Calendar of Multimedia Training and Events

By Ameena Rasheed, NABJ Digital Journalism Task Force Intern

Editor’s note: the Digital Journalism Task Force is working on programming that will take us right to the annual convention. To that end, we’d appreciate it if you could take this quick 5-question survey to let us know what you want. Thanks!!

Webbmedia Group has a great mega calendar of events that catches things not covered below. If you want to subscribe to the calendar, click here. You can also subscribe to this calendar so the information appears on your personal Google Calendar. Just go to the Webbmedia Google calendar, click the “+Google Calendar” icon at the bottom right, and then click “Yes, add this calendar” in the dialog box). The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism has its training calendar posted for courses through July 2013.

JULY

• The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism presents the free business journalism workshop, “Accountability in Indian Country – Be a Better Business Watchdog,” which kicks off the Native American Journalists Association’s annual conference on July 18 in Phoenix. Presented by IRE’s training director Jaimi Dowdell and The Daily Advertiser’s watchdog editor Dianna Hunt, this daylong training offers hands-on tips for finding, downloading and analyzing online databases using Excel. Register at the main workshop page: http://bit.ly/18Tj0qI.
• The National Association of Black Journalists welcomes you to join us from July 31-August 4, 2013 as we gather in Orlando for the 38th Annual Convention and Career Fair! Thousands of journalists, media executives, public relations professionals, and students are expected to attend to network, participate in professional development sessions and celebrate excellence in journalism.
• NAJA and Native Public Media will co-host this year’s national conference, giving special focus to the latest innovations in the media industry and news developments in Indian Country. The national conference for media professionals interested in improving their reporting on and delivery of Native news will be held at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center July 18-21. Click here for more information.
• George Mason University is the host of the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) and each summer welcomes high school student leaders from all over the country as National Youth Correspondents. This summer’s conference will take place July 7-12, 2013.

AUGUST

• Get your entry in for the 2013 Barlett and Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism, which offers $8,000 in prizes. Apply online by Aug. 1for print or online work completed in the year ending June 30, 2013.
• The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism presents the business journalism workshop, “Covering Your Local Economy,” which precedes the Asian American Journalists Association Convention in New York. Presented by NPR’s Marilyn Geewax and freelancer Meena Thiruvengadam, this half-day training will equip you with the story ideas and skills you need to tackle economic stories on any beat. Details: http://bit.ly/19l55de
• The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism presents the business journalism workshop, “The Business of Me,” which precedes the Excellence in Journalism Conference in Anaheim. Presented by Twitter’s Mark S. Luckie, this half-day training will help you identify and pitch your business idea, as well as brand and market yourself. Details: http://bit.ly/11WcnKV
• The Society of Professional Journalists, Radio Television News Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists  present the Excellence in Journalism conference this year in Anaheim on August 24-26. Click here for more information.
• The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) is a nonprofit, educational association of journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals. The conference is in Washington D.C. on August 8-11.
• More than 850 journalists, news executives, media researchers, and community leaders will attend the 23rd Annual AAJA Convention at the Hilton New York, August 21-24, 2013. Click here for more information.
• More than 350 journalists and communication professionals from across the United States will meet in Boston from August 22 – 25, 2013 for the NLGJA National Convention and 9th LGBT Media Summit. Click here for more information.
• The McCormick Tribune Specialized Reporting Institute will be held at the UTEP campus this fall from September 26-29. There are 15 all-expenses paid scholarships for professional and independent journalists to attend. The application deadline is August 5. You may find more information here.
• The Abe Fellowship for Journalists is designed to encourage in-depth coverage of topics of pressing concern to the United States and Japan through individual short-term policy-related projects. Fellows are expected to produce an analytical article or feature story that will inform public debate or a policy community one of the following topics:

1.  Traditional and Non-Traditional Approaches to Security and Diplomacy
2.  Global and Regional Economic Issues
3. Social and Cultural Issues

For information on eligibility criteria or to apply, please visit us at http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/abe-fellowship-for-journalists/. Contact SSRC staff at abe@ssrc.org with any questions or concerns.

• The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism presents the free business journalism workshop, “Finding Your Best Investigative Business Story,” at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Award-winning professors Alec Klein of Northwestern University and Chris Roush of the University of North Carolina lead this daylong training, which focuses on identifying and developing local investigative business stories. Register at the main workshop page: http://bit.ly/16B86li

OCTOBER

• It’s time to plan your trip to the 2013 Online News Association Conference & Awards Banquet, Oct. 17-19, 2013 in Atlanta. Clickhere for more information.
• The 92nd annual ACP/CMA National College Media Convention will be Oct. 23-27 in New Orleans. Click here for more information.
• The Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) will be hosting its fall camp in Essex, Vt. Click here for more information.

NOVEMBER

• The 35th Annual SND Workshop and Exhibition will be held November 7-9, 2013, in Louisville, Kentucky. The event is hosted by Gannett Louisville Design Studio. Click here for more information.
• The National Association of Science Writers will be held November 1-5 in Gainesville, Florida. Click here for more information.

If you have items you wish to include, please email them to me at benet AT aviationqueen DOT COM. Thanks!!

What To Wear To The NABJ Convention: Women’s Edition, Orlando Style!

By Kirstin Garriss, General Assignment Reporter, WHAG-TV

Editor’s note: please join me for a free webinar, “Top 10 Dos and Don’ts for Resumes,” on Tuesday, July 9 at 9:00 p.m. ET.  I’ll offer my tips and do three live demos of my famous resume review. Please share this link and encourage folks to attend. It will be recorded for those who can’t make it.

It’s about that time again — NABJ convention time! A great time for journalists — newbies and veterans — to come together in a city to learn from each other, network, make connections and yes, even have a little fun. This year, we’re heading to sunny Orlando, Fla.! And like any trip, the infamous question we all ask… What should I wear?

Well, as a young journalist and veteran to the conventions (this is my fifth), I have a pretty good sense of what’s convention appropriate. So here are a few tips to keep you looking as clean, fresh and professional on the outside as you are on your resume!

Location, Location, Location! – Every year, NABJ choices a different place to hold the convention and it’s always in the summer so you already know it’s going to be HOT!

• Before you start shopping and/or packing, check the forecast for the week of the convention so you can get an idea of what the weather will be like
• ALWAYS pack at least one jacket/blazer and an umbrella — yes, even if it’s going to be clear the whole time, you just never know.

As women, we have the options to wear dresses, skirts, tops and pants with our professional attire BUT just because we have all these potential combos doesn’t mean you have to go overboard with 10 million options.

How to TOP it off – Because we’re all various shapes and sizes, it’s good to make sure all your clothes “FIT” — I repeat, FIT, not barely fit or almost fit, but FIT!

• When it comes to our tops, you want to make sure your blouse, button up or professional top fits your body — you don’t want any of your shirts to pucker in middle or near a button, that looks unprofessional.
• To avoid these mishaps, try buying a top a size up. Yes, I know hearing the words “a size up” is death to us women but it’s actually a great tip to help you look slimmer because the top will fit you well and will accent your curves.
• If you get to NABJ and realize that one of your button up puckers there are ways to fix that — safety pins! You can use a small safety pin in between the two buttons where your shirt is puckering and presto, no pucker! This is a great tip to save you some unneeded attention in that area!
• Also look for light and bright-colored tops that will keep you cool in the summer heat but still very professional — corals, pastels and even subdued neons are great color choices for women of color and they go well with neutral bottoms
• Want to be bold? Try rocking a funky pattern on top, look for patterns that aren’t too big like huge strips or enormous polka dots and pair with neutral bottoms.
• REMEMBER, too much cleavage is not a good thing, you want to look professional and that’s a quick way for someone to give the wrong impression — so ladies, keep the girls covered!

Pants vs. Skirts vs. Dresses – When it comes to conventions, pants, skirts and dresses are all appropriate choices.

• With pants, make sure they fit you and all your womanly curves and your height. If you’re petite, then you may have to hem your pants but if they’re just a tad bit too long, try wear some heels (that you’re comfortable in) and that will make up the difference. If you’re a taller woman, make sure your pants are the right length, you’ll have to do the opposite and wear a great pair of flats if your pants are just the right length
• To make sure you have the right “FIT”, try a size up on your usual pant size because sometimes business pants are cut smaller than usual.
• Skirts and Dresses are great for summer business casual. It’s good to shoot for knee length or just above your kneecap – anything shorter than that will look too casual for professional settings
• Patterns are great for dresses and skirts, but make sure the pattern isn’t too big much for your body type — smaller frames can handle a bigger print while curvy frames look great with smaller more subtle prints

Blazers, Jackets and SHOES – Always bring 1-2 blazers that are neutral and go with most of your outfit choices because even though it’s hot outside, the convention site and rooms can be chilly

• A blazer gives a casual look, a nice professional touch!
• SHOES – yes, ladies you can wear your heels but PLEASE wear heels that you feel comfortable in! When you’re networking and making connections, you want to be focusing on those conversations and not how badly your feet hurt.
• Also you only need a few pairs of shoes for the whole convention — 1 to 2 pairs of neutral heels (that coordinate with most of your outfits), one pair of neutral flats (that you can use to walk around in), a pair of sandals or sneakers (to wear for sightseeing and casual events) — that’s essentially 3 – 4 pairs of shoes but it could be less if you can pack efficiently
• Now don’t get me wrong, you can rock some statement shoes if you want to but just remember a unique pair of pumps or flats may not work with all your outfits and if you’re only trying to bring a carry on, then you want to think neutral shoes all the way!

Packing Tips – The week of convention, lay out all your outfit options — top, bottom and shoes (even accessories if you’re like me and love to add those too)

• This process will help you pack just want you need and save you more room in your travel bag
• Also pack one extra outfit that you can dress up for the workshops/forums but you can also dress down for other events — this will be a good back up just in case something happens to one of your preset outfits
• I also pack extra personal items because you just never know plus it’s always good to be ready!

These are just a few hints that will help you look great and stay cool while braving the Orlando heat making new contacts at NABJ. If you think your current business wardrobe needs a little bit of a boost before the convention, take advantage of some of these pre-summer sales and stock up!

Some of my favorite places to go for business clothes are:
– NY & Co.
– Target
– J.C. Penny’s
– Macy’s — specifically Style Inc
– LOFT by Ann Taylor
– And thrift stores, like Goodwill, Value Village, Plato’s Closet, etc — this is a great way to score some designer and vintage looks without breaking the bank. But make sure you try on anything you like before you buy because there’s no return policy in thrift!

Finally, check out our Pinterest boards — What To Wear At #NABJ13 AND What NOT To Wear At #NABJ13 — right up until convention. See you in Orlando!