7,000 Journalists in D.C. for Unity

Bigwig media professionals, ambitious student journalists and influential political figures are expected to touch down in the nation�s capital this week for the 2004 Unity convention.

Billed as the largest gathering of journalists of color in the United States, Unity 2004 is the third collaborative convention of the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists and Native American Journalists Association, who together operate as UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc.

Held in Atlanta in 1994 and Seattle in 1999, the convention comes to Washington, D.C., Aug. 3-8 to continue efforts to promote diversity in newsrooms across the country and in journalism education.

This year�s event, to be held at the new Washington Convention Center in the District�s downtown, will feature sessions on contemporary news issues, a career expo with more than 300 media representatives, all-day journalism workshops and panel discussions spotlighting subjects pertinent to print, broadcast and new media.

Ernie R. Sotomayor, Unity president and Long Island editor of Newsday.com, described the gathering as both empowering and overwhelming for all who attend, especially for newcomers.

�Each of our individual association events, just by themselves, are very major, energy-filled events, but there is something different about walking into a convention center with 7,000 other journalists of color and being able to say you're part of the largest gathering of journalists in the nation's history,� Sotomayor said.

Each Unity organization holds its own summer conference in addition to participating in the joint gathering every four years.

The appeal of this year�s conference has reached to the presidential race. Fresh from the Democratic National Convention in Boston last week, Sen. John Kerry is scheduled to address convention attendees Thursday. President Bush follows him Friday.

Event organizers are hoping that this will give journalists of color a chance to ask probing questions related to the upcoming presidential election.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, the nation�s highest ranking official of color, will also speak. During �A Conversation with Secretary of State Colin Powell,� a session that is to include PBS anchor Gwen Ifill, Powell is to address government�s openness, or lack thereof, with the news media in post-September 11 America.

Convention supporters say they feel strongly that Unity has been instrumental in the struggle to create diverse representation in all journalism outlets.

�We think we've been very effective, and testament to that is the fact that we have reached record registration for this convention, and participation by many more industry executives who have not been here before,� said Sotomayor.

Membership in NABJ, the nation�s oldest organization for journalists of color, soared to an all-time high this year, with 4,695 members. That�s a near-43 percent increase from the 2,684 registered at the same time last year.

Herbert Lowe, NABJ president and courts reporter for Newsday, said in an news release that he was pleasantly surprised by NABJ�s registration numbers. �Certainly, the excitement about UNITY 2004 played a role,� he said.

AAJA, NAHJ and NAJA have also witnessed membership increases this year.

Asked what he hopes journalists will take from this year's convention, Sotomayor said, �That it serves as a call to action, and that people understand that if we become more involved, speak up more in their own newsrooms, each become strong advocates for better, more fair journalism. That if they support their associations through membership and through financial donations from their own pockets, we become an even stronger force to be reckoned with.�

Other highlights at this year�s convention include two dozen all-day workshops, major debates on media consolidation and ownership, and each association's own banquet.

D'Angelo Gore is a student at Norfolk State University.

Posted Aug. 3, 2004