Chief Chad Smith is an advocate for a free press within Indian country. His policies on journalism have been adopted by other tribes.

Hed: Surveys finds more diversity needed in newsroom leadership
By YOLANNE ALMANZAR
The UNITY News

According to two surveys released by the National Association of Black Journalists at a news conference Friday, people of color are still the minority in television newsrooms’ highest leadership positions.
“They still resemble a cafeteria during integration. There are a few people here and there,” said Kathy Times, an evening anchor at WDBD-TV in Mississippi and vice president of broadcast for NABJ.

Check back later for more details.

Chicago’s a city that venerates its own, giving out honorary titles and naming streets after local bigwigs. But Sisay Kidane doesn’t need a title. He’s just the man to meet. Sisay emigrated from Ethiopia to the U.S. five years ago, and he helps other Ethiopian immigrants when they move here. Mwende Hahesy landed an invitation to Sisay’s home one afternoon in late July.

CHARLY EDSITTY
The UNITY News Online

There are many questions when it comes to news coverage concerning American Indians. Many often go unanswered or are inaccurately presented.

On Friday, six panelists from various tribes will discuss mainstream media’s failure to accurately cover and understand American Indian issues in an event titled “Who is an Indian?” The panel is presented by the Native American Journalist Association and will begin at 11 a.m. in McCormick Place West, Room W471.

“Mainstream papers like to sensationalize issues,” said Jeff Harjo, executive director of NAJA. “When it’s bad, they always stick it in the front. When it’s good things, it gets buried in the back. They take advantage of our situation, especially the bad situations.”

Karen Briggs, president of Red Hummingbird Media Corporation, will serve as the moderator of the event. Briggs is a member of the Yakama tribe and resides on the Tulalip reservation in Washington state.

“The confusion in covering American Indian issues is a result of the overall miseducation of America on Indian issues,” Briggs said. “The media is only a symptom of America’s misunderstanding.”

Joining Briggs on the panel will be Suzanne Jasper, director of First Peoples Human Rights Coalition; Joe Garcia, president of the National Congress of American Indians; T.W. Shannon, Oklahoma state representative; and Chad Smith, Cherokee Nation principal chief.

There are currently 562 federally recognized tribes across the United States and Alaska with a collective population of 1.7 million. Some tribes are recognized as sovereign nations entitled to freely govern themselves without outside control.

Hot button issues such as the Cherokee Freedmen controversy that called into question the citizenship of thousands of Cherokee Indians pull the complexities of Indian law and citizenship to the forefront.

The Freedmen are descendents of black slaves who were either owned by or married to Cherokees or are the offspring of a mixed-race family. They were stripped of their tribal citizenship by the tribe because they were not considered “Cherokee by blood.”

The controversy received much media attention and went to trial, with the Freedmen winning back their citizenship but later losing it in a tribal vote. The incident stirred up strong accusations of racism within the tribe.

“(Newspapers) have a responsibility to get the facts straight, and by them going to a source that isn’t valid isn’t a correct way to report,” Harjo said. “That’s why we need more Native reporters.”

Harjo explained that stereotypes surrounding American Indians need to be overcome, whether visual, written or spoken. Common misconceptions include extreme wealth from Indian gaming, free health and housing services for all from government-assistance programs.

“The failures of the media have a profound effect on national and state policies, attitudes and bias,” Briggs said. “We feel the effects in courts and government policy.”

Briggs said she doubts the mainstream media will ever fully get the story right and suggests the solution falls to the minorities in media to right the wrongs. Despite the challenge, she said she is hopeful that words will turn into actions.

“In terms of fair and accurate information, it will open the door to fair and accurate actions,” Briggs said. “We are talking about fairness and justice to an identity.”

By Venus Lee
The UNITY News Online

UNITY is expected to have nearly 10,000 attendees, 400 booths and 100 workshops.

For many young journalists, a convention this large can seem overwhelming.

Cory Dade of the Wall Street Journal was scared to death when he attended his first journalism convention 13 years ago. He didn’t know where to start, what to say, what to do or what to wear. He was in desperate need of some guidance.

“There was no single source for how to work the convention,” Dade said.

To address the problem, veteran convention attendees Dade, Elaine Aradillas of People Magazine and Annalisa Burgos of Scripps Network Interactive presented a workshop in the Career Resource Center Wednesday that offered advice for maximizing the convention experience.

A major theme during their two-hour presentation was the importance of preparation and using the convention as a way to network.

Preparation meant packing the right materials and doing homework before arriving at the convention.

The right materials included a handful of sample clips, resumes, business cards and clothes that impress, but did not go overboard. For gentlemen this meant an undershirt, long-sleeve dress shirt, tie, a pair of slacks and dress shoes. For ladies, this meant a conservative top, skirt to the knees or a pair of dress pants and sensible shoes.

The panelists recommended minimizing the makeup, perfume and jewelry. They also recommended covering up tattoos and removing excessive piercings.

Audience member Tiana Kennell donned a conservative blouse and knee-length skirt Wednesday as she walked around the career fair, but forgot about the importance of maintaining a professional online profile.

“I was telling him [the recruiter] how I was interested in blogging,” Kennell said. “He took out his Blackberry and wanted to go to my [Facebook] page.”

Maintaining a professional presence is important. But to understand what recruiters want, journalists also have to do their homework, panelists noted.

“This program is the bible,” Burgos said as she waved the UNITY booklet in the air. “Look at the program at least a week in advance and get to know who is coming, which companies are going to be there [and] who is the recruiter that is going to be there. Call ahead to make appointment with recruiters.”

The panelists expect Thursday and Friday to be the big interview days, with foot traffic especially heavy in the afternoon. Burgos and her colleagues recommended selecting workshops that develop journalism skills as well as lead to connections with desired potential employers.

When working the convention, the day should be spent at the career fair and attending panels, the group advised. Evenings should be spent networking at receptions, also referred to as “happy hours” by the panelists.

The career fair is the formal setting for networking, however panels and receptions can also provide opportunities, the panelist said.

“It’s often easier to approach a recruiter in a relaxed setting,” Burgos said. “They may even invite you into their booth the next day.”

Dade added, “Treat it like a pub crawl. Go to as many as possible and get to know as many people as possible.”

The UNITY organizations sponsor some of the receptions, but many media companies host exclusive invitation-only events.

One audience member agreed receptions are a great networking tool, but expressed fear of going alone.

“If you don’t know anyone, find someone else who is standing alone,” Burgos said. “Challenge yourself to meet a set number of people…Minimize the drinking and obscene dance moves.”

When talking to recruiters, the panelists recommended following three simple rules.

First, start by introducing yourself. Second, highlight your skills. Third, tell them what you want. Personalize the conversation by emphasizing strengths.

They also recommended taking notes during an interview and collecting as many business cards as possible.

Preparing for and attending the convention can be exhausting. But the work is not done when the convention ends. The panelists warned journalists not to forget to maintain the relationship with the recruiter. Write a personalized hand-written thank you card, send an update, ask for advice, make an appointment when you’re in town.