The South Florida Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ-South Florida) swore in their newly elected officials at its first monthly meeting of the New Year.
The 2023-2024 chapter officers include Calvin Hughes, president; Terrell Forney, vice president; Yovanni Young-Millings, secretary; April Robinson, treasurer; Charly Hill, student representative and Yanatha Desouvre, parliamentarian. General Magistrate Olanike Adebayo conducted the swearing-in ceremony.
Immediate-past president Jawan Strader, an NBC 6 news anchor, spoke about the chapter’s many successes and milestones accomplished over the past two years, even during a pandemic.
“I am proud of our great strides over the past two years,” Strader told members during the meeting held at Florida Memorial University (FMU). “Our chapter awarded $20,000 in scholarships to deserving students from the South Florida community, hosted monthly virtual Sunday media chats to educate the public on issues with a journalist component, and raised money for a non-profit to purchase clothes and toys for families in need during Christmas.”
In 2022, NABJ-South Florida was nominated for NABJ Chapter of the Year for its dedication to the community. The chapter challenged the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and held the popular event accountable for its lack of Black media involvement. The historic impact resulted in significant changes that included the hiring of a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant; the inclusion of several Black media outlets as partners of the festival; and the mentoring of several area schools—including FMU, South Florida’s only HBCU—in the culinary industry.
Incoming president Hughes, a news anchor at Local 10, recognized the previous administration’s hard work, dedication, and consistency. He shared with members his plan to partner with Miami Central Senior High School to resurrect its journalism program.
“I am excited to add to the energy our chapter has. Career opportunities in the media and public relations industry are unevenly distributed,” said Hughes. “More diversity is needed. NABJ-South Florida receives a grant through our partnership with Florida International University. We also work to mentor young aspiring journalists by providing panel discussions throughout the year. This is one of the many ways we look to help diversify the media pipeline.”
NABJ-South Florida is also committed to the national initiatives set forth by NABJ through the Black Male Media Project, an initiative to help change the narrative around the lives and images of Black men in the news and society, with a series of workshops nationwide.
The chapter’s annual career fair allows South Florida journalism professionals and communication students to connect with dozens of employers from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, as well as around the state. Representatives from all the major South Florida TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers are confirmed. The next career fair will be held April 22, 2023.
The National Association of Black Journalists South Florida operates to serve, educate, and empower communities within Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
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