I first did this presentation at the 2018 NABJ Annual Convention and Career Fair in Detroit as part of the Innovation Bubble. They are really cool one-hour sessions where you can learn about digital tools and resources you can use in your newsroom that help you work smarter and better.
I was asked to do a session on all the digital tools, apps and resources that I use in my job every day. I thank VP-Digital Amir Vera for inviting me to present my “black bag” of what I use. The goal of my presentation is to show you things you could use tomorrow in your newsroom.
Click here to see my Prezi presentation with all the tools I shared. Please feel free to add your favorites in the comments or reach out to me if you have any questions!
I usually have this post done the Monday after the 18th annual Online News Association conference. But there was so much to unpack I needed extra time to process everything. And for those of you who didn’t make it this year, it was just as good as it looked on social media, so I hope you’re preparing for New Orleans next year. So here’s my review.
The ONA board is very popular! We have a record 22 folks running for six board seats, including me. No matter who wins, the board will be in a great position to help implement ONA’s strategic plan, already in progress. Click here to see the video, listen to the audio or read the social media on the candidate’s forum. Did I mention there was a bar? You have until Sept. 27 to vote, here.
Partial group photo of #NABJAtONA
#TheBrownAndTheBeautiful photo at ONA, styled by Paul Cheung.
2. Diversity a thing! I remember when there were so few of us attending the ONA conference that we all fit into a picture. But not this year! My #NABJ tribe took a photo but had to take several in order to get everyone, and we still didn’t do it. I saw many more people of color and got to see many friends I made at my first (and the last true) Unity convention in Chicago in 2008. And my heart was warmed seeing how many NABJ members say they will attend ONA in 2019. Overall, the diversity at this year’s conference was pretty good. Wait until New Orleans! #NABJAtONA
The HBUC Fellows and Leader Michael Grant at ONA’s awards banquet.
3. The ONA HBCU Fellows crushed it — again! THESE are the #ONA18 HBCU Digital Journalist Fellows at our awards banquet. Left to right: Xavier McKnight (Savannah State); Leah Proctor-Ford (Spelman); Shayla Simmons (Tennessee State); Kyla Wright (Hampton); Daja Henry (Howard); and Program Lead Mentor Michael R. Grant (Grambling State). I strongly encourage you to check out their work here, under HBCU FELLOWS REPORTING. And if you’re looking to diversify your newsroom internships, contact them; they’re all seniors! Or contact me — I’ll help you find them and other deserving students of color in need of paid internships.
4. I get by with a little help from my friends. I have to thank all of my friends who stopped by to speak with the HBCU fellows. They took time out of their busy schedules to share their experiences and wisdom with these young people. Most importantly, they made the HBCU fellows really think about the realities of a journalism career. So shout out to my boss Mandi Woodruff, executive editor at LendingTree; Rochelle Riley, award-winning columnist at the Detroit Free Press; 2018 CNN Diversity Fellow and SB Nation staff writer Tyler Tynes; Sarah Glover,NABJ President and NBC Social Media Editor; Ebony Reed, director of innovation and the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Futures Lab at the University of Missouri; Imaeyen Ibanga, senior producer and presenter with AJ+ and ONA board member (vote for her here); Akoto Ofori-Atta, senior editor of The Trace; and Jamal Jordan, 2017 CNN Diversity Fellow and digital storytelling editor at the New York Times.
Award winner Marissa Evans.
5. And the winner is… This is my mentee Marissa Evans. Marissa worked in the Online News Association Student Newsroom (along with Anna-Lysa Gayle) in 2012. She is now the health policy reporter at the Texas Tribune. She was one of a few journalists of color to win an ONA journalism award for her story comparing the childbirth process in Poland and Texas. Marissa won a grant from the Pulitzer Foundation to pay for her trip to Poland (after meeting the granters at NABJ in New Orleans) to report on the story. These awards are prestigious and they are always competitive, but the right person won. P.S. If you’re looking to hire a talented journalist for your newsroom, you should definitely give Marissa a call. Or email me here — I have a lot of people who would be great for your newsroom. Seriously.
6. Amy Webb was…soothing! Her panel, “Tech Trends For Journalists,” is always packed. It’s known for dropping some serious wisdom — and scaring the crap out of us. But this year, Amy flipped the script and focused on the optimistic side, and gave us cocktails to boot! You can view, listen to and read about her session here — and I highly recommend that you do.
Emma Carew Grovum (leader, Journalism Mentorship Collaborative), Kim Bui (board secretary), Mandy Jenkins (board president) Benet Wilson (board VP), Charo Henríquez (board member) and Rubina Madan Fillion (board candidate).
The annual #BlackGirlMagic photo at Amy Webb’s tech trends presentation.
7. Women rule. This is a photo of women who are kicking ass, both on the ONA board and in their careers. I hope that every one of them ends up running ONA, now and in the future.
8. Time management. The truth is, I *suck* in this area. There was always a workshop to attend, a person to have coffee with, mentees to hug, board duties to perform, receptions and parties to enjoy, dinners to eat and cocktails to enjoy (thanks, Mandy Jenkins for making me stay up when I really wanted to sleep).
Companies participating in the ONA Midway.
9. I saw the future of journalism. One of my favorite things about the ONA conference is The Midway. I call it an exhibit hall on steroids because you have great companies creating interesting tools and tech that help us do our jobs smarter and better. There are hands-on demonstrations and presentations on what’s next. Check out this 2:10-minute video on what you missed.
10. The ONA staff kicks ASS! Led by Executive Director Irving Washington, this staff — a perfect blend of full-timers and great consultants — always manages to raise the bar with our conference every year. If there were issues, we never saw them. Every single time I saw a member of the ONA team, they were cool, collected and smiling. And a BIG shout out to the newest member of the staff, Diana Lopez, who started on the job mere days before we descended on Austin.
If it’s the beginning of the new year, that means it’s time for the NABJ Digital Journalism Task Force’s annual “New Year, New You” webinar series. Every year, we kick off January with a series of webinars designed to help you jump-start your career. As usual, we partner with NABJ Task Forces and members to create this programming.
Usually, you must be a paid NABJ member to participate, but for January, anyone can join us. But going forward, you will need to be a paid member (local membership doesn’t count) to participate in future webinars. Click here if you want to join NABJ.
Below is a list of the webinars we have scheduled this month. And if you have ideas for future webinars email us herewith your ideas and we’ll work on making them happen. I thank all the NABJ members who have stepped up to make this happen!
The #FreelanceFebruary series of NABJ members-only webinars will help you answer that question, covering topics including what it takes to get started, finding a #SideHustle and creating an online portfolio to showcase your work.
Journalists have many skills that make ideal side hustles, but you can’t just create them out of thin air. Learn how to get your hustle in this NABJ members-only webinar on Monday, Feb. 13 at 8:00 p.m. Panelists Nicki Mayo of Nicki Mayo News LLC, Dr. Sybril Brown, a hustler and journalism professor at Belmont University, Tenisha Taylor Bell, owner of Perfect Pitch Media Group LLC and Benét Wilson, owner of Aviation Queen LLC will discuss how they started their hustles and what it takes to keep them going. Register here — your NABJ membership number is required.
What if you don’t want to become a freelancer and you want to look for a new job instead? Put your best foot forward with an online portfolio to showcase your work. Web sites, for all of their benefits, can be tough to sift through as ideas about technology and branding change every day. In this webinar, hosted by Marissa Evans of the Texas Tribune, you’ll get tips on how to choose the best web platform for you, the do’s and don’ts of a quality website and best practices for putting your best digital footprint forward, including live critiques. Join us on Saturday, February 18, 11:00 a.m. EST. Again, register here — your NABJ membership number is required.
DJTF will schedule webinars through the NABJ Annual Convention and Career Fair in New Orleans Aug. 9-13, 2017. Do you have an idea for a webinar? Send it here.
First, I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this annual series a success: DJTF, the Print Task Force, the NABJ Student Council and the Media-Related Members Task Force. I also thank all of the NABJ members who took the time to listen to the webinars, either live or via recording. Below are links to all the recordings:
Next up is #FreelanceFebruary, where NABJ members will offer tips and advice for starting and sustaining your freelance business, whether it’s full time or part time. I’m excited to announce our first NABJ members-only webinar this month: “Do the #SideHustle,” on Monday, Feb. 13 at 8:00 p.m. EST. NABJ members Dr. Sybril Brown, Tenisha Taylor Bell, Nicki Mayo and I will discuss how we started our side hustles and what you need to do to keep them going. Click here to register for this event.
The Call for Proposals for the 2017 NABJ Convention and Career Fair is now open. The organization relies on volunteers to put on workshops that help members stay relevant in their journalism and communications careers. As a past program chair (2012 and 2013),
As a past program chair (2012 and 2013), I regularly heard from members who complained about not seeing the workshops they wanted. I always asked, “did you submit anything?” Nine times out of 10, it was a no.
So ensure that you get the programming you want to see in New Orleans and submit a proposal here by the February 15 deadline. You must be an NABJ member to submit a workshop. Below are 10 panel ideas you may want to consider. Good luck!!
Ways to search for that next job
Copyediting your stories when there’s no copy desk
Using your journalism skills in non-journalism jobs
How to use the latest data journalism tools
Want to start podcasting? Here’s how
Ways to shoot live video (Facebook Live, Periscope)
For journalists, being able to tell the stories on our beats and in the nation’s neighborhoods is central to our job. Being able to tell these stories in a way that is compelling is especially necessary in a time where information options are numerous. In this webinar, a group of experienced journalists—Tory Parrish, reporter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Gary Witherspoon, a former editor for the Boston Globe and Newsday, and Brandon E. Robinson, an independent journalist whose work has appeared in SLAM and Ebony magazines and is the host of the ScoopB radio podcast—will share what makes a good story, how to go and get them, and how good research and good questions go hand in hand.
In this webinar, held on Thursday, Jan. 27, a group of experienced journalists—Tory Parrish, reporter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Gary Witherspoon, a former editor for the Boston Globe and Newsday, and Brandon E. Robinson, an independent journalist whose work has appeared in SLAM and Ebony magazines and is the host of the ScoopB radio podcast—will share what makes a good story, how to go and get them, and how good research and good questions go hand in hand. Click here for a recording of this NABJ members-only webinar.
Please feel free to email me with any further questions. The next New Year, New You webinar — Do the #SideHustle — will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, at 9:00 p.m. EST. You can get more details and register for it HERE.
The 2016 NABJ/NAHJ Annual Convention and Career Fair is happening in only 37 more days. In order to have a successful convention, you need to be prepared. Below are 10 things you need to do now to be on your game in Washington, D.C.
Buy your plane ticket. The closer you get to the convention date, the more expensive that airfare will be. I’ll be driving to D.C. from Baltimore, but I bought my ticket for #NABJ15 in Minneapolis in February. The closer it gets to the convention the more your ticket will cost. I tweet airline fare sales regularly at @NABJDigital or @AvQueenBenet. Also, set a fare alert on Airfarewatchdog.com to be informed about the lowest fares.
Business cards. Get them now. Vistaprint has a great selection of templates so you can have cards that stand out. Click here for two specials that expire on June 30: $1.99 for 100 no-frills cards or $9.99 for standard business cards (minus shipping). I’m also a big fan of Moo cards, which come in different shapes and sizes, and allows you to highlight photos or copy on the back. Mine shows off my aviation pictures from around the world. They cost more than Vistaprint (starting at $19.99 for 50 cards), but I feel it’s worth the investment.
Resume/online portfolio. Now is the time to make sure your resume and online portfolio are completed so you can impress recruiters at the convention. Need help? Check out the DJTF webinars covering online portfolios and resumes. They’re free to watch, but you must register. And in a shameless plug for my new Resumes By Benét business, I can help you get ready for the convention or your next career move at very reasonable rates.
Check your social media profile. Google yourself and see what comes up. Check your Facebook profile and Twitter timeline and make sure there are no embarrassing photos or posts because potential employers will be checking.
Look at the convention schedule and list of exhibitors. Work out a plan on what workshops you want to attend and create a schedule on your smartphone. Prioritize who are the must-see employers on your list, start making appointments and get a jump start on the crowds.
Start making a list of all the people you want to see in D.C. The schedules of those attending the conference are very tight. Start now to create that list of must-see people and map out appointments, interviews and chat times. And consider breakfast meetings, since schedules tend to slip as the day goes by.
Find ways to save money. Going to the convention is not cheap, but you can do it and not break the bank. Find folks to share a hotel room at the NABJ Convention Roommate Bureau. If you’re checking a bag, tuck in some non-perishable snacks and water. Reach out on NABJ’s listserves and social media channels for ride shares to and from the airport or take the Metro subway, which stops right in front of the Marriott Wardman Park at the Woodley Park station on the Red Line. Check out sites like Yelp and Zomato to find places in the hotel’s Woodley Park neighborhood and around the city to eat that are less expensive than the hotel’s offerings. Search Hotwire and Priceline for nearby hotel deals.
Check your wardrobe. See what clothes fit and what don’t. See what needs to be cleaned or altered. And if you need to buy things, do it now. Consider thrift shops like Savers.com or Goodwill, where you can find real bargains, especially on designer labels. See this suit I wore in Minneapolis last year? It’s a designer Elie Tahari suit I bought at Savers for $10.99. My dress for Salute to Excellence? $12.00.
Check yourself. Our convention is all about fun and family, but it’s also a professional event. You never know who will be watching. So enjoy yourself, but don’t overdo it.
Hang out with your friends now. The convention is the time to meet new people and grow your network. It is not the time to hang with the same group of people that you do at home. As much as you love them, they are not going to get you a job, so break away and expand your horizons.
The Digital Journalism Task Force is doing its annual convention preparation TweetChat on Tuesday, June 28 at 8:30 p.m. ET. NABJ convention veterans will offer great tips and advice to get ready for D.C., and they’ll also answer your questions and share stories. Follow along using the #NABJNAHJ16 hashtag.
Benét J. Wilson is the vice president-digital on the NABJ board. She is a long-time member of the Digital Journalism Task Force and is secretary of the Online News Association board. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aviation Queen LLC, a freelance writing company.
Dr. Sybril Bennett is chairing this workshop at this year’s NABJ convention in Minneapolis. She held a TweetChat with her panelists to get the conversation started. Click here to see our Storify of the discussion. And join us in Minneapolis for the workshop!
Business cards. Get them now. 
Check your wardrobe. See what clothes fit and what don’t. See what needs to be cleaned or altered. And if you need to buy things, do it now. Consider thrift shops like 
NABJDigital Blog 