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President's Message
 Anita K. Parran
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My mother often says, ''There is no rest for the wicked!'' And KCABJ must be really wicked because after five months of constant activity, we're ready to start yet another project: the KCABJ Urban Student Journalism Workshop!
Many thanks to the Executive Committee for devoting a Sunday afternoon to working on the curriculum -- pulling double duty after our regularly scheduled meeting the day before. Thanks to Glenn E. Rice (who pulled it together), Tanyanika Samuels, Lewis Diuguid, Joi Preciphs and Kia Breaux. It was fun to hang out and do some brain work.
That said, the journalism workshop will involve many of our colleagues in print and broadcast who so graciously volunteer their time and expertise each year. The workshop is one of the most fulfilling experiences of the year, and this one promises to be successful. Again, we appreciate the support provided by Rockhurst University, The Kansas City Star, KMBC-TV Channel 9, KSHB-TV Channel 41, KCTV-5, WDAF-TV Channel 4 and participating radio stations and public relations professionals as we steer our young people through the two-week intensive workshop.
According to our strategic plan, we are on target with all that was set to paper in January. We also have attracted five new members -- so our numbers are swelling, though below the goal I envisioned. New membership cards have been designed, and a mid-year membership roster has been prepared for distribution. If you note that someone is missing, let us know. There are plenty of membership/information kits available. Let's consider our recruitment campaign ongoing. It's never too late to become a member for only $20 -- still the lowest dues in the country! If you catch us at the KCABJ summer party on Saturday, July 26, at Niecie's, be ready with an extra two $10s for dues.
Hope to see ya at the party! Jenee' Osterheldt and her committee are putting together the evening that we'll never forget.
Student Workshop News
Students have been selected for KCABJ's 2003 Urban Student Journalism Workshop. It is the 21st year that KCABJ has provided training to college students and high school students who have an interest in becoming print or broadcast journalists.
KCABJ President Anita K. Parran hosted the workshop committee meeting, during which plans for the program were ironed out. KCABJ members are to contact KCABJ Vice President/Print Tanyanika Samuels to volunteer time, teach classes, edit students' stories and advise them. Tanyanika can be reached at (816) 234-4376.
The students in the workshop Class of 2003: Rachel E. Jackson, a junior at St. Teresa's Academy; Ann Langworthy, a sophomore at St. Teresa's Academy; Ebony Burnside, a senior at Hogan Prep Academy; Jessica Brooks, a sophomore at F.L. Schlagel High School; Eric Sanders, a freshman at Park University; Jasmine Taylor, a junior at Lincoln Preparatory Academy; Tyler N. Yarborough, a sophomore at St. Teresa's Academy; Lurleen Brinkman, a junior at the Unity School of Christianity; Kara Edgerson, who completed the 2002 KCABJ workshop and graduated from Ruskin High School this spring; Wynter Rice, a junior at Grandview High School; and Courtney E. Brame, a freshman at Pembroke Hill School.
Tanyanika, a reporter for The Kansas City Star, is the coordinator for the print segment of the workshop. The broadcast segment will be coordinated by Glenn E. Rice, a Kansas City Star reporter, treasurer of the National Association of Black Journalists and veteran instructor in national journalism programs. Glenn is a former president and longtime member of KCABJ.
The print week will run from Monday, June 16, through Saturday, June 21 at Rockhurst University. Class will meet from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is a commuter program, so students will be responsible for their transportation to class and assignments.
An orientation will take place in the Nelson Room at The Star on Saturday, June 14. On Saturday, June 21, the students will return to The Star to type their stories into the computer system.
The print part of the program includes KCABJ members teaching the basics of journalism to the students. Each day will begin with spelling tests, grammar tests and current-events exams based on news published in The Kansas City Star. Students will be required to purchase and read the paper each day.
In addition to lectures from working journalists, students also will write stories resulting from several news conferences in the classroom. Real newsmakers will visit the classes to talk about issues of the day.
Over the years, the list of newsmakers at the workshop has included the mayor of Kansas City, the superintendents of the Kansas City and Hickman Mills school districts and officers with the Kansas City Police Department. One major news conference this year will focus on Jayson Blair, a reporter who recently resigned in disgrace from The New York Times after it was revealed that he plagiarized information, fabricated stories and committed other serious ethical violations.
His actions have rocked the industry, which selfishly guards its credibility. It also has raised serious questions about the continued push to have more racial and ethical diversity in newsrooms throughout the country. Jayson Blair, 27, is black.
Students will be responsible for turning in stories from each news conference as well as those from assignments outside class. Students will get to know what it's like to work as a reporter for a major metropolitan daily newspaper.
Students' stories will make up the content of the 2003 KCABJ Journal, which The Star annually publishes for the workshop. It will enable the students to have practical experience and clips to show perspective employers.
The broadcast week will include lectures from reporters and editors working for KMBC-TV, Channel 9; KCTV-5; WDAF-TV, Channel 4; and KSHB-TV, Channel 41. They also will have lectures from newsmakers that week, radio personalities, public relations professionals and they will shadow reporters for the area's television stations.
The students will produce their own broadcast news video at one of the television stations, which will be shown during the 12th Annual KCABJ Media Awards ceremony on Nov. 15. Scholarships also will be awarded to the top students from the workshop.
KCABJ Media Awards
KCABJ President Anita K. Parran announced at the May membership meeting that entry forms for the 12th Annual KCABJ Media Awards are being mailed to Kansas City area newspapers, magazines, television stations, radio stations and KCABJ members. (Click here for an entry form and complete details.) The awards honor journalists and media companies for outstanding coverage of African Americans and other people of color in Greater Kansas City.
The KCABJ awards include those for media public service and community affairs. The deadline for entry is July 19. Entries must have been published or broadcast in Greater Kansas City from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003.
All entries become the property of the Black Archives of Mid-America Inc. for historical and research purposes.
NABJ Convention
The early-bird deadline has passed to register for the National Association of Black Journalists' 28th Annual Convention & Career Fair Aug. 6-10 in Dallas. The theme of the 28th annual convention and career fair is ''Building the Best 2.'' The Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel is the convention headquarters. Registration was $207 for people who were both NABJ and KCABJ members. The cost rises to $255 for people who pre-register by the July 7 deadline. It rises to $605 for on-site registrations.
The convention will include the election of officers, dozens of career-building workshops and panel discussions and the annual jobs fair. NABJ has reserved discounted room blocks at the Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel and the Fairmont Dallas Hotel. The Hyatt, with rooms costing $147 a night, can be reached at (214) 651-1234. The Fairmont's number is (214) 720-2020. Its rooms are $146 a night.
For the record, next year will be the third UNITY: Journalists of Color Convention. It will be Aug. 4-8, 2004, in Washington, D.C. The NABJ 30th Anniversary Annual Convention & Career Fair will be Aug. 3-7, 2005, in Atlanta. The 31st NABJ Annual Convention & Career Fair will be in Detroit in 2006. The dates have not been announced. The 32nd NABJ Annual Convention & Career Fair will be in Las Vegas in 2007. No dates have been set for it either.
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Next Meeting
The next meeting of KCABJ will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 28, at 700 W. 47th St., Suite 110.
2003 Kansas City Association of Black Journalists
P.O. Box 32744, Kansas City, Mo. 64111