SPJ/LA Events
Inside the Fight for Public Records | A seminar by and for student journalists
Calling all student journalists in California!
Join us for a skill-building webinar designed by and for student journalists on how to use public records to tell important stories. The one-hour session will feature (1) examples of real-world reporting you can replicate at your high school or college (2) a tutorial on how to successfully write and submit your first records request, and (3) an introduction to open-government resources available to you!
This webinar is designed for high school and college student journalists and their allies, with a specific focus on the California Public Records Act.
To RSVP click here
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Delilah Brumer
Brumer was the 2023 California High School Journalist of the Year. As print editor-in-chief of The Pearl Post at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Southern California, she published stories based on successful public records requests. She is a freelance journalist and journalism student in Los Angeles.
Staff of The Citizen
The Citizen is the award-winning student-run publication of the Peralta Community College District in the San Francisco Bay Area. The team recently took a public records battle to court in order to stand up for their rights and pursue important accountability journalism. Hear from current and former newspaper staff members Shiloh Johnston, Li Khan, Lylah Schmedel-Permanna, and Leo Premnath-Ray, along with journalism instructor and adviser Eleni Economides Gastis.
FAC Staff
The open-government experts of the First Amendment Coalition will provide a tutorial on how to get started with your own records requests and give an overview of free resources available to you.
STUDENT PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2024
The is organized in support of Student Press Freedom Day 2024, a day of activity created by the Student Press Law Center. One of the focuses of Student Press Freedom Day is promoting accountability and transparency. This webinar will help student journalists sharpen skills so they can fulfill their important role as watchdogs of our democracy.
Distinguished Journalist Awards Banquet
Join the Society of Professional Journalists Los Angeles chapter for the 47th Annual Distinguished Journalist Awards Banquet Oct. 25 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
SPJ/LA will gather to honor six local journalists for their outstanding contributions across print, television, radio, visual and digital media. The chapter will also recognize two students — one from a two-year college and one from a four-year university — who show promise as emerging journalists.
Our honorees include: Patt Morrison, columnist, Los Angeles Times; Gwen Muranaka, senior editor, The Rafu Shimpo; Michaela Pereira, freelance journalist and TV host; Ben Camacho, photographer and journalist, Knock LA; Dean Musgrove, photo editor, Southern California News Group; and Paul Glickman, senior editor (ret.), KPCC/LAist. This year’s outstanding students are Jackson Tammariello, Santa Monica College, and Alexandra Najera, California State University, Northridge.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a no-host cocktail hour and will continue with a sit-down dinner and plenty of great storytelling at the Omni, 251 South Olive St., Los Angeles, CA. 90012. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a memorable evening.
SPJ/LA thanks the Los Angeles Times, Southern California News Group, Santa Monica College and Cal State Northridge for stepping up to sponsor the event, which helps to raise money for the chapter's six student scholarships. If you would like to become a sponsor, please contact Elizabeth Marcellino at eliz.marcellino@gmail.com.
To RSVP and purchase a ticket click here. The deadline to RSVP is Oct. 19.
TRUSTWORTHY SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION
SPJ/LA is co-hosting a screening and panel discussion on the documentary ‘Trustworthy’. The documentary chronicles a 5,300-mile journey across America to explore the growing crisis of trust in media that threatens our democracy, and whether we can find common ground. From small towns and urban enclaves, the Trustworthy team spoke with journalists, experts and everyday Americans across the political spectrum about how we got to this critical moment, how we can become better news and information consumers, and how we can come together to rise above the misinformation and discourse aimed at dividing our communities.
PANELISTS:
Cathie Batbie-Loucks, News Director, KVOA-TV, Tucson, AZ Kate Cagle, Vice President, Society of Professional Journalists/
Los Angeles, and Spectrum News 1 Anchor
Dr. Tania Israel, Author, Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect
Across the Political Divide; Professor of Counseling, Clinical, and
School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Rochelle Ritchie, Political Commentator and Television Host
HOST: Stephany Zamora, Executive Producer, Trustworthy
MODERATOR: Dana Richie, Director, Trustworthy
DATE:
Friday, September 8, 2023
Skirball Cultural Center, Magnin Auditorium 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles 90049
TIME:
6 p.m. Arrivals/Check-in
6:30-7:30 p.m. Documentary Screening
7:30-8:30 p.m. Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A
8:30-9:30 p.m. Reception and Roundtable Conversations
RSVP:
People who want to attend must RSVP by emailing Andrew Weisser at aweisser@earthlink.net. Please include your name, title, affiliation, phone number and email address.
Student Mentoring
SPJLA is hosting a mentoring and career-information event. The free virtual event will feature professionals from various journalism backgrounds including TV, radio, print and more. Guest mentors include Kay Williams, Publicist and PR professional, Cerise Castle, digital journalist for Knock LA, VICE News and NPR and Jacob Gonzalez, technical director and multi-award winning producer.
This is a great opportunity to get your resume, cover letter and reel looked at, as well as ask questions about the industry and network!
Click here to RSVP
Diversity in News Leadership
Join us for a panel discussion on how to break into news management and help others from marginalized communities grow in their careers as news leaders. This free, one-hour long panel discussion is open to all journalists. The event is co-hosted by the News Leaders Association.
Moderators:
Cristina Silva, Managing Editor for USA Today and Sharif Durhams, Deputy Managing Editor for The Washington Post
Panelists:
Sara Kehaulani Goo, Editor-in-Chief of Axios
Dorothy Tucker, Investigative reporter, CBS Chicago
Tim Archuleta, Editor-in-Chief of El Paso Times
Migdalia Figueroa, President of Telemundo Orlando
RSVP here by March 27
Coping with Stress, Trauma and Burnout
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma will deliver a training session on the effects of stress, trauma and burnout on individuals and news teams, and offer guidance and recommendations on how to cope most effectively. The training will provide a grounding in trauma science and basic awareness of the impact of trauma exposure and related stress.
The training will be led by Dr. Kate Porterfield, PhD, clinical psychologist and senior trainer for the Dart Center.
RSVP here by March 3rd
Covering L.A. on the Ground: The First Amendment, journalists, advocates and activists
Jody David Armour; Di Barbadillo
Jeong Park; Carol Sobel
Covering L.A. on the Ground: The First Amendment, journalists, advocates and activists
The midterms in Los Angeles were unlike any we’ve seen in recent history.
Protestors shouted down and effectively ended forums, leaving candidates running from events, and campaigns and elected officials became increasingly secretive about appearances and restricting public access.
Outside the election, there are also new rules and laws around access to City Hall and protests at city officials’ homes while government agencies restrict access to press conferences, either by requiring a police department issued press pass or RSVP for entry or by limiting the guest list to legacy or “friendly” media.
These new rules and policies impact how journalists gather information, tell stories and educate the public on how their government functions.
SPJ-LA has assembled a panel of experts on the law, the history and what’s happening on the ground in the hopes of an interesting and open dialogue around the First Amendment in Los Angeles.
This panel will explore what’s happening on the ground and constitutional issues surrounding how the First Amendment is applied to journalists and activists and how the law defines a journalist in a time where the lines are increasingly blurred by social media and activism.
The SPJ Code of Ethics calls on journalists to support an open and civil exchange of views, even of ideas we find repugnant and to seek to ensure that the public business is conducted in the open.
After all, protestors and journalists are both interested in holding elected officials and candidates accountable by asking tough questions that can sometimes get honest answers.
Moderated by Kate Cagle who is an anchor and reporter for Spectrum News 1, focusing on Los Angeles politics, criminal justice and the homeless crisis. Known for her on-the-ground approach to covering LA, her enterprise reporting on law enforcement history and deputy gangs has been recognized by the LA Press Club.
She’s on the board of the Society of Professional Journalists Los Angeles chapter where she serves on the advocacy committee.
RSVP here by June 14
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Jody David Armour is the Roy P. Crocker Professor of Law at the University of Southern California. A widely published scholar and popular lecturer, he studies the intersection of race, law, morality, psychology, politics, ordinary language philosophy, and the performing arts. His latest book, N*gga Theory: Race, Language, Unequal Justice, and the Law (Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2020) looks at America’s criminal justice system – among the deadliest and most racist in the world – through deeply interdisciplinary lenses. His latest free speech article is titled "Law, Language, and Politics," 22 University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law 1073 (2020). Armour is a Soros Justice Senior Fellow of The Open Society Institute’s Center on Crime, Communities & Culture, and he is on the Board of Directors for LEAP (Law Enforcement Action Partnership), an international 501(c)(3) non-profit of police, prosecutors, judges, corrections officials, and other law enforcement officials advocating for criminal justice reform.
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Di Barbadillo is a community organizer who works alongside Black Lives Matter LA, the Check the Sheriff Coalition, and the Philippines-US Solidarity Organization (PUSO SoCal). In addition, Di is the Legal Observer Delegate on the Executive Board for the National Lawyers Guild- Los Angeles. Di was born and raised in Los Angeles and is second-generation Filipina-American. She went to college at UCLA and law school at The University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
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Jeong Park is a reporter at the Los Angeles Times, mainly covering Asian American communities. He has been covering the Los Angeles mayoral race with a focus on how Asian American communities are thinking in this year's election. Before working at the Times, he covered California labor and economy at the Sacramento Bee as well as cities and communities at the Orange County Register.
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Carol Sobel is a civil rights lawyer and advocate; she has repeatedly sued the City of Los Angeles for violating the rights of the homeless population. She graduated from Douglass College in 1968 and the People’s College of Law in 1978. She was subsequently admitted to the state bar of California, and spent twenty years working for the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, most recently as Senior Staff Counsel. In 1997, she left the ACLU to start her own law practice.
RSVP here by June 14
How to Get Paid What You're Worth
Getting paid what you're worth: How to advocate for yourself and your career
Advocating for yourself in the news industry can feel overwhelming. You may be hesitant to ask for a raise, a promotion or even a new job opportunity, such as working on a podcast or a change in beats.
In this virtual panel, SPJ/LA breaks down the best strategies for advancing at work, navigating salary negotiations and preparing for meetings with a boss.
The panel will be moderated by Erick Galindo, creator, head writer and host of the international hit podcast "Idolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sanchez." Galindo is also head writer for the award-winning podcast "WILD" for LAist Studios.
The event's panelists are:
Tre'vell Anderson, editor-at-large for Toronto’s Xtra magazine and co-host of two podcasts: Crooked Media's "What A Day" and Maximum Fun's "FANTI"
Carolina Miranda, arts and urban design columnist for the Los Angeles Times, where she covers art and culture
Joanne Griffith, chief content officer for APM Studios, the podcast division of American Public Media
The panel will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 27 via Zoom. Click here to RSVP!
Email spjlosangles@gmail.com with any questions.
Resources:
The Journalists of Color Resource Guide
Real media salaries
How to advocate for yourself in the newsroom
How Social Media Changed the Way We Report
Social media has reshaped the news industry, forcing journalists to write, tweet, shoot video and tackle many other chores.
From Twitter to TikTok, social media platforms are leaving their imprint on legacy newspapers, magazines, TV news and more.
RSVP here by Thursday, April 7th at 4:00 p.m.
Contact us with any questions at spjlosangeles@gmail.com.
For more information about SPJ/LA, visit www.spjla.org
Moderated by Adriana Lacy, audience engagement editor for the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.
Kim Stephens, news anchor at KMPH and author of Broadcast News in the Digital Age: A Guide to reporting, producing and anchoring online and on TV
Emily Stone, vice president of digital content operations at FOX Television Stations
Javier Panzar, audience engagement editor at the LA Times
Samantha Nuñez, director of marketing and social media at LA Taco
Just Doing My Job: Protecting The Executives vs The Public Interest
Just Doing My Job: Protecting The Executives vs The Public Interest
"Promoting and Protecting the Interests of the People."
March 3 at 7 p.m. PT via Zoom
Government agencies want their public information officers to get critical information out to the public. But can a PIO’s obligation to the agency run counter to the public good? Our SPJ/LA panel will explore this and other questions.
Moderator Benjamin A. Davis from California State University, Northridge will be joined by City of Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian; FOX 11 anchor Susan Hirasuna; Southern California Public Radio daily news editor Claudia Peschiutta; and El Camino Community College Director of Public Information and Government Relations Kerri Webb.
RSVP for our panel.
Benjamin A. Davis is an Associate Professor of Broadcast & Digital Journalism at California State University Northridge. He graduated from Whittier College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and studied international relations at the University of Copenhagen. He taught journalism for 10-years at Rutgers University and three-years at Florida A&M University.
Lisa Derderian has served as the City of Pasadena Public Information Officer and Emergency Management Coordinator since 2018. Prior to that she worked out of the Pasadena Fire Dept. as the Emergency Manager/Fire PIO since 2003. This past year has been dedicated to COVID relief, response and recovery efforts. Prior to working for the City of Pasadena, Lisa worked for the American Red Cross for seven years.
Susan Hirasuna anchored the weekend news and reported at Fox 11 for more than two decades. Susan’s work has been recognized by the Los Angeles Emmy awards, the Golden Mikes and New England Emmy awards. As an anchor, she’s handled extended coverage of the Route 91 shooting in Las Vegas, the death of Princess Diana and too many wildfires and police pursuits to count. Susan is a longtime member of the Asian American Journalists Association and served on the LA board for years. Currently, she is still active with the chapter as an advisory board member.
Claudia Peschiutta is an award-winning journalist who's been covering news in Southern California for more than two decades. Peschiutta worked as the LA City Hall bureau chief for KNX News Radio and earned a reputation for asking tough questions, holding leaders accountable and standing up for press freedoms. Throughout the pandemic, Peschiutta covered Covid's impacts on LA County and was constantly taking questions from the public and helping people navigate this unprecedented crisis. She is now the daily news editor with Southern California Public Radio.
Kerri Webb was born and raised in the City of Inglewood, a vibrant suburb of Champions within the southwest region Los Angeles County. Kerri served as a Public Information Officer for several public and nonprofit organizations including the City of Inglewood, Crenshaw Christian Center, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. Webb became the Director of Public Information and Government Relations for El Camino Community College District in Torrance in 2021, where she previously taught writing and journalism courses as an adjunct professor since 2013.
SPJ/LA Student Mentoring Event Set for Dec. 2
Calling all student journalists! Do you need help with your interviewing skills? Reporting strategies? Or are you just looking to learn more about working in the news industry?
Then sign up for the Society of Professional Journalists’ Greater Los Angeles chapter’s inaugural News Buddies virtual mentoring event.
SPJ/LA Distinguished Journalists Awards Ceremony
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will hold its 45th Annual Distinguished Journalists Awards in a virtual ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.
COVID-19 at Year One, a Panel Discussion
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will host the March 24 virtual panel discussion "A Year of COVID-19 in Southern California -- the Shutdowns, the Testing, the Surges, the Vaccines."
Panel: Student Journalists Discuss Getting the News Out During COVID-19
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will host the virtual panel on Feb. 23 “Student Journalists Pivot in the Wake of COVID-19,” with four college journalists discussing the hurdles they've faced in a year of lockdowns, distancing and online instruction.
L.A.'s Newsrooms Confront 2020's Racial Reckoning
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists invites you to the virtual panel discussion "L.A.'s Newsrooms Confront 2020's Racial Reckoning." The event will be held at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.
Distinguished Journalists Awards Virtual Ceremony
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will honor five local journalists and a First Amendment activist at its 44th annual Distinguished Journalists Awards Ceremony, which will air on Dec. 2.
“Know Your Rights” Virtual Workshop
The workshop will feature veteran media law attorney Susan Seager, who will discuss strategies for avoiding arrest, navigating libel law and seeking public records.
Fake News: How to Decipher What’s Real and What’s Not
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists held a panel discussion on Oct. 6 entitled “Fake News: How to Decipher What’s Real and What’s Not.”
Virtual Mixer
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists invites you to a different kind of mixer, from the comfort of your own space!
With work from home reaching the six-month mark, it’s time to hang out with fellow journalists and share some of your experiences during this unwanted, uninvited, incredibly rude pandemic!
Protests and Police Abuse in 2020: Reporting from the Front Lines Panel Discussion
This panel will feature four journalists as they describe their experiences during the recent protests, including the obstacles they faced while reporting their stories. The panel will also discuss what comes next as activists demand greater police accountability.
“Know Your Rights” Workshop
The workshop will feature veteran media law attorney Susan Seager, who will discuss strategies for navigating libel law, seeking public records and obtaining court documents.
Holiday Party
Enjoy the beautiful holiday atmosphere as we gather to celebrate the season at El Floridita restaurant. The party this year includes a generous buffet holiday feast, music and a no-host bar.
What’s in a Name: How to Cover Mass Murder
A panel discussion on how the media can better cover mass murder events like terrorist and shooter attacks.
VR Journalism Workshop
Robert Hernandez (aka WebJournalist) will give a short presentation on how technology can help journalism audiences better understand marginalized communities.
Annual Journalism Mega Mixer
Mix, mingle, mega schmooze, socialize, have fun and network all at the same time.
The New Old Beat: Reporting on Racism
Newsrooms across the country have grappled with reporting on racist rhetoric from politicians and public figures for decades.
Online Harassment Self-Defense Training
This training equips writers and journalists, as well as their allies and employers, with practical tools and strategies to defend against online abuses,
Panel Discussion: Reporters and PIOs at the Crossroads of Information
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is hosting a panel discussion on the studies, including how to find ways to improve relationships between the holders of public information and the journalists who are seeking it out.
SPJ/LA's Annual Holiday Party
Enjoy the beautiful holiday atmosphere as we gather to celebrate the season at El Floridita. The party this year includes the Jennifer York Quartet, a generous dinner buffet holiday feast and a no-host cash bar.
An Expert Panel on Pay Disparities Uncovered in Top Newsrooms
A panel discussion on the effort at the Los Angeles Times to close the pay gaps and how to approach pay negotiations for print, digital and broadcast news outlets.