ATLANTA, May 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) will host an all-day training event for creators of color on Aug. 3, 2019, to increase the representation of diverse storytellers and content-makers in entertainment and news media.
The event, “Represent!”, is a celebration of diversity, inclusion and emerging stories and storytellers. Leading media professionals of diverse backgrounds will host hands-on workshops and real-talk panel discussions with a focus on skills to help creators raise funding, build and expand their professional networks, and overcome barriers to bringing unique, untold stories to a broad audience.
Workshops will be geared toward creatives and creators of color, particularly ages 20 to 40, who are seeking to make their voices heard and create a media culture that is supportive of diverse voices. However, attendees of all backgrounds are welcome to attend.
"This is a crucial time in American culture. People of color are being represented in all forms of mainstream media like never before. We need to capture this moment and ensure that this progress continues,” said Willoughby Mariano, president of AAJA’s Atlanta chapter. “There’s no better place to do this than in Atlanta, the cradle of the civil rights movement, which has shown the world the power of nurturing the talents of those who may have otherwise been ignored."
This is the first training event of its kind hosted by AAJA. Founded in 1981, AAJA is a professional nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity in the news and media industry and ensuring fair and accurate representation of diverse communities, particularly Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in the media.
“AAJA is dedicated to inclusion and diversifying all faces and voices represented in the news and mass media,” said Michelle Ye Hee Lee, AAJA’s national president. “We’re thrilled to bring our network of media professionals to Atlanta — a vibrant city brimming with creativity, passion and diversity — for this unique opportunity to improve representation of all communities of color.”
This daylong training and networking event ends with a special screening of AMC’s “The Terror: Infamy” and a panel discussion about how Hollywood is telling one of the darkest stories in our nation's history. Discussion will feature "The Terror" lead actor Derek Mio, actor/consultant George Takei and showrunner Alexander Woo.
Sessions include:
- “Stay Real, But Hustle”: How to stay true to your creative vision while strategizing and finding the right supporters and collaborators.
- “I Really Pitched That — And Got Paid”: Creators share how they successfully pitched and found financial support for an idea they worried would never sell.
- “Power to the Podcaster”: How to conceptualize, launch and fund a must-listen podcast with limited resources.
- “It’s All About the Visuals”: How to turn your passion into a thriving career and a must-follow Instagram account.
- “Rise Up: Becoming a Media Boss as a Woman of Color”: Nonwhite women leaders in media, arts and entertainment discuss the challenges and opportunities of being a non-white, non-male media boss.
Represent! will be held in conjunction with AAJA’s 2019 national convention, “Unite & Represent,” held at the Loews Hotel Atlanta on July 31-Aug. 3. Registration for Represent! is sold separately from the AAJA convention. Tickets to the AAJA 2019 convention’s closing ceremony on Aug. 3 must be purchased separately. Details are available at aaja19.org.
Represent! Details
- Location: Loews Atlanta Hotel, 1065 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
- Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 3, 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Price: $50 early bird rate until July 15; $75 regular rate.
- Registration: http://bit.ly/atlrepresent
- Already registered for #AAJA19? Access to Represent! is included as part of full professional and student convention registrations to AAJA, but requires a separate RSVP. Please RSVP to support@aaja.org with “RSVP to Represent! Saturday” in the subject line.
- Please note that Thursday and Friday day passes to #AAJA19 do not include access to Represent!.
AAJA thanks the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who sponsored the Represent! launch reception in March. To learn more about AAJA, visit www.aaja.org.
Media Contact:
Naomi Tacuyan Underwood
AAJA Executive Director
naomitu@aaja.org