AAJA Events

July 23-27, 2008, Chicago, Illinois

J CAMP
July 18-July 23
Loyola University
Water Tower Campus
25 East Pearson Street
Chicago, IL 60611
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J Camp, AAJA's multicultural journalism training program, will be held in conjunction with the UNITY: Journalists of Color convention. This event is by invitation only.

J CAMP RECEPTION
Tuesday, July 22, 6-8 p.m.
Chicago Cultural Center / G.A.R. Rotunda
78 East Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602
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Come meet some of the best and brightest students who will be the next generation of journalists. This event is by invitation only.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM NETWORKING LUNCH
Wednesday, July 23
12 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Chicago / West Tower, Gold Level
Toronto room
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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This ELP networking luncheon for ELP graduates features a panel discussion by top industry professionals. This event is by invitation only.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM MENTOR PROGRAM
Wednesday, July 23 - 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 24 - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Chicago / West Tower, 34th Floor
Board of Trade room
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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The ELP Mentor Program provides one-on-one career guidance between ELP graduates and newsroom executives for continued leadership training. This event is by invitation only.

Survivors' Guide to Newsroom Politics
Friday, July 25,
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m
McCormick Convention Center / Room: McCormick Place West – W193
Session Number/Code: AAJA1
2391 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
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Skills they don't teach you in j-school -- how to handle backstabbing co-workers, position yourself for promotions and raises, break into management, prevent yourself from being big-footed on stories, and recover from mistakes. Details.

AAJA General Membership Meeting
Friday, July 25,
12:30-1:30 p.m
McCormick Convention Center / W192C/McCormick Place West
2391 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
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AAJA members are encouraged to present open comments on the issues of their choice. Meet AAJA National Board members and staff; listen to your AAJA candidates for National Office; and, find out who the winners are for chapter, member and ELP awards. This meeting is open to the public.

China Coverage - News Without Fear or Favor
Friday, July 25,
1:30-3:00 p.m
McCormick Convention Center / McCormick Place West – W471
Session Number/Code: AAJA2
2391 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
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With the Beijing Olympics approaching, toy recalls, spying scandals, how does the press inform the public while avoiding stereotypes and painting a billion people with the same broad brush? News editors and reporters discuss how they balance story choices and how to write fairly and accurately. The debate will include examples of campaign-finance stories and toy-recall headlines. Details.

From Iraq to Iowa: Covering Arab Americans - How to Get it Right on Deadline!
Friday, July 25,
3:00-4:30 p.m
McCormick Convention Center / McCormick Place West – W471
Session Number/Code: AAJA4
2391 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
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Arab Americans are largely misunderstood. In the aftermath of 9/11 and heightened national security, many journalists covered the unfortunate suspicions leveled against many Arab and Muslim Americans who were law-abiding citizens, and legal proceedings against some others, not unlike the experiences of Japanese Americans and other ethnic communities during World War II. Details.

SILENT AUCTION
Friday, July 25
5:30-6:45 p.m.
Silent Auction Reception - no host bar

5:30-10 p.m.
Silent Auction

Hyatt Regency Chicago / Columbus Hall
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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Whatever your shopping pleasure, the AAJA Silent Auction has something to suit your needs. Into travel? We’ve got two American Airlines tickets to go anywhere in the country as well as free stays at hotel chains and spa packages up for grabs. A fashionista? You can’t beat our selection of brand-name cosmetics packages and designer accessories. A gadget geek? Let’s just say Guitar Hero III, Xbox games and a Samsung MP3 player are on display. Need a networking fix? We have lunches with top editors from coast to coast (and shoe shopping with Cleveland Plain Dealer editor Susan Goldberg). A sports fan? From signed memorabilia to tickets (floor seats for the Clippers; last-chance Yankees and Mets games), we’ve got it. Into entertainment? You can attend a taping of the Jerry Springer Show or Ellen, Leno or Jimmy Kimmel, even a results show for Dancing With the Stars (not to mention karaoke with Heroes’ James Kyson Lee)! Home decorator? We have our annual selection of lovely and award-winning prints from AAJA photographers. And for those who want a quick fix, there are hundreds of DVDs, books and CDs on sale. Support AAJA and get your consumer fix all at one event!! Join an exciting line-up of emcees including: Suzie Suh, CBS 2 LA News Correspondent; David Ono, KABC 7 News Anchor; Ted Chen, KNBC 4 Weekend Co-anchor of "Today in L.A." Gordon Tokumatsu, KNBC 4 General Assignment Reporter; and Jinah Kim, NBC News Correspondent. This event is open to convention attendees.

AAJA GALA SCHOLARSHIP & AWARDS BANQUET
Friday, July 25
7-9:30 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Chicago / Grand Ballroom
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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AAJA’s annual gala banquet honors the year’s scholarship and internship recipients. Martin Bashir, co-anchor of ABC’s “Nightline” and correspondent on “20/20” joins us as keynote speaker. Co-emcees for the evening are Ti-Hua Chang, general assignment and investigative reporter, WWOR/My9 (New York) and Juju Chang, correspondent for ABC News' "20/20," "Good Morning America" and "Nightline." This event requires a ticket.

AAJA National Advisory Board Meeting
Saturday, July 26, 8 am
Hyatt Regency Chicago / Gold Coast, West Tower, Bronze Level
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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This is the regular meeting of the National Advisory Board, composed of the five national officers and at least one representative from each of AAJA's 20 chapters. Advisory Board members represent chapters' interests in the organization, the organization's interests in the chapters, and the interests of both in the community. This meeting is open to the public.

AAJA Governing Board Meeting
Saturday, July 26, Immediately following the Advisory Board Meeting.
Hyatt Regency Chicago / Gold Coast, West Tower, Bronze Level
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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This is the regular meeting of the AAJA Governing Board, composed of the five national officers and six board members elected from the Advisory Board. This meeting is open to the public.

AAJA Chapter Treasurers' Meeting
Saturday, 8 a.m.
Hyatt Regency Chicago / Soldier Field, West Tower, Bronze Level
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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This is the annual meeting of AAJA Chapter treasurers, where treasurers receive technical assistance and training on the latest AAJA National Office accounting and bookkeeping systems. Limited to chapter treasurers or their chapter designate.

AAJA Chapter Presidents' Meeting
Saturday, July 26, 8 am
Hyatt Regency Chicago / Columbian, West Tower, Bronze Level
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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This is the annual meeting of AAJA Chapter presidents, where presidents share ideas and ways to build on AAJA's mission in local chapters. Limited to chapter presidents or their chapter designate.

Following the Money: The Growing Economic Feetprint of India and China
Saturday, July 26,
10:30-11:45 a.m
McCormick Convention Center / McCormick Place West – W471
Session Number/Code: AAJA3
2391 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
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From the massive manufacturing output of durable goods in Beijing , to the increasing dominance of technologically-savvy residents in Bangalore , China and India are fast changing the playing field in global economies. Details.

MEDIA ACCESS: HOW TO GET YOUR NEWS INTO THE NEWS
Saturday, July 26, 1-3 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Chicago / Water Tower, Bronze Level
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
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This interactive training session is for invited representatives of small, local non-profit organizations that serve communities of color. This session gives those who have little or no experience dealing with media an opportunity to work with national and local journalists and media professionals, learning basic skills in getting their stories in the media. Participants will learn the mechanics of a press release, how to effectively pitch a story, how to do a television interview, and how professionals devise media strategies. This event is by invitation only.

Presented by AAJA.

KARAOKE NIGHT
Saturday, July 26
9 p.m.- ‘til late
Sheraton Hotel + Towers / Exhibition Hall A
301 East North Water Street
Chicago, IL 60611
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Tune your pipes and get ready for this year’s AAJA Karaoke Night!
Buddy up with your colleagues or go solo onstage at one of UNITY’s convention closing events. Karaoke veterans and novices are encouraged to step up and show your talents! This event is open to convention attendees. Sponsored by Bud Light.

as of July 8, 2008