1. Call to Order:  7:28p.m. 

•                Approval of minutes from Nov. 10, 2009 membership meeting.  Minutes were approved.

 

•                Attendees introduced themselves and shared ..."something good!" that is happening in their lives. 

•                19 present: Andrea Smith, Kanya Goldman, Kim Bardakian, Ellison Horne, Marcus Osborne, Shonnie Martinez, Theresa Willis, Netta Conyers-Haynes, Iesha James, Bob Butler, Z’ma Wyatt, Teena Massingill, Aqueila M. Lewis, Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig, Terry Collins, Shauntel Lowe, Larene Pare, Bridget Braxton, Laniece Jones

 

•                Teena Massingill, Director, Corporate Public Affairs for Safeway gave a 15-minute presentation about Safeway's Healthy Living Campaigns and Healthcare Bill Amendment, which is apart of the Senate Healthcare Bill. 

Teena has 10 years experience in print media, three years in broadcast (NBC affiliate Radio in Ohio). She creates press releases and works with non-profit agencies. There are five members of media in Corporate Safeway and two that speak directly to the press.
 

Teena gave advice on networking and career changes from reporting to corporate and to understand when working with difference audiences and level of support when working with corporate vs. reporting.

 

•                President: Members should checkout the Web site as it will highlight special member/board recognitions and accomplishments. Excited about three new paid members that BABJA has received in the last couple of months and two renewals. Talked about the four-hour mini retreat that board members had in December and discussed the responsibilities, positions, what was done in the past and what we want to do during the new term.  This new term we want to increase our awareness and we need members comments and input.
 

•                VP Print: Looking into organizing a Town Hall meeting where we discuss topics of interest and invite Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Mayor Dellums, New Police Chief Anthony Batts, etc.  Talked about BABJA applying for $500 grant through NABJ. What would we use the funds for?  BABJA should think of ideas for an event to be used with the funds.
 

•                VP Broadcast: Volunteered with Friends of Faith's fundraiser drive and observed how it was organized. BABJA should consider creating a fundraising drive for future events. Also has an idea to include San Francisco State students to create an event with BABJA board as panelist or create projects on healthcare judged by BABJA.
 

•                Treasurer: On file. Available upon request to president.
 

•                Secretary: Wants to serve as liaison for UC Berkeley School of Journalism and Onyx Express News Magazine as well as other local community college journalism/communications media. Wants to collaborate with Membership, Scholarship and PR/Outreach Board and Committee members on various projects this term.
 

•                Membership: Wants BABJA to keep growing and encourage members to go out and talk to people in media/PR and ask them to join. Talked about the perks of mixers, job postings, NABJ members collaborating with BABJA and convention.
 

•                PR/Outreach: Highlighted BABJA's first Unity Mixer this year on Jan. 21 in San Francisco. Bring business cards for raffles. Ten organizations are participating including radio, print, PR and other sources of media. Sponsored by Comcast.  Wants BABJA to create something like this quarterly or twice a year. Also offered idea about having monthly Guest Speaker series (for meetings) - we are trying to have a different speaker each month that will talk for 10-15 minutes. We welcome your suggestions. Finally on Feb. 25 there will be a joint event with PRSA and BABJA. Food is free and provided by Webbersam. Michelle is moderator, Bob Webbersam and Comcast are on panel.
 

•                Scholarship: Want to give more attention to scholarship recipients. Haven't updated Facebook and Web site about scholarship as of yet. Working on data base roster. Is considering creating a brochure for scholarship advertisement, creating a video testimonial for gala and wants to also do one for overview, for membership and Web site. Secretary, Scholarship, and VP Broadcast will consider creating a gala presentation.
 

•                Fundraising: No formal report, but has three objectives for the new term: 1. Expand fundraising activities and create proposal; 2. Ongoing engagements with sponsors, not just when needed, but over time and invite to events; 3. Earlier outreach to sponsors.

 
 

•                Marcus Osborne, San Diego Convention Committee: Role is to screen convention proposals that are due Feb. 6 and is looking for training, development and empowerment workshop ideas. Will send out info on the listserv.

 

•                Bob Butler, VP Broadcast: Adds that the proposal is not as easy as sounds because of all that is needed for it to be complete. Discussed California Wellness Foundation may provide grants for the convention. Highlighted San Francisco State Students project and grants can be provided to fund events. Interim executive director is leading NABJ following Karen Wynn Freeman’s resignation last month. Talked about the five-year anniversary for one NABJ student that died of Malaria during the convention in Atlanta. Bob is trying to get funding for recognition or to honor in her name.

 

Comcast is in the process of buying NBC (most diversity in the newsroom). People can individually make comments about the merger, but BABJA cannot as a group.  Trying to get Comcast to give $10,000 to BABJA and it will be good for NABJ. NABJ is having a funding crisis. There are reserves; the Hispanic Association is having problems with no reserves.  BABJA's personal goal is to raise $100,000 toward the convention.

 

5. Old Business: None
 

6. New Business: Forming committees for the annual scholarship dinner set for Oct. 2, 2010 led by Kim Bardakian. Meeting will be coming soon.
 

7. Open Discussion: Reminder to visit Web site bulletins and to make comments.  

Next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 9 at Alta Alliance Bank (address will be sent on listserv and Web site). Guest Speaker: Frank Martin showing his documentary on African-Americans that served in WII.  There was a comment for BABJA to highlight Black Businesses in Oakland/Bay Area much like the Black Expo of previous years. 
 

8. Adjournment: 8:48p.m.