by By Texas Metro News Correspondent Sylvia Powers
In addition to commemorating its 50th anniversary, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) also marked the beginning of a new era of leadership.
Errin Haines defeated incumbent President Ken Lemon and Dion Rabouin to win the presidency with 57 percent of the vote.
Haines explained her decision to run to lead this esteemed organization by saying, “I felt a sense of urgency coming into this year about the state of our profession and the state of our beloved organization, especially going into our 50th anniversary with journalists under attack and Black America under attack in general.”
The Atlanta Daily World, the first prosperous Black newspaper in the US, was where Haines started her journalism career. Haines has had positions at the Orlando Sentinel, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post.She was appointed editor-at-large of The 19th, a nonprofit, independent newsroom that focuses on politics, gender, and policy, in 2020.
The 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, is honored by its name, which attempts to increase the visibility of marginalized voices in the national discourse.
“I simply didn’t see people resisting attacks on Black journalists that are anti-democratic and inconsistent with our stated national identity,” Haines added. It is our duty as journalists to speak truth to power, isn’t that right?
That kind of aggressive lobbying has been absent from NABJ and the business as a whole, Haines said.
“I think my best and highest use at this point in my career, after 25 years as a member of NABJ, a chapter member, a national board member, and someone who has served at every level, is to step up and lead,” she said. Right now, NABJ needs and deserves a fighter and champion, and I want to be that.
She placed a strong emphasis on going back to the bold idea that led to the establishment of NABJ in 1975, when forty-four journalists jeopardized their jobs to fight for Black perspectives and demand representation in the media.
She asked us to return to that spirit.
Haines sees herself as the link that will allow an organization with such a long history to reach the next generation.
I’m attending my 25th NABJ convention this year. I joined as a student, and our founders have influenced my experience at NABJ. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to them about why they founded the organization and what it means to them, she said. Their insight has influenced how I see what NABJ could and can be. However, I belong to the generation that will have to guide us over the next fifty years.
Haines is dedicated to making sure aspiring journalists are given the same advocacy and training that she was given. How can I not try to help the next generation achieve that? “They need the same innovation and support to be ready for the newsroom of the 21st century,” she said, adding that she hopes NABJ’s mentorship and training will continue throughout the year, not just at the annual conference.
“What kept me in this business as a college junior was helping our students get their foot in the door and encouraging them to keep going,” she recalled. For the next generation, we need to be what NABJ has been for the previous fifty years.
Members are optimistic about Haines’ leadership, despite the fact that not everyone voted for her.
We prefer things to remain unchanged. Ken Lemon was someone I liked. Valerie Roberts Evans, a professor at SMU with a long career in television, added, “But I’m also excited for what could happen.” Her press conference address was promising, and I enjoyed it. Whether we liked them or not, we have survived every presidency. My heart is hoping that everything works out, and I’m crossing my fingers.
Optimism is even more ingrained for reporters like CNN associate producer Joyce Philippe.
I attended FSU in Tallahassee, which is located in northern Florida. “I had no idea this organization would have such a profound impact on my life,” Philippe remarked. I was able to obtain my first newsroom positions and mentorship through NABJ, which helped me become a much better journalist.
In order to further her study, NABJ also assisted Philippe in obtaining scholarships. Through this group, I have formed friendships that last a lifetime. When it was difficult to be a Black journalist, the founders of NABJ founded the organization, and we all stand on their shoulders.
In the future, Philippe thinks the organization’s ability to adapt will determine its existence. Our collective strength lies in our ability to fight back. “We know how to change with the times and grow,” she remarked. The foundations we acquire from the convention include sessions on artificial intelligence, improving as a writer, forming relationships, and even learning how to change course when needed. As we continue to be change agents, we will apply that knowledge back to our communities.
During a brief board meeting on Sunday, which concluded the convention, Haines confidently and firmly expressed her outlook for the future.
Haines told the crowded audience, which included two founders and at least seven previous presidents, that the board was already in operation and would start examining contracts, rules, and processes right away to make sure the right actions had been taken.During NABJ’s annual business meeting on Saturday morning, she also declared that the board would be firing Nat Jones, the organization’s current attorney, who had been criticized by a number of members for his behavior.
Numerous national leaders, including Marc Morial, president of the Urban League, and Dr. Ben Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), called and wished Haines luck after his victory.
As part of Haines’ first 45 days, which include attending multiple media conferences, the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference, the NNPA Leadership Awards, and a NABJ Board meeting/training, members anticipate hearing more and more about NABJ.
Her future as the vice president of print for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, where she is situated, is still unknown.
Award-winning novelist, brilliant writer, talented photographer, and well-known national breast cancer advocate, Sylvia Powers has a strong desire to empower people.
