Minority Media Association of UW - Milwaukee

HIATUS

2009-01-12T20:03:00.001-06:00

MMA WILL BE BACK IN FULL EFFECT IN FEBRUARY 2009!!!

MMA Meeting Times for Fall 08 Semester

2008-10-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

MMA meets every Tuesday at 3:30PM on the 3rd floor of the union!

Q&A with Victor Huyke

2008-03-05T17:34:00.002-06:00

Victor Huyke has journalism in his blood. His grandfather and great-grandfather were both newspaper owners in Puerto Rico. It seems almost natural that he would do the same. Huyke grew up in Milwaukee and has worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Shepherd Express, the Spanish Journal, the Spanish Times, the Shopper, and the Sunday Post. Then, a few friends of his got together and wanted to do their own thing. This was the beginning of El Conquistador newspaper, for which he is currently the editor and publisher. Huyke takes pride in being involved in the community. Along with serving as president of the Latino Community Center, he also volunteered for the immigration marches in Milwaukee. With immigration being a rising hot topic in the city, Huyke has decided to put together a forum with the Minority Media Association about the issue. The object of this panel discussion is to dispel myths, and to educate the public about the impact of immigration on the economy.The event, which is open to the public, will be held on Thursday, March 27 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Wisconsin Room located in UW-Milwaukee’s union.I sat down with Huyke to learn a little more about immigration and what he hopes to accomplish from getting the message out.

Q: Your main goal of the panel discussion is to alter any myths people may have on immigration. What do you feel are some negative stereotypes the Hispanic community faces?

A: Particularly with economics and taxes. Right now we got a lot of people believing Hispanics don’t pay taxes, in particular the immigrants. They are saying that they aren’t part of the system. They actually pay a lot of taxes, and they don’t get to see the returns. In the Hispanic community, a lot of people are homeowners. That’s where we start trying to defeat the myth that Hispanics don’t pay for services such as police, firefighters, hospitals, and schools. That all comes from property taxes. To say that they aren’t paying their fair share is incorrect, because they are. When the landlord raises the rent, he adds in more so that his property is paid for. So they pay their share and then some.

Q: Why do you think American’s hold such strong views on immigration? Does it go further than immigrants taking jobs away from Americans?

A: That’s the whole thing; immigrants really aren’t taking away jobs from Americans. You have to remember, these are jobs that the younger generation use to do. They are first time jobs: dishwashing, wiping tables, cleaning bathrooms. These are jobs no one wants to do. Unfortunately, what has happened with this generation is that they have become the “Nintendo generation.” They want to play Nintendo and XBOX, and they want to jump on the internet all day. And when you tell them to get a job and the first thing they say is, with lack of experience and education, that they want $50 an hour. The fact that they are taking away jobs from Americans is another myth.

Q: Do you think the marches and protests help get the message across, or does it just flare up opinionated citizens’ tempers?

A: I know a lot of people get upset with me when I say this, but the reality is the first march was great. It was awesome. It got the message out. It let people know what was happening, and it showed support. Some people thought that the marches were all the illegal aliens. And they weren’t. Trust me. The illegal aliens were busy hiding at home! The whole idea was that we saw supporters, people who believed that this was not this massive evil. To the people at home watching on TV they thought, "These are Hispanic who wants civil rights." Then the second time they march they think, "Okay, so they’re still pushing." Then the third time they think, "Oh my God, there’s an invading army in my country!" So the more that we did these marches, the more it affected the movement. We [the El Conquistador] talked to a few people and did an in direct poll. We found that the sympathy dropped dramatically. At first they [the American public] didn’t mind supporting. Then when they saw 70,000 people marching they got scared. By the third march sympathy turned to fear. Panic is what made people accept the changes in the laws.

Q: What made you want to do the panel discussion with MMA?

A: I’ve always been a firm believer in the next generation and leadership. Unfortunately, we have a system that once you become a leader you don’t want anybody else to be, and I hate that! I like to try and break away from that, and try and encourage people to take responsibility. With this subject being so important and so close, I really like the idea that the students want to make changes. They want to see what’s out there, and they want to experience the truth. What better way than to take a real hard line subject and let them [the students] dissect and explore it?

Q: In the end, what do you hope comes from holding this event on the UW-Milwaukee campus? Is there a way that students can get involved in immigration issues?

A: What I’m hoping will come of this is that it will open up doors for people to think clearer about the issue, and to get rid of a lot of these myths. As far as student getting involved, there’s a lot of stuff that can be done. The fact that legislation has become closed-minded on this issue has made us look at students to get involved and say, "Hey look! This issue is important because of this, this, and this." On the other side of that token, people who oppose it should get involved too and say, "This is the reason why I oppose it." I don’t see anything wrong with somebody opposing something, as long as they’re educated on what they are saying. That’s the problem we have in America. Too many people like to start talking about something without realizing, "Oh wait, I forgot this part, and that part." We’re hoping that we secure a way of thinking that is more expressive and not closed-minded.

Interview was done by Noelle Steffen

Experience at CAR

2008-03-05T17:00:00.002-06:00

One thing that I got out of going to the Investigative Reporting Association’s (I.R.A.) conference in Houston this pass weekend is the power that your computer can have. From the first seminar to the last, conducting computer assisted research (C.A.R.) will (if it isn’t already) be a reporter’s best tool going into the future of journalism.

There is so much powerful information that is literally at your finger tips that can be used to develop stories and make them more compelling, it is amazing. My first seminar talked about ‘quick hits’ on the Internet to be able to help develop breaking news in a broadcast newsroom. One site that the speaker used the show how to mine for quick info was the F.A.A.’s site to track planes, find ownership, flight plans, a plane’s repair history and many other facts that might crop up when a plane does go down. Since I been home I used this site to see how many planes are state owned to see what types of planes our government uses and to see if I could find out if these planes are used properly. In other seminars we got hands-on in computer labs using personal background research using social networks (like myspace.com) and communities to learn about the people their trying to find, or even to get story ideas.

In another we learned how to track peoples’ movement and past history via a number of sites that are free and others that you must pay for. I looked up myself; I found old addresses from over 15 years ago. I saw that I have a library card and was able to find a court case I won a few years back. All of these facts were on my screen is seconds with a few keystrokes.

One speaker gave a seminar on how knowing where to find quick info is a way to add value to your career. While people are running around making phone calls and racing to news spots; you can sit in the newsroom at your desk and find valuable information while drinking your coffee. Having the knowledge of where to look and find info fast will lend to your value in the newsroom; especially in today’s ever-shrinking news staff.

The thing about going to events like these is the ability to meet people. After a lecture on getting attention in your newsroom I met Mark Katches of the Milwaukee Journal and had a meaningful conversation about the need for teaching C.A.R. in the college system.

From that conversation I learned that virtually no colleges are really teaching C.A.R. classes that he knew of and he works in the leadership of the I.R.A. (from what I heard him mention). This lack of interest by the academic community shocks me. After spending just two days around what I’m convinced is where journalism heading; I can see a need to get classes that teach C.A.R. subjects.

Overall, the experience was an eye-opener. My only regret is that I haven’t gone to more events like this before!

Via JoRey Lopez
MMA Member

2008-03-05T01:09:00.005-06:00

Analyzing Political Data

The average voter does not seem to hear about who funds political candidates, but this panel actually gave many resources that had relevant information on many candidates.

But the main focus was that it emphasized differences in political analysis. For example, presenter Bill Bishop stated that there was no longer any such thing as the left, right, and middle anymore. Instead, he advocated focusing on voter turnout.

Bishop also stated that there were other factors behind the reason why voters in certain areas were changing. An an example, he cited that the reason that Colorado was becoming a blue state because more people were moving there from California. He also related that another particular district turned blue because a rail started going out to that area. This caused many people to move to the district that relied on the rail to get to work, who generally tended to vote Democrat.

He further explained that many like-minded people (particularly those with education) were clustering together more and more. This included religion also, since the current theory was that church was no longer a place where many different people would gather together. Rather, it was now a place that people would go to have their beliefs reinforced. Bishop theorized that political candidates should not just recruit preachers for their campaign; they should recruit people who were prominent in the community. Those people would then bring along the rest of their group with them.

It was an interesting panel, although I did not know if any of Bishop's theories were true. But it was a radically different departure from what I had heard and encouraged further research on my part.

2008-03-05T00:12:00.005-06:00

CAR and Crime Panel

The CAR and Crime panel was an incredibly interesting one. It mainly discussed the findings of a Philadelphia Inquirer report that discovered many examples of injustice and racial profiling encouraged by the police.

Reporters discovered that Philadelphia suburbs had the highest arrest records in America in decades. However, the arrests were for minor offenses that utilized city ordinances that had been declared unconstitutional by legal experts.

The arrests occurred in small towns where the police force was overwhelmingly white and African Americans were frequently arrested for being out past curfew and aggressive loitering." Furthermore, suspects were also subjected to strip searches, no matter how minor the offense was.

But the most shocking finding at the panel was how police dogs would be waiting after class at an African American high school for "rowdy students." Of course, none of these messages were thought necessary for the students at the school a few blocks away that was comprised mainly of white students.

Needless to say, it was an eye opener to discover the kinds of things that were still going on in many places that were thought to be "progressive." And it was a wonderful example of how the media can expose corruption. For me, it was an example of how the media should operate.

Education: From Cheaters to Teachers

2008-03-01T17:43:00.002-06:00

Teachers are suppose to guide and change the lives of their students. Unfortunately, many of them take advantage of their authoritative position.

Saturday morning at the 2008 CAR (Computer Assisted Reporting) Conference, I listened to Holly Hacker of The Dallas Morning News and Jill Riepenhoff from The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch discuss the education system, and how they have been working with database systems in order to do such things as put teachers with criminal charges behind bars, and catch student cheaters.

Ripenhoff and her colleagues developed a date base entitled Rotten Apples. Over the years of tracking down various educators with serious violations, they have developed a system that allows anyone to see if there are teachers in their school district with any serious offenses. One teacher they helped put behind bars had been molesting young boys with cognitive disabilities. The offender even went to far as to keep notebooks of his actions. Ripenhoff has assisted in getting such government laws passed on her state, such as educators getting regular background checks where even a DUI could show up.

Hacker worked with a team in her area to investigate test scores, mainly in charter schools in the Dallas, Texas area. Many of the schools they researched were in threat of being closed down due to low test scores and poor attendance rates. One school in particular made an enormous change from being ranked approximately 35 in the area to number 1 in test scores. Hacker worked with a team to analyze these test scores to see if cheating was involved. Such things were taken into account like if test grades were higher before a big game.

Hacker even investigated an independent charter school called Jesse James Academy, where the teachers themselves were responsible for allowing their children to cheat and writing the answers on the board. Trends were identified in this particular school by a series of children getting the same answers wrong. 2 out of 25 children were not participating in cheating.

Hacker worked to get new actions taken in the Texas School System: some schools have students sign an ethical code contract before starting school, in addition to having state officials randomly drop-in during testing times.

I found this lecture very interesting, mostly because I am interested in education. I think it is great that people like Riepenhoff are working to get serious offenders with teaching licenses behind bars. I found it appalling that many school districts in the Columbus district swept many cases under the rug. As many as 1,700 teachers were cleared of their offenses without any reason as to why. It is important that parents, as well, know who their children's teachers are and can feel safe while their children are in school.

Backgrounding People on the Internet

2008-03-01T17:26:00.005-06:00

There's so many ways to find information on people via the internet; and there's so many sites that you can go to access that information. As discomforting as that may seem for some it does help reporters know where to go to find information about a subject and where you can go to find more information about a subject.

Kelly Guckian, database editor at the San Antonio Express-News gave quite a few different internet databases to use when going about searching relatives, neighbors and criminal history reports. She also gave us a few search tips and tricks using different symbols to help narrow down searches for example when you use *Marg* you will find Margaret, Margie and Margret.

She also reminded us that data entry involves human intervention. Meaning that many people have different names that they go by so you shouldn't get troubled when you can't find what you're looking for right away.

All in all, I also thought that this session was pretty interesting as well. But I would caution those who are very liberal with personal information to be more discrete on them.

Introducing: Mind Mapping

2008-03-01T17:14:00.004-06:00

Have you ever struggled with getting started with a story or planning out an interview? I know I do but today I was fortunate to hear about a useful method to better outline stories. Neil Reisner, a professor of journalism at Florida International University showed a demo today at the CAR Conference showing just how useful mind mapping is. Pictured above, is just a an example of what a possible mind map would look like.

Reisner even admitted himself that he oftened struggled when trying to get a start on a story and of course organization is key to writing good stories so he stumpled upon this idea. You first have to know what you're doing before you even do it, so you settle for a mind dump, then brainstorm then organize and before you know it, you have the outline for a story. What I learned is that mind mapping is a very good collaborative tool for getting a good start on stories and manage projects.

If you would like to download a free version of mapping you can go here http:nicar08.wetpaint.com or you can email Neil at nr@nreisner.com.

The Portrayal of African Americans in the Media

2008-02-25T09:51:00.001-06:00

Media’s Impact on Your Health
By Nicole Wesley

Producer and media scholar Rubin Whitmore II made an appearance at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee on Wednesday, Feb. 20, to facilitate a dialogue on the portrayals and perceptions of African Americans in the media. Director of more than fifty music videos, airing on entertainment networks such as MTV (Music Television) and BET (Black Entertainment Television) Whitmore offered his compelling take on the impact of media on the conscious of America.
It is clear that the consumption of media in its varied forms is American’s number one pastime. As technology develops our senses are flooded with an array of auditory and visual stimuli designed to educate, entertain and most importantly produce profits. With Americans consuming more than 250 billion hours of television annually: What is the impact of media overload?
Whitmore likens the negative imagery and ideas perpetuated by media to the treacherous mechanics of Chinese water torture. In manageable increments the scantly clad women and violent misogynist lyrics may seem harmless, or even enjoyable, complimented with catchy beats and bling but in constant repetition these images and auditory messages lead to a warped sense of reality and negative self-concept.
Whitmore argues that “bad media” is a matter of public health just like obesity. In order to free ourselves of the oppressive media and to begin to reverse its effects we must exercise self control in the form of a media diet. Take a look at your media consumption and its impact on your life. Gauge what actions you need to take in order to have a more well- balanced media diet. You can start by accessing your intake much like you would your daily food intake. Remember variety is key. You do not have to deny yourself of the things you have enjoyed in the past but all things in moderation.

“You are what you read. And what you see. And what you hear.”

For more information on Rubin Whitmore II including a list of his scheduled engagements check out: http://rlwii.wordpress.com/

Tell us what you think! Is bad media bad for your health? POLL:

MMA VP featured in the Journal Sentinel

2008-02-14T12:43:00.002-06:00

Vice President and Communications Lead, Edgar Mendez was featured in today's online Journal Sentinel! Click the link below to read this story!

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=718135

MMA: Gearing Up for the CAR Conference

2008-02-14T12:36:00.003-06:00

The MMA is preparing to make way to the 2008 CAR (Computer Assisted Reporting Conference) taking place in Houston, TX; Feb. 28-Mar. 2.

Keep checking back to our blog for more details!

We are all very excited to attend!

Thanks to everyone who has helped us this far:

Jim Hill, Jeff Smith, SAC!

We appreciate your support very much!

For more details on the conference please visit: http://www.ire.org/training/houston08

Meeting time!

2008-02-11T08:03:00.000-06:00

The MMA will be having weekly meetings every WEDNESDAY @ 2:30PM in Johnston Hall Rm. 137.

Feel free to attend!

"Halfway home"

2007-12-19T14:13:00.000-06:00

There comes a time in your life when you ask yourself if there are certain things you need to let go, be it friends, habits, ideals, or grudges. They can all be detrimental but they also comprise the elements that made you whole. Is that running? Some people run to the suburbs. Others disassociate both physically and mentally. I can't do that. How can I cut out the part of me that gave me my fire, my will, and my determination. Life to me has always felt like some sort of play. Comprised of both villains and angels, many times played by the same person. Will I play the hero or just be a narrator. That is the way I've been feeling lately. I feel like I'm watching the comings and goings of my neighborhood from almost a third person point of view. That is my fear. A fear of disassociating from a neighborhood that has given me so much. How could that be? I never left. It's only my mind that is traveling.

Reminder

2007-10-10T08:54:00.000-05:00

Just a friendly reminder to all who are interested.

The MMA has weekly meetings every Wednesday at 2:15pm in Johnston Hall Rm. 137.

If you want to sit in and get a little more information about us and what we do, we will be more than happy to assist you in any questions you may have!

2007-10-04T12:42:00.000-05:00

click here.

The problem of preterm births

2007-08-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

By A. Carlo Albano

The rate of preterm births in the United States is a growing public health problem that has significant problems for families, and costs society at least $26 billion a year. Preterm births, defined as occurring before 37 weeks of gestation, now account for the troubling figure of 12.5% of all births in the United States—an increase of 30% since 191. Full term infants are born between 38 and 42 weeks.

Even more troubling are the persistent disparities in preterm birth rates between different racial and ethnic groups. The highest rates are for African American women, and the lowest rates are for Asian and Pacific Islander women. In 2003 the rate for Aaafrican American women was 17.8%, while the rates for Asian and Pacific Islanders were 10.5% and 11.5% for white women. Both socioeconomic conditions and maternal behaviors do play a large role in the disparities.

The growing problem of preterm births is not receiving the attention and funding necessary to fully understand its causes and identify ways to reduce the number of preterm deliveries. A host of socioeconomic, biological, and environmental factors contribute to a woman’s risk for a preterm delivery. Studies indicate that many of the factors associated with preterm birth occur together, particularly in minority women or those that have low socioeconomic status.

There is no test that can accurately predict a preterm birth and little is known about how a preterm birth can be prevented. Treatment has been primarily focused on slowing contractions. This has not reduced the number of preterm births, but has delayed delivery for long enough to administer steroids to the mother to help respiratory distress in the infant after birth and transfer the mother and the fetus to a hospital where they may receive appropriate care. This type of intervention has helped to reduce the rates of mortality and morbidity, yet interventions for prediction and prevention of preterm births are sorely needed.

In a city such as Milwaukee, the rate of preterm births rates soar in our predominantly African American communities and are also a problem of lesser depth in the predominantly Latino communities of the South Side. Local studies have shown that the socioeconomic conditions of the mother’s access to proper nutrition, housing, and prenatal healthcare make preterm deliveries much more risky in these lower-income communities than those between and around them.

Revolutionizing journalism: Beyond Don Imus

2007-08-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

By Noelle Steffen

Friday August 10, a group of journalists spoke on a panel in regards to the Don Imus controversy.When Imus referred to the Rutgers' women’s basketball team ‘nappy-headed hos’, listeners across America went in an uproar about the rude remarks.

The panelists at the NABJ conference confronted the issue as the fire still burns over three months later. “Imus did us a favor,” stated one panelist, “He has given us a chance to confront a complicated issue.”

The issue is the subject of race in America, and how far is too far using derogatory terms on the air. The man who took Imus off the air, continued the debate by stating that Imus will notreturn to NBC. He went further saying that the girls who were subject to Imus’ comments did not deserve his brash commentation on what should have been a joyous day in their sports career.

Through video and audio clips, the journalists relived the controversial day. It was argued that the basis for the debate was that the girls did not deserve the remarks and did nothing to provoke such offensive statements. The discussion turned from offended tones to a more positive note: The incident allowed many to talk about the issue of race, and the line between racial humor and racism. The Imus episode brought to many people's attention that racism is not gone and will continue to occur and offend until discussion is more open.

My convention experience

2007-08-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

By Brandy Riley

Of course, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Sen. Barack Obama weren’t the only highlights of this year’s NABJ Convention but more less the ‘experience’.

Not even the lights and the casinos could compare to the feeling of being apart of such a well known organization such as the National Association of Black Journalists. The whole time in Las Vegas, NV, was like a blueprint of what’s yet to come in journalism.

I found not only the panel discussions to be interesting, but I learned from seeing other young journalists like myself in action, asking presidential candidates questions and being respectable to the press and the like.

Going and being a part of this convention reminded me of why I wanted to be journalist. Being able to construct a message through mass communication while maintaining strong connections with other journalists, maintains a longevity type of career.

While you may get knocked down in the process, in the end you become a much stronger person. It’s the kind of thing that you really have to be committed to, and although it may be a challenge it’s still something that I want to be able to continue to learn about, grow into, and inspire others.

The NABJ Convention has motivated me to become a bit more serious about journalism in general, and I hope that one day I too, will be acknowledged in the same way.

The importance of career fairs

2007-08-17T10:25:00.001-05:00

By Brandy Riley

During the 32nd annual National Association of Black Journalists Convention, many different television stations and newspapers came out to offer jobs and other intern opportunities for all conference attendees. They included NY Times, NBC, BET among others.

It was overwhelming as to how many people actually were present.

The career fair’s aim was to target young future journalists with top notch positions in all areas of journalism including, writing, producing, sports casting etc.

I got a chance to see first hand just how competitive the journalism field is.

So many opportunities, with so little space to try and cram so many talented people with a working knowledge of journalism; it was kind of hard not to be drawn in by all the professionals that were eager to talk to young future journalists.

Overall, I rate the convention excellent for its showcase of so many different job opportunities along with face-to-face meetings with various recruiters and vendors to get a more in depth understanding as to how they work.

A real reason to believe

2007-08-17T10:22:00.000-05:00

By Edgar Mendez

What a wonderful sight, minority professionals gathering in the thousands under the mantra of “revolutionizing journalism, and transforming the future”. The 32nd annual NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) convention in Las Vegas has left an impact on me that will never dissipate. The conference was a show of force for minority journalists, and also a source of pride for an aspiring minority journalist such as myself. I left the conference feeling like I have as much of a chance as any other creed or color to make it in an ultra competitive and flooded journalism market.

In a country that continues to be top heavy and oppressive, it is key that minorities continue to follow the mantra of the 32nd annual NABJ convention says and “revolutionize journalism and transform the future”. Revolutionize it by offering new opinions, and new hope to those struggling with their everyday lives. Revolutionize it by offering a view of experiences that one has to have lived through to fully understand and fully explain.

Transform the future for others in your hometowns by remembering where you came from, and giving back to the neighborhoods in which you were raised. Transform the future by being a role model for the countless minorities who need role models who are accessible, and willing to take an active role in mentoring. Also remember to always lead by example, because even when it comes to journalists, actions speak louder than words.

It might seem like much to ask, but we all must remember that it is the media that shape public perceptions. The media fuel public outrage, which leads to change. A change in attitudes, that leads to change in governmental policies, which leads to a change in the way people live in America. The positive energy that emanated from the NABJ conference in Las Vegas, gives us all a reason to believe in change.

Obama addresses the "black enough" question

2007-08-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

By Andrea Thompson

The mood was excited and the room was packed when Barack Obama came onto the stage at the National Association of Black Journalists in Las Vegas on July 10th. Obama opened with a humorous apology for being late due to the fact that people kept asking if he was black enough. The audience answered with roaring laughter.

Obama opened his speech by discussing a program in Oakland that he participated in called Walk A Day, which allowed someone to walk in the shoes of someone else. Obama related how he walked in the shoes of a 61-year-old woman named Ms. Beck. Ms. Beck had many family members to take care of, so she forced to work every day of the week. However, she still lived below the poverty line. Obama described how he did what Ms. Beck usually did; in his case, he helped an elderly man get dressed and washed his laundry. He stated that this experience reminded him of why he got into politics in the first place.

“Ms. Beck and her counterparts have no voice in Washington,” Obama stated. “Oil companies and insurance companies write our legislation while Ms. Beck and her counterparts have been forgotten.”

Obama then opened the floor to questions. One of the first was whether African Americans should be threatened by the large number of Latino workers. Obama stated that while it could have a negative effect, it would be a mistake to pit the two groups against each other. Obama said that employers should be held accountable, and that the workers should learn English and be subject to the law.

Obama also addressed the charge that he is naïve and inexperienced when it comes to foreign policy. Obama replied that experience wasn’t as important as what you learned. He further stated that Cheney and Rumsfeld had experience, and that the conventional wisdom should be challenged.

One journalist asked if the black press would receive the same treatment after he was in the White House. Obama replied that the black press covered him when no one else wanted to, so he would make sure that they could cover him now that everyone wanted to.

Obama was then asked what he would do for Darfur. He replied that a no fly zone was the bare minimum, and that we needed to get a U.N. peacekeeping force on the ground. He further elaborated that we needed an African policy that was active, since we shouldn’t wait until there was genocide to interfere. He pointed out that there were millions of people dying in the Congo, but almost no one knew anything about it. He also controversially stated that the President should be willing to meet with anyone, which would send a strong message. He added that this idea wasn’t naïve, it was right.

Another question was whether the government would apologize for slavery. Obama replied that the day he’s elected, the idea of race will change, as will how people debate and perceive race. He stated that he’s more interested in talking about action and following through. He further stated that he wanted a concrete talk about a criminal justice system that was color blind, and to address the achievement gaps between blacks and whites.

Obama closed his speech by once again addressing the question of whether he was black enough. He surmised that people assumed something was wrong with him just because he appealed to whites as well as blacks. He closed by saying that if he lost, it would be because people didn’t like his vision. He closed to raucous applause.

A conversation with Obama

2007-08-16T17:11:00.000-05:00

By A. Carlo Albano

A Conversation with America’s Candidates: Barack Obama
National Association of Black Journalists Convention—Las Vegas, Nevada

Amidst the racial scrutiny of Senator Barack Obama throughout the country and especially within the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Obama came out a little late to his speech in front of a max capacity crowd at the NABJ convention last Thursday.

“I’d like to apologize for coming in a bit late, but you guys have been asking me whether or not I’m black enough. So I thought I’d stroll in,” said Obama to the NABJ audience. The room filled with laughter and Obama continued onto his speech.

He began speaking about an individual he had met in the Walk-A-Day event of SEIU in Oakland, California. For one day, Obama was to walk in the shoes of Ms. Pauline Beck for a day. And in a manner that many believe is a trademark of Obama’s, he began to speak about the individual that reminded him why he became a civil rights lawyer, an organizer for low-income families in Chicago’s Southside, as well as a senator, and now a presidential candidate.

“While drug and insurance companies write our medical and healthcare system, oil companies make our energy plan, and corporate lobbyists are writing our tax code, people like Ms. Beck have no say,” said Obama.

Amidst all of the national attention between Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former was adamant in his speech that there needed to be more than just a party change in office. “At a time such as now, there needs to be real change in the politics that have moved forth inches at a time.” said Obama in his speech.

Many colleagues and politicians have considered Obama to be naïve and inexperienced in his approach to foreign policy. He was questioned in front of the NABJ about how he would deal with the issues of illegal immigration and whether or not to talk to America’s enemies if he were to become President.

“I’m not afraid to talk with anybody,” said Obama in response. “The President should be able to meet with anybody. To meet with those who are potential dangers and threats to the world, but by no means concede to them, sends a message to the world that we are not so arrogant that these people should just do what we say or nothing. The bottomline is that being experienced is not enough, there must be lessons learned in the experiences of life and dealing with foreign political matters.”

In response to a question about how he would address the history of oppression to African American’s historically in his inauguration speech as President, Obama pressed most on concerning himself less with words and more with actually making changes to get past such a history. Amongst the most urgent needed changes, he noted the criminal justice system, and the achievement gap.

Obama also noted the changes on a larger scale in the racial dynamics that would occur nationally if he were to become President. He expressed a hope in the perception of how white children would think of black children, and how black children would think of black children.

When asked about whether or not America was ready for a black President, Obama replied that people would vote for him if he could help them live out their dreams. Obama does not believe that he will lose on race.

“Those that would not vote for me because of the color of my skin wouldn’t vote for me anyway because of my political philosophy anyway.”

Pictures from NABJ

2007-08-14T13:33:00.001-05:00

Clinton gets a standing O from some

2007-08-10T01:42:00.000-05:00

By Andrea Thompson

At the National Association of Black Journalists in Las Vegas Senator Hillary Clinton opened her speech by speaking of 1.4 million young men of color. However, while most related stories of jobless, hopeless men who were not in college, she spoke of their potential.

She ended the speech with a standing ovation from some in the crowd.

She related how she used to work at a low paying job where she defended children and she “never met a child without potential.” Clinton declared that this was not a black crisis, or even an urban crisis, but a moral, economic, American crisis that deserved a national response.

“We must end discrimination even though some pretend that it doesn’t exist,” Clinton stated. As proof, she then cited a study that proved employers were more likely to hire whites with criminal records than qualified blacks.

Clinton also responded to questions from the audience. The question that she responded the strongest to was when one man asked about her stance on socialized medicine. Clinton very firmly stated, “I am not for socialized medicine. That was a right wing attack. Very few people would call Medicare socialized medicine.”

She also discussed the revolving door policy that frequently puts young black men back in jail as soon as they get out. Clinton theorized that some of these policies could be alleviated by the clearly discriminatory policies that offer different sentences for powder and crack cocaine.

Clinton stated that she was very proud to be a Democratic candidate for the presidency. She pointed out that the Democrats had a hispanic, a black man, and a woman running for President, which you never see when you look at the Republican candidates.

Of course, Clinton was then asked why she was the best candidate for the presidency. She replied that she was the most qualified and experienced. She and jokingly added that it was going to be difficult following the Bush Administration.

The crowd often murmured in agreement and nodded when Clinton spoke. She stated that none of the changes she spoke of would be easy, but they could be done. “Those who say it can’t be done are interrupted by those doing it,” she added.

Clinton also stressed accountability. She added that when you looked at the government’s failure in Iraq, Darfur, and Katrina, you saw that no one was held accountable.

The last question that Clinton was asked was if she would choose Obama as her running mate and whether she would ever consider being his. She replied that she didn’t want to be presumptuous and that she was considering many people. She didn’t address the other part of the question.

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Clinton gets a standing O from some

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