AAJA: Asian American Journalists Association


Meeting Summary Spring 2009

The AAJA National Advisory and Governing Boards convened for the annual spring meeting, in San Francisco on March 13 and 14, 2009. At the meeting, the following action was taken:

Each of the 30 board members committed to fundraise during eight weeks starting April 1 for the Power of One campaign, which will support AAJA programs and operating costs. This will be a friend-to-friend approach with board members contacting individuals for tax-deductible donations.

The Board also voted in successors for the remaining one-year Governing Board terms vacated by Ameet Sachdev and Sharon Chan:

o      Medium-Size Chapter: Paul Cheung of Florida

o      At-Large Representative: Frank Witsil of Michigan

o      Updated board buddies

  •       Cheryl Tan (large): New York, Asia, Washington, D.C.
  •       Paul Cheung (medium): Florida, Chicago, Portland
  •       Abe Kwok (small): Arizona, Atlanta, New England, Texas
  •       Frank Witsil (at large): Michigan, Seattle, Hawaii, Minnesota
  •       Don Chareunsy (at large): San Diego, North Carolina, Philadelphia, at-large
  •        Matt Dunn (at large): San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento

Announcements:

•      The room rate at the Seaport for the 20th annual AAJA national convention in Boston (Aug. 12-15) has been renegotiated. It is now only $179 a night. The early-bird registration rate is valid until April 17.

•      The Membership Committee is working on recrafting the definition of who can qualify for AAJA membership. A draft will be presented May 1 with revisions to be made until the Boston convention, when people will have an opportunity to weigh in at the annual General Membership meeting.

•      The Advisory and Governing Boards will meet Aug. 15 in Boston. That is also the date for the annual meeting of chapter presidents and treasurers.

•      The Governing Board’s fall meeting is tentatively set for Nov. 6-7 in Los Angeles.

•      A Twitter feed has been established for Media Watch: #aajamediawatch.

•      A group of members based in Las Vegas, which had requested and was granted pre-certification status to become an AAJA chapter, has withdrawn its petition for consideration owing to flux in local membership.  

If you have questions, please contact me at aajadoris@yahoo.com.

All best,

Doris Truong
AAJA National Secretary