AAJA 2008 National Elections Candidates' Statements

The Asian American Journalists Association is currently holding its 2008 elections for the positions of National President, Vice President for Broadcast and Treasurer. Candidates elected to these positions begin their two-year terms on January 1, 2009. Voting instructions. Candidates' statements are below.

Candidate for National President		Candidate for National Vice President for Broadcast

Sharon Chan		George Kiriyama
Journalism is not dying. It is evolving. This is a painful and confusing transition period, but also one filled with reinvention, possibility and hope. As your national president, I am going to fight for our future. We are going to help laid-off members find new jobs. We’ll offer training in technology, career navigation and newsroom leadership. Our business models must change, but our core values -- diversity, independence, public service -- cannot. We will insist on diversity, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the best thing to do. We will position AAJA as an organization of leaders who know that diversity is the key to a successful future. We will finish AAJA’s $2 million endowment to ensure that this organization never dies. As a journalist at The Seattle Times, I’ve been a key advocate for diversity. As Seattle chapter president, I launched a successful $100,000 scholarship endowment drive. I’ve served on the advisory board and now on the governing board. AAJA president Jeanne Mariani-Belding and vice president for broadcast Jam Sardar support my campaign. I ask you to join us in this vision for the future, for AAJA and for journalism. Sharon Chan is a full member with the AAJA Seattle Chapter, and serves on the AAJA Governing Board. She is one of two chapter representatives on the National Advisory Board. Sharon is a Staff Reporter with The Seattle Times in Seattle, WA.		I'm pleased to announce my candidacy for AAJA National Vice President for Broadcast. Over the last three years, I have served as the Coordinator for AAJA's Broadcast Mentor Program matching college and small market Asian Pacific American broadcast journalists with experienced veterans in the industry. As National VP for Broadcast, I will continue to reach out to the next generation of Asian Pacific American journalists. Their concerns and needs will be high priorities for me. As National VP for Broadcast, I will advocate and push for more Asian Pacific American representation in our newsrooms in both on-air and managerial positions. As National VP for Broadcast, I will act quickly to crush any racial stereotypes or offensive remarks or comments targeting the Asian Pacific American community. I will demand accountability and responsibility in our quest for fair and accurate coverage of Asian Pacific Americans. It will be my honor to serve you as your AAJA National VP for Broadcast. I ask for your support and your vote. George Kiriyama is a full AAJA member with the AAJA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter and is a General Assignment Reporter with KNTV-TV (NBC O&O) in San Jose, CA.

Candidates for National Treasurer

Ferdinand (Ferdie) De Vega

Candace Heckman

For the past 12 years, AAJA has played an important role in my development as a journalist and in my career path. I have served as secretary, vice president of print and president of the Florida Chapter, and now I am seeking to serve AAJA as national treasurer.

Since I first joined AAJA as a student member in 1996, the organization has provided me with several opportunities to grow as a chapter leader and as a journalist through programs like Camp AAJA and ELP. I want to ensure that AAJA will continue providing these – and more – opportunities for growth to its current and future members.

The nation’s newsrooms are facing big challenges, and I believe AAJA will continue to play a key role in helping journalists and the industry survive and thrive in this changing environment.

Ferdinand (Ferdie) De Vega is an associate AAJA member with the AAJA Florida Chapter and Web Content Editor with The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, FL.

Where some journalism organizations are on the defensive about how to keep our craft alive during rapid changes to traditional broadcast and print media, AAJA should see this contraction as a growth opportunity. Dedicated members at the national and local levels have perpetuated solid and tenacious programs that have increased the visibility of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the newsroom and in the communities we cover.

From J Camp, where we introduce students to the wonder and privilege of the information industry, to the Executive Leadership Program, where we nurture leaders to take their place in media boardrooms, AAJA programs hammer at the cultural glass ceiling from both sides. The flux in the media industry has further weakened the ceiling and opened jobs for candidates who can tap a diversity of thought, readers and customers. Now is the time to strike.

In Seattle, where I direct breaking news for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and serve as AAJA treasurer, we raised more than $100,000 in three years toward a local scholarship endowment. I want to use this experience and skill to move all of us toward our national endowment goals. Together, we can keep hammering strong.

Candace Heckman is a full AAJA member with the AAJA Seattle Chapter and currently serves as the chapter treasurer. Candace is Breaking News Editor with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Seattle, WA.