Moni's In The Excellence In Journalism Conference House

It's been a few weeks since my last instate road trip to Dallas, and I've hit the road again for an unprecedented for me third trip to San Antonio in the same calendar year.

Unlike my birthday trip to the Alamo City back in May, this one is business. 

I'm here to attend the Excellence In Journalism Conference  that started yesterday and is being held through September 7 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown San Antonio on the Riverwalk

This 2019 edition of the conference is jointly sponsored by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ).

The Excellence In Journalism Conference was started in 2011 by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) to provide an industry event that would provide the best training and networking opportunities. 

The NAHJ had previously been a partner for this conference in 2013, 2015 and 2017, and is now in the house again this year. 

Like the other media Conferences I have attended such as the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), NLGJA, the Unity Conference held every four years in Washington DC jointly sponsored by the NABJ and NAHJ, and the LGBT Media Journalists Convening, it's an opportunity to not only get more training to get better at what I do, but also give me an opportunity to network with other media professionals.

It also goes without saying I get an opportunity to rep the trans community at the same time in those media conference spaces.

Major thanks to NAHJ for the invitation to be here, and I'm looking forward to spending a few days in San Antonio getting my learn on and networking with the people in attendance here.
 

Hopefully since the Alamo is not far from the conference hotel, I'll finally get to do more than just drive by it before they do the renovation and redesign of the area in front of that historical landmark and site of a crucial 1836 Texas Revolution battle.

I also hope I get some time to actually check out the Riverwalk for the first time ever.   I have been coming to San Antonio since 1981.   Because many of my San Antonio trips have either been day trips or I had other business when I came here and a too tight schedule that had no room for a trip to the Riverwalk, I have yet to spend any time exploring it.

And yes, y'all already know I'm not leaving the 210 without making another tasty stop by Wayne's Wings.

Moni's Headed To The NABJ-NAHJ Joint Convention

About to head to Washington DC for my second media conference o 2016, and it's a big one.

The National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists re joining forces to host a joint media convention in our nation's capital  starting today and running until August 7 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

How apropos they are holding it at a hotel where poet Langston Hughes once worked.  Too bad the new African American history museum won't be open until next month.  

Maybe I can finally do that stop at the Newseum as a substitute for it  

I'm looking forward to being in the house for it, and spending time discussing the issues we trans peeps face with NABJ-NAHJ journalists and members.while i'm there.

Alberto B Mendoza To Become NAHJ Executive Director

You TransGriot readers are familiar with him as the founding creator of the Honor 41 list that recognizes LGBT Latinos, but on September 1 Alberto B. Mendoza will be recognized for another reason.   On that date he will become the executive director of the National Hispanic Journalists Association.

“Alberto is the right leader at the right time for NAHJ,” said Mekahlo Medina, NAHJ President. “He comes with decades of non-profit experience, exceptional organizational skills, sponsorship building and a history of elevating organizations to the next level.”

That extensive non-profit experience includes recently serving as the Regional Vice President with Jumpstart: Children First where he led the operations in California, Texas and Washington which served over 3300 children. He also served as the President and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, a California policy and advocacy organization, where he was the first Latino leader to run a statewide environmental organization.

In 2009, United States Senator Barbara Boxer honored Mendoza with the first ever U.S. Environmental Leadership Award. Alberto was also the founding Regional Executive Director for the Drug Policy Alliance- Southern California office and also led programs for Girl Scouts USA, Public Counsel and AIDS Project Los Angeles.

And as pleased as NAHJ was to name him on June 10 as their new executive director, he is just as pleased to be joining the organization.

“I’m extremely honored and excited to join the NAHJ family,” said Mendoza. “The caliber of our membership and the organization’s impressive reputation, are the two key elements of why I wanted to take this leadership role. While there’s lots to do, I am confident we will achieve new levels of success for NAHJ and our members”

Congratulations Alberto!  I have no doubts that NAHJ is headed to the next level as a journalism organization with him in their executive director role that he will assume full time in September.  I've known him for several years as one of my FB friends and couldn't be happier for him. 

I'm looking forward to the day I finally get to meet him.  May have to do so at that joint NAHJ-NABJ conference in Washington DC next year.