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Alumni NABJ leaves Unity, page 3
Network
Newsletter /Our 31 th year/ May 2011/ Vol. 31, No.5
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New Columbia J-alumni board chairman
By Wayne Dawkins
NEW YORK – David J. Peterkin, ’82, executive director of news
practices for ABC News, will ascend to chairman of the Columbia
University Graduate School of Journalism Alumni Board. He will
succeed the inaugural chairman, Alexis Gelber, ’80, editorial
consultant and Goldsmith Fellow at the Shorenstein Center, Harvard
University, who has served since 2008. Gelber announced the
change at the April 8 Alumni Awards Ceremony in Low Library.
Peterkin was among the inaugural members of the 18-member board
that replaced the longtime alumni Executive Committee. A 2006-07
task force led by A’Lelia Bundles, ’76, with guidance from a
consultant reconstructed the alumni body and the new model has alumni
representatives of the 9,300 alumni active in domestic and international
journalism [See ―J-alumni leaders chosen; Peterkin, Pollard-Terry in the
mix,‖ BA Network, March 2008].
At the ceremony, Gelber announced that five new members were joining
the board. They were from the classes of 2008, 1997, 1993, 1985 and 1982.
They include Sheryl Hilliard Tucker, ’82, [photo left] named interim
editor of Essence magazine during the closing months of 2010 and completed
the assignment last month. Hilliard was also editor at large of Time
Inc., and a leading editor with Money and Black Enterprise magazines.
Alumni award meeting notes
At the awards ceremony, Steve Kroft, ’75, the famously square-jawed bulldog of an
investigative reporter, was momentarily flummoxed in his role as awards
program MC. The CBS ―60 Minutes‖ correspondent forgot to let the first
award winner make brief acceptance remarks. Kroft may have been knocked
off balance because of the protocol. It was probably the first time a
distinguished alumni was introduced as ―Your royal highness,‖ as in Princess
Rym Ali of Jordan, formerly Rym Brahimi, ’94. The princess established a
journalism institute in Jordan and she promised its work was different from Lowell Thomas’
myth making of Arab revolution nearly a century ago. Continued on page 2

Black Alumni Network May 2011 Page 2
Alumni award meeting notes/Continued
Bruce Brugmann, ’58, founder of the San Francisco Bay Guardian, accepted his inscribed
silver bowl then made a virile call to arms for watchdog journalism. ―There is a role for the
little guy these days,‖ he said and then referenced 131 alternative papers with a combined
6 million circulation as the only real alternative to monopoly daily newspapers that often behave
like utility companies. Robert Shaw, ’66, a longtime editor in the mainstream media, was no
less ferocious. The Orlando Sentinel government and politics editor warned the 125 people in
attendance that access to public records was under siege in the digital age under the cover of
protecting trade secrets and personal security.
In this age of tweeting, texting and indoor phone work, Shaw fondly recalled advice from
his professor to hit the streets for face time with sources: ―A good reporter,‖ Penn Kimball
counseled, ―can talk to anybody. All it takes is one good question‖
Rehema Ellis, ’77, accepted her award with son Khori, 8, by her side.
Ellis’ national and overseas work as a NBC correspondent has taken her
away from Khori, but her son assured her, ―Yes mommy, you can do your
job.‖ Ellis, who covers education, referenced Diane Ravitch’s book about
the ―quiet crisis‖ in public education. ―Will we get this right?‖ Ellis asked
the audience. We’ll see.
Persia Walker, ’83, was among the
dozens of alumni authors promoting
their books during the reception after
the April 8 Alumni Awards
ceremony.
In Walker’s ―Black Orchid Blues,‖
protagonist Lanie Price is a society
columnist in 1920s Harlem.
Is this historical fiction intriguing
enough for you?

Black Alumni Network May 2011 Page 3
Black journalists walk away
from Unity coalition
By Wesley Lowery
PHILADELPHIA — After months of tension, the National Association of Black Journalists has
severed its relationship with Unity: Journalists of Color, and will host its own convention
in 2012 rather than participate in the coalition’s joint gathering in Las Vegas.
The decision, approved by NABJ’s board of directors at its April 9-10 meeting, removes the
organization from Unity, a four-organization alliance that NABJ members helped establish
nearly 20 years ago.
Unity Inc. is a fifth association that serves as coordinator to the four associations.
NABJ leaders present and past have questioned its relevance and fiscal discipline.
The alliance — which brings together NABJ, the National Association of
Hispanic Journalists, Asian American Journalists Association and the Native
American Journalists Association — holds a joint convention about every four
years with each of the organizations splitting the revenue. The first joint
convention was 1994 in Atlanta, followed by 1999 in Seattle, 2004 in
Washington, D.C. and 2008 in Chicago.
NABJ board members have made it no secret that they aren’t happy with the way
the Unity organization divided the pot.
Rather than continue with the current revenue sharing model, which gives Unity a substantial
share of the convention revenue, NABJ proposed a new model that would take money away
from the umbrella group and give more to each of the journalists of color organizations.
NABJ board members also voiced concern over Unity’s governance model — arguing that the
black journalists association should receive more representation because it accounts for the
majority of Unity convention attendees, i.e. 52 percent at the 2008 Chicago convention.
And when Unity’s board of directors voted down NABJ’s proposal last winter, NABJ leaders
made it clear they were considering whether to pull out of the alliance.
Past NABJ president Bryan Monroe [2005-2007], a former Unity board member, traveled to
Philadelphia so he could make one final plea to NABJ’s board.
―I’d hate for people to look back and say today was the beginning of the end for minority
journalism organizations,‖ Monroe appealed to the board. But his efforts were in vain.
Continued on page 4

Black Alumni Network May 2011 Page 4
NABJ-Unity breakup/Continued
After spending more than an hour in closed-door executive session, the board voted 12-1
April 10 to leave the Unity alliance. NABJ parliamentarian Tonju Francois was the only
board member to vote against leaving the alliance.
In its statement announcing the decision, NABJ said that Unity’s business model was
―no longer is the most financially prudent for NABJ and its membership.‖ As people throughout
the journalism industry reacted to NABJ’s announcement, the organization has worked to
position itself for its 2012 convention, announcing that there are nine finalist cities.
Meanwhile, some members of the three remaining Unity organizations seemed blindsided
by the announcement as their leaders expressed continued support for the alliance
with NABJ — even if it is no longer part of Unity.
―I understand that this is a business decision, that the NABJ board members are doing what they
think is best for their organization. And I wish them well.‖ said Joanna Hernandez, Unity
president, in a statement. ―Although the NABJ board has made this decision, we will never shut
the door nor turn our backs on our friends and colleagues.‖
The writer is a student at Ohio University and a two-time Unity and NABJ student project journalist.
The Black Alumni Network of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism was founded in May 1980 and since July
the group has published a monthly newsletter. The BA Newsletter’s mission is to keep people connected. We publish job
changes and moves, news about books and films published or produced by alumni, and family milestones. And of course we
keep alumni connected to news from the Columbia GSJ. Log on to our Web site at www.jrn.columbia.edu/alumni/services/ban/
or see our link on the home page of www.blackjournalist.com Wayne J. Dawkins – editor, Betty Winston Baye, Kip Branch,
Kissette Bundy, Toni Randolph, Cheryl Devall, Dan Holly, Keith Rushing, contributing editors
E-mail tips, comments, suggestions to wdawk69643@aol.com
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