and ask questions.

Ramanda advised KCABJ that she will be doing more work on the website for the organization. That should all be in place before June.

News You Can Use
Loop21 and UNITY Journalists of Color: Race and Media Survey has been extended to Feb. 24, providing journalists and media professionals more opportunities to share their thoughts on race and media relations. One participant will be picked to win a Kindle Fire just by logging into or registering for a Loop21 account before completing the survey. The survey is at http://trib.al/wV81aRf. It is supposed to take less than 15 minutes to complete. Black journalists will discuss the results of the survey and what they mean for minority professionals working in journalism. That will take place March 8 at the National Association of Broadcasters headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The Society of Professional Journalists will award special honors to recognize service to journalism, dedication to press freedoms and exceptional ethical practices. The nominations are due March 20. The awards are for distinguished teaching in journalism, ethics in journalism, fellows of the society, First Amendment award, historic sites in journalism and sunshine award. For more information call Lauren Rochester at 317-927-8000 or send email to awards@spj.org.

An NABJ Media Institute on Energy will take place Feb. 21-22 at the Westin Houston Memorial City in Houston. For more information call 281-501-4308.

High school juniors interested in journalism careers can apply for the all-expenses-paid Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. It will run from July 13-18 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. for more information go to http://freespirit.org/.

The Bradenton Herald is seeking an urban affairs reporter. For more information send email to nwilliams@bradenton.com.

KC People
KCABJ’s membership crept up by one with the addition of April D. Jackson.

KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice again will chair the election committee for the National Association of Black Journalists. Lewis Diuguid also has been tapped to serve once again on the committee.

Former KCABJ president and current Kansas City Associated Press Bureau Chief Kia Breaux will be the featured speaker at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 at the Central Exchange.

NABJ member and national commentator Roland Martin has been named the honorary chair of the 2013 NABJ convention in Orlando, Fla. It will take place July 31 through Aug. 4

KCABJ Membership Application for 2013
Mail this application with your $20 check or money order to KCABJ, P.O. Box 32744, Kansas City, Mo. 64111. It covers your annual membership dues. Membership entitles you to receive the KCABJ monthly newsletter sent via e-mail and emailed monthly meeting notices.

NAME___________________________________

DATE____________________________________

HOME ADDRESS_________________________

_________________________________________

E-mail address____________________________

Phone (w) _____________ (h)________________

Cell Phone _______________________________

Occupation (Title, company and address):

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

FULL/ASSOCIATE/STUDENT MEMBER
(circle one)

Years of Experience________________________

KCABJ and/or NABJ member
(circle one or both)

(Membership in KCABJ runs from January through December. Annual dues of $20 has not
changed since 1981. It is the lowest of any of the affiliates of the National Association of Black
Journalists. Membership is subsidized by donations from KCABJ members.)

KCABJ Newsletter for January 2013

KCABJ Retreat
The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists will elect officers at its membership meeting on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Persons interested in executive board positions of president, vice president/broadcast, vice president/print, secretary and treasurer, please let KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice know by sending an email to him at grice@kcstar.com. Glenn said he will require that KCABJ officers attend the monthly membership meetings. The location and time of the February meeting will be announced soon.

KCABJ members also decided at the January meeting to have a retreat on Sunday, Feb. 17 to plan for upcoming events. KCABJ Secretary Anita Parran will be the host of the 3 p.m. meeting.

Some of the agenda items include the student journalism academy, working with the National Association of Black Journalists to reduce insurance and other costs, conducting a census of African Americans working in the news media in the Kansas City area, a KCABJ membership drive, establishing a link or program at Kansas City, Kansas Community College and the NABJ regional director’s plan to hold a regional convention in April in Little
Rock, Ark. The NABJ regions have not held separate conventions in years.

News You Can Use
Kansas State University’s A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications seeks applicants for an assistant professor in journalism and digital media. For more information contact Dr. Angela Powers at mfranke@k-state.edu.

The Kansas City Press Club is accepting entries for its annual Heart of America Awards. For more information go to http://www.spjchapters.org/kcpress.

NABJ will have its NABJ Media Institute on Energy & Environment on Feb. 21-22 in Houston. For more information go to http://www.nabj.org.

Entries are being accepted for the Robin Toner Political Reporting Prize. For more information send email to cgrimes@syr.edu.

KC People
KCABJ’s membership crept up by one with the addition of Markl Johnson. Membership dues is due at the beginning of the year. The application for membership follows:

KCABJ Membership Application for 2013

Mail this application with your $20 check or money order to KCABJ, P.O. Box 32744, Kansas City, Mo. 64111. It covers your annual membership dues. Membership entitles you to receive the KCABJ monthly newsletter sent via e-mail and e-mailed monthly meeting notices.

NAME___________________________________

DATE____________________________________

HOME ADDRESS_________________________

_________________________________________

Email address____________________________

Phone (w) _____________ (h)________________

CellPhone _______________________________

Occupation (Title, company and address):

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

FULL/ASSOCIATE/STUDENT MEMBER
(circle one)
Years of Experience________________________
KCABJ and/or NABJ member
(circle one or both)

(Membership in KCABJ runs from January through December. Annual dues of $20 has not
changed since 1981. It is the lowest of any of the affiliates of the National Association of Black
Journalists. Membership is subsidized by donations from KCABJ members.)

KCABJ Newsletter for December 2012

Holiday Party
The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists holiday party on Dec. 14 attracted dozens of people to the Ninth Inning in the 18th & Vine Historic District.

People had a good time remembering the year that is coming to a close and looking forward to better times in 2013. Journalists, their spouses and significant others from area newspapers, television stations, radio stations and in public relations attended the event.

KCABJ continued a long holiday tradition of bringing people together to let their hair down and relax in good company.

New Year Elections
KCABJ will elect new officers at the January 2013 meeting. KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice will send a notice to members on where the meeting will take place, the date and time.

The positions that are open are president, vice president/broadcast, vice president/print, secretary and treasurer. Please contact Glenn if you are interested in running for one of the seats. The term is one year. Glenn can be reached at grice@kcstar.com.

News You Can Use
The Society of Professional Journalists is seeking entries for its SDX Awards. The organization annually recognizes the best in professional journalism. For more information go to awards.spj.org.

Entries are being accepted for the $5,000 Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting. The deadline is Jan. 20. For more information go to http://tonerprogram.syr.edu or call Charlotte Grimes at 315-443-2366.

KC People
KCABJ’s membership crept up by two with the edition for 2013 of Glenn Rice and J.W. Edwards. Membership dues is due in January. The application for membership follows:

KCABJ Membership Application for 2013

Mail this application with your $20 check or money order to KCABJ, P.O. Box 32744, Kansas City, Mo. 64111. It covers your annual membership dues. Membership entitles you to receive the KCABJ monthly newsletter sent via e-mail and e-mailed monthly meeting notices.

NAME___________________________________

DATE____________________________________

HOME ADDRESS_________________________

_________________________________________

Email address____________________________

Phone (w) _____________ (h)________________

Cellphone _______________________________

Occupation (Title, company and address):

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

FULL/ASSOCIATE/STUDENT MEMBER

(circle one)

Years of Experience________________________

KCABJ and/or NABJ member

(circle one or both)

(Membership in KCABJ runs from January through December. Annual dues of $20 has not
changed since 1981. It is the lowest of any of the affiliates of the National Association of Black
Journalists. Membership is subsidized by donations from KCABJ members.)

KCABJ Newsletter for November 2012

November Meeting
KCABJ member Amber Mobley suggested at the November membership meeting that KCABJ help sponsor a candidate forum for the Kansas City, Kan., mayoral election. KCABJ efforts to help sponsor a candidate forum ahead of the November election were not fruitful.

For the March election, Nathan Barnes, a longtime city council member in the Unified Government is running for mayor against Mayor Joe Reardon. KCABJ President Glenn Rice asked Amber to get more information for KCABJ to consider.

KCABJ will hold a holiday party on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Ninth Inning at 18th and Vine Streets.

The membership also decided to participate in a “Day of Service” on Jan. 21 for the holiday celebrating the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The group decided to again volunteer at Harvesters, a community food network, to benefit people in need. KCABJ Vice President Ramanda Hicks will make the arrangements and get back to the membership with more information.

KCABJ will hold a retreat for members on Jan. 20 to discuss upcoming events for 2013. Look for more information soon on the KCABJ web site at http://www.kcabj.org.

NABJ News
The National Association of Black Journalists is seeking applications for the Salute to Excellence National Media Awards. The deadline is Jan. 9. For more information go to http://www.nabj.org.
Sigma Delta Chi Awards

The Society of Professional Journalists is seeking submissions for its 2012 Sigma Delta Chi Awards, recognizing the best in professional journalism. The deadline is Feb. 7.
For more information send email to awards@spj.org or call 317-927-8000.

KC People
Several black journalists joined or renewed their membership in KCABJ for 2013. They included Alonzo Weston, Pamela Woodley,
Venesha Reed, Amber Mobley, Heather Staggers, Bette Beaver, Anita Parran and Lewis Diuguid.

KCABJ will hold its elections on Dec. 14 at the holiday party. People interested in running for one of the elected offices should get in touch with Glenn Rice, president of KCABJ at grice@kcstar.com.

The offices are president, vice president/print, vice president/broadcast, treasurer and secretary.

KCABJ Newsletter for October 2012

Media Awards
Scholarship winners are graduates of the summer 2012 KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Academy at Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley. They are among the high school and college students metrowide who completed the intensive two-week summer program in print, broadcast and convergence journalism.

The recipient of the 10th annual KCABJ-Lucile H. Bluford Scholarship is Selchia Cain. She is a sophomore at the Drake University. Ms. Bluford had been the longtime editor and publisher of The Call of Kansas City. She continued in that job until she died in June 2003 at age 91. Ms. Bluford used the pages of The Call to promote civil rights and helped open journalism more to people of color. The KCABJ-Roy Wilkins Scholarship has been awarded annually since 1987. It is named after a former editor of The Call, Roy Wilkins, who also served as head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People during the Civil Rights Movement. The winner of the 2012 KCABJ-Roy Wilkins Scholarship is Breana Jordan. Jordan is a freshman at Duke University. She is the 26th recipient of the scholarship.

The 11th annual KCABJ-Laura R. Hockaday Scholarship went to Miesha Miller, a senior at Raytown High School. The annual scholarship is named after Hockaday, who until she retired in 2000 was the longtime society editor of The Kansas City Star. Hockaday has received numerous awards for making her work inclusive of the racial, ethnic, gender and other diversity in Greater Kansas City.

The 19th Annual KCABJ-Nancy Diuguid Scholarship was awarded to Archie L. Wilson. Wilson is a freshman at Webster University. The scholarship is funded by KCABJ Treasurer Lewis Diuguid and named for his mother, who died in 1994 of Alzheimer’s disease. Nancy Diuguid had longed to be a journalist, but such career options were mostly closed to young black women in the 1950s.

This honor goes to the area media professional or organization that has done the most to further the interests of the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists. The recipient is judged by the president of KCABJ to have selflessly given time, talent and resources to benefit other journalists of color in Greater Kansas City. KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice chose Ramanda Hicks, KCABJ’s vice president/print, for the honor for her work in rebuilding the KCABJ website and for her community outreach for KCABJ.

In its 31-year history, KCABJ has only named three persons for its Lifetime Achievement Award. They are Helen Gray, Geri Gosa and Anita Parran. This year Pete Wilkerson, a former reporter for The Kansas City Times and a former cameraman for KCTV-5, and J.W. Edwards, a longtime cameraman for WDAF-TV, Channel 4, join them as this year’s recipients of that honor.

Wilkerson had been with KCTV-5 for 25 years. He currently owns Video-Audio-Content in which he produces video and documentary content. Edwards manages a staff of 21 photographers and eight editors. He has been with WDAF-TV for 33 years.

The professional award recipients:
 Elana Gordon with KCUR-FM; KCABJ Broadcast Radio: News Feature Award for “Taking Another Look at John Brown”

 Dr. Susan B. Wilson, Sylvia Maria Gross, Suzanne Hogan and Alex Smith with KCUR-FM’s “KC Currents”; KCABJ Broadcast Radio News Magazine Award for “KC Currents” Body of Work

 Monroe Dodd, Walt Bodine and Andrea Silenzi with KCUR-FM’s “Walt Bodine Show”; KCABJ Broadcast Radio: Talk Show Award for “A History of African Americans in Kansas City”

 Glenn E. Rice and Mara’ Rose Williams with The Kansas City Star; KCABJ Newspapers Daily (over 100,000): Enterprise Reporting Award for “Freedom’s Distant Cry”

 Alonzo Weston with the St. Joseph News-Press; KCABJ Newspapers Daily (under 200,000): Commentary Award for “We’re the Survivors”

 Donna Stewart and Tracy Allen with The Call of Kansas City; KCABJ Newspaper Magazine Award for “They Were All Stars!!!”

 Helen T. Gray with The Kansas City Star; KCABJ Newspapers Daily (over 100,000): Features Award “Songs of Their Freedom”

 Jenee’ Osterheldt with The Kansas City Star; KCABJ Newspapers Daily (over 100,000): Commentary Award for Body of work: “Wear a Hoodie for Trayvon,” “Enduring Photo Inspires Dreams” and “The Twilight of Myra Taylor.”

News You Can Use
College juniors and seniors are encouraged to apply for the Dow Jones News Fund summer internships in digital, news and sports editing and business reporting. The deadline is Dec. 1. For more information for the positions paying at least $350 a week for a minimum of 10 weeks, go to https://www.newsfund.org.

The Missouri Lawyers Media has an opening for a reporter to cover the business of law for Missouri Lawyers Weekly. For more information contact Richard Jackoway at Richard.jackoway@molawyersmedia.com.

KC People
Pete Wilkerson has become a member of KCABJ, joining for 2013 after receiving the prestigious KCABJ Lifetime Achievement Award.

KCABJ academy graduate Trey Williams is a standout as editor in chief sharing his views in a column in the Northwest Missourian

Pamela Spencer, a KCABJ member and 10-year member of The Kansas City Star staff, left the newspaper to work at Sprint. She had for years done the layout of the KCABJ Journal. She will be missed, however, she said she intends to remain active in KCABJ.

KCABJ Newsletter for September 2012

Media Awards
The judges have completed their work on entries for the 21st Annual KCABJ Media Awards. The winners will be notified soon and the plaques ordered.

The awards ceremony will occur at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 at The Star Press Pavilion, 16th and McGee streets. Light refreshments will be provided.

KCABJ honors go to news media coverage for accurate and honest depictions of African Americans and other people of color in stories, pictures and artwork about people in the Greater Kansas City area.

KCABJ President Glenn E. Rice will name the winner of the KCABJ President’s Award given annually to the person or organization, doing the most to further the interests of KCABJ.

In addition, Glenn has picked two persons to receive KCABJ Lifetime Achievement Awards. They are Pete Wilkerson, a former reporter for The Kansas City Times and cameraman for KCTV-5, and J.W. Edwards, a longtime cameraman for WDAF-TV, Channel 4. They join only three other persons chosen for the lifetime achievement honor in KCABJ’s 31-year history. They are Anita Parran, Helen Gray and Geri Gosa.

The students in the summer KCABJ journalism academy will receive copies of the 2012 KCABJ Journal with their stories from the 2012 KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Academy, which took place at the Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley. Their radio and television newscasts will be aired at the awards program, and the students will receive copies of them to use to get internships and jobs.

KCABJ members at the September meeting picked the top performing students in the academy for the four KCABJ scholarships. Those awards are the KCABJ-Roy Wilkins Scholarship, the KCABJ-Lucile Bluford Scholarship, the KCABJ-Laura Hockaday Scholarship and the KCABJ-Nancy Diuguid Scholarship.

The winners will be announced at the awards program along with the winners of the professional media awards.

The membership decided at its September meeting to also co-sponsor a candidates forum with the Kansas City branch of the NAACP. The date tentatively is set for Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center. Look for more breaking information on the KCABJ website and blog. KCABJ members will moderate the forum.

NABJ News
NABJ President Gregory H. Lee Jr. has picked Carol D. Ash as chair of the 2013 NABJ convention in Orlando, Fla., and Benet J. Wilson as program chair for the gathering on July 31-Aug. 4.

“I know Carol and Benet will ensure convention attendees get all that they expect out of an NABJ convention, particularly top-notch training and workshops, opportunities to network, and a chance to relax and have a great time,” Lee said. “Our convention is in great hands.”

NABJ also is seeking workshop and panel presentation proposals for the Orlando convention. The deadline is Oct. 17. The program committee is accepting innovative, educational and “out of the box” proposals that relate to the NABJ theme this year of “People, Purpose, Passion: The Power of NABJ.”

KC People
KCABJ member Amber Mobley’s first Faith Walk column appeared Saturday, Sept. 15 in The Kansas City Star in the Faith section. Check it out!