Mixing it up locally builds UNITY

May 29, 2008

UNITY President's Message Karen Lincoln Michel

Excitement is building as we approach the UNITY ’08 Convention, the biggest journalism event since our last gathering in 2004.

Just last month, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Region 6 held a “Pre-UNITY Registration Party” at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. Nearly 50 people attended the April 21 event, according to event organizer Brandon Benavides, Region 6 director, who flew in from the Twin Cities for the mixer.

“We're gearing up for the largest journalism convention in four years. And it's all happening in our region,” Benavides said in a recent e-mail message. “I met with journalists in Chicago and they are great.”

I was fortunate to attend the Chicago event, along with UNITY Executive Director Onica N. Makwakwa. Spiced with good food and conversation, the event brought together local journalists to exchange ideas and expectations about UNITY. There were computer stations on hand to pre-register potential attendees.

We need more local mixers to build on the enthusiasm and promote attendance at UNITY ’08, to be held at McCormick Place West in Chicago, July 23-27. The pre-registration deadline is Friday, June 13.

Atlanta is one place that plans to get a jump on the convention.

From L to R: Unidentified woman; Karen Lincoln Michel, UNITY President, Green Bay Press-Gazette; Vanessa Bauza, Chicago Tribune; Antonio Olivo, Chicago Tribune; Onica N. Makwakwa, UNITY Executive Director.

Stan Washington, contributing editor of The Atlanta Voice, said recently that a pre-UNITY mixer is planned for local journalists of color in Atlanta on the last Thursday in June.

He wrote in an e-mail message, “I mentioned the idea to a few Hispanic and Asian American journalists and they all loved the idea. At least this way we could establish some contact with one another before arriving in Chicago. It’s impossible to find members from your city or region at the convention.”

Washington encourages other communities to follow suit. He says, “I still believe that if UNITY is going to survive it must have a strong local base.”

Such events work because they allow journalists on the local level to share what they’ve gotten out of UNITY in the past, and what they look forward to getting from UNITY this July in Chicago. No need to try to book a keynote speaker or celebrity journalist to draw a crowd. It is important simply to connect with each other and build excitement on a regional level.

Some possible ideas for local events promoting UNITY include:

• Hosting a pot luck, or chip in and have an event catered. The NAHJ Region 6 mixer featured Mexican food from Chicago restaurant Tepatulco, sponsored by Region 6.
• Providing online registration access and information on UNITY ’08. The Chicago mixer had UNITY event brochures on hand, as well as PCs with Internet access for online registration.
• Offering one free UNITY registration as a door prize, if you have a local sponsor or donor who can underwrite the cost of a UNITY registration. What better door prize could you have for an event promoting UNITY attendance?
• Inviting journalism students, local media companies, or other members of the regional media community to get involved.

These are just a few ideas about generating some buzz around UNITY ’08. Getting the ball rolling can be as simple as inviting journalists of color in your area to talk about UNITY.

Let’s continue building momentum for the best UNITY convention yet.

Karen Lincoln Michel
President
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc.

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