February Newsletter
Greetings dear SPJ/LAers and welcome to our chapter’s first newsletter of 2022! SPJ/LA has big plans for the coming year, and a new leadership team to move us forward. So let’s dive in.
The latest news . . .
SPJ/LA has been tapped by the national arm of the Society of Professional Journalists to stage a regional conference here in Los Angeles -- our first in four years. With COVID-19 still an unfortunate presence, the conference is expected to offer a combination of in-person and virtual events.
Our chapter has not yet finalized a date for the regional conference. But you should expect workshops, expert panels and engaging conversations about the issues currently facing journalists.
The last time SPJ/LA staged a conference was in 2018. Among the highlights? A stirring keynote address from Los Angeles Times investigative reporter Harriet Ryan and a reception honoring the incomparable Linda Deutsch, the veteran reporter now retired from the Associated Press.
In case you missed it . . .
SPJ/LA kicked off the year by electing a new chapter president: Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, professor of journalism at Santa Monica College. We wish to congratulate Blaize-Hopkins on her new role, and offer a thank you to David Zahniser, our immediate past president, for his hard work over the past two years.
Our chapter has also welcomed three new members to SPJ/LA’s board of directors: Kate Cagle, anchor and investigative reporter for Spectrum News 1 SoCal; Los Angeles Times staff writer Brittny Mejia; and Rick Montanez, reporter for KCBS2/KCAL9. We are thrilled to have them on board!
The chapter's membership also re-elected four of SPJ/LA's board members for another 3-year term: Joel Bellman, Alexi Chidbachian, Navid Nonahal and David Zahniser.
SPJ/LA has always been powered by the passion and hard work of its volunteers. Two of those volunteers – Stephanie Bluestein and Sarah Favot – stepped down from the board last month, after years of dedication to our chapter and its mission. We will miss their wisdom and their talents, and wish them the best as they go on to a new chapter.
From the national organization. . .
Finally . . .
As always, my SPJ/LA thoughts wrapped up in three words: Please join us!
SPJ/LA does great work – helping student journalists, advocating for press access, staging online events and more. If you’re already a member, we thank you. If you're not, learn about our chapter here. Now's the time! And if you have questions, please contact me at navidnonahalspjla@gmail.com.
Please follow SPJ/LA on Twitter and join us on Facebook.
Believe and stay safe!
Navid Nonahal
Membership Committee Chair
SPJ/LA