By Benét J. Wilson, DJTF chair & freelance aviation/travel journalist and blogger
As we prepare to attend the National Association of Black Journalists‘ (NABJ) 37th Annual Convention & Career Fair, we arrive with heavy hearts.
In an ironic twist, it will be a week to the day that Advance Publications, parent of the iconic Times-Picayune newspaper, announced that 84 of its 173 people in the newsroom were losing their jobs, effective Sept. 30. On the same day in Alabama, three major daily newspapers laid off approximately 400 employees, many of them in the newsrooms at The Birmingham News, the Press-Register in Mobile and The Huntsville Times.
Among those losing their jobs were Birmingham chapter founding member Eddie Lard — the newspaper’s lone African-American editorial voice — along with former chapter president Sherrel Stewart and current officer Roy Williams.
NABJ this year partnered with the Online News Association to bring their popular ONA Camp to New Orleans. ONA Camp brings one day of world-class digital journalism training to those trying to beef up their skills. Courses available include Mobile Newsgathering, (Mostly) Free Tools and Google Fusion 101.
In light of what has happened in Alabama and Louisiana, we are opening up registration in ONA Camp to anyone affected by the layoffs. So whether you are an NABJ member or not, you can pay $10 and attend this great training. Click HERE to register. We hope many of you will take advantage of this offer, and look forward to seeing you!!
