SPJ/LA’ s February Newsletter
Welcome to SPJ/LA's monthly newsletter! With so many of us still working from home, we wanted to take an extra step to keep our members and supporters up to date on our activities.
Let me start by belatedly wishing everyone a safe and sane 2021. It might already be February, but we are still hoping the year will be a little less … let's just say, dramatic.
Coming Up…
The deadline is fast approaching to nominate a Southern California journalist for SPJ/LA's 2020 Distinguished Journalists Awards. The last day to submit a nomination is Feb. 19. Learn more about the categories here.
To make it a bit easier to nominate your favorite journalist or Freedom of Information champion, SPJ/LA has created a new nomination form. Please check it out!
Join us for the upcoming panel: "Student Journalists Pivot in the Wake of COVID-19." The event, put together by the chapter's Generation J Committee, is happening on Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. Read more about it and RSVP today!
Some news you might have missed …
SPJ/LA began the new year by selecting our new slate of officers for 2021. We also announced the results of our chapter elections. You can see the full list here.
Our chapter's Diversity Committee recently hosted the engaging panel discussion: "L.A.'s Newsrooms Confront 2020's Racial Reckoning." If you missed it, you can still watch it here.
We ended 2020 on a high note, conducting our first virtual Distinguished Journalists Awards ceremony. Although COVID-19 kept us from recognizing the honorees in person, we were thrilled to celebrate them with some inspiring video testimonials. You can watch the whole thing here.
On another note . . .
Celebrate Black History Month with us by visiting the California African American Museum website and learning more about the many free online public programs they're offering this month. We hope you enjoy!
From the national organization . . .
SPJ National has received a $185K donation from Craig Newmark Philanthropies to be used toward rebuilding public trust through ethical journalism. The donation will also support SPJ's Ethics Hotline and its Race and Gender Hotline.
The national organization recently signed a letter asking federal courts to livestream hearings that relate to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and allow media outlets to embed the livestreams to their own websites. The letter also called for PACER fees associated with those cases to be waived.
Read more about SPJ's undertakings here.
Fun fact...
Women were first allowed to join SPJ, then known as Sigma Delta Chi, back in 1969. That year, the all-male society voted at its national convention in San Diego to admit women to the society. The driving force behind the change was Kenneth C. Reiley, a Copley News Service editorial consultant who served on the board of SPJ's San Diego chapter. At the time, he was SPJ's national membership committee chair.
Finally...
Here's my spiel about membership -- wrapped up in three words: Please join us!
If you are already a SPJ/LA member, we thank you for your support. If you're not, please learn about our chapter here and why you should consider joining. And if you have questions, please contact me at navidnonahalspjla@gmail.com.
Believe and stay safe!
Navid Nonahal
Membership Committee Chair
SPJ/LA