The gathering of the 'Hispanic' journalists

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists' 25th anniversary convention opened yesterday in San Jose, fitting for a such a large (and heavily sponsored) media organization that sprung from the founding of the still-kickin' California Chicano News Media Association. Twenty five years later, NAHJ is so modern, so mainstream, even Lou Dobbs is a member!

I'll be there starting later today, to cover some sessions and to speak on a panel about how to write "about" "Hispanics" "for" "Hispanics." Or, in other words, on the process of merging the gringo lens with the Latin lens in telling a good story about the new realities in our cities and neighborhoods. The panel is moderated by Cynthia Garza of The Houston Chronicle and is scheduled for Friday afternoon. I hear there's lots of good panels and workshops planned, as always. Also on Friday, LAPD chief William Bratton is scheduled to speak on the May Day melee and fall-out. Gov. Schwarenegger spoke at Wednesday night's opening plenary. (The same opening plenary that the freshly elected -- and not divorcing -- Antonio Villaraigosa spoke at two years ago in Fort Worth.) Of course, a big reason so many people, Latinos and non-Latinos alike, look forward to the NAHJ gathering is all the corporate-sponsored parties and cocktail hours. Latinos + journalists = lots'a wholesome boozin'.

Thank you, readers and friends, for all the comments and feedback lately, particularly on the Asco feature. Really good letters and calls have been coming in. And thank you, NAHJ, for linking to my first May Day post on the NAHJ homepage.

* Here's a pertinent post from the Intersections archive: "Talking immigration and the media, Part 2."

Comments

[Melissa Sanchez]

Good luck at your session today! Wish I could learn how to write about brown people from you ;) but I forgot about the convention this year. Hope everything is going well.

[caro]

Damn, this is the first NAHJ convention I'm missing in several years. But no one is paying my registration or plane ticket this year, so I won't be finding my way to San Jose. Lou Dobbs??? WTF???? I'm going to have to have a talk with Olmeda. Have fun, have a couple of brewskis for me, and save me some of the chisme.

[Gustavo Arellano]

Too much boozin on my part!

[Rafael Olmeda]

Hey, Caro, my e-mail address is on the NAHJ Web site. I look forward to hearing from you.