SAJA Board Elections 2009-2010
ELECTION PROCEDURES
For the SAJA Board, 2009-2010 This election page includes:
- NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
- CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
- CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
From The SAJA Elections Team
November 19, 2008
TO ALL FULL MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH ASIAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Annual Meeting of the members of the South Asian Journalists Association ("SAJA") will be held at 6:00 pm on December 4, 2008, at Leela Lounge, 1 West 3rd Street, in New York City for the purposes of electing members to the Board of Directors of SAJA and other matters of interest to members.
Eight candidates are running for six seats that are up for election. You can find the candidates' statements on our online elections page http://www.saja.org/about/elections
You have two ways to vote this year:
1. In person this year at the annual meeting.
2. By proxy by submitting a form online (http://www.ersvp.com/r/election08) with your selection of candidates. In order to vote, you will be required to use the email address and password used for SAJA membership.
The online site will ask you to:
• Verify your name and email address.
• Select up to SIX candidates to receive your vote.
Only paid full members are eligible to vote. Associate Members and Student Members are NOT eligible. It takes less than five minutes to sign up for SAJA membership: http://www.saja.org/members/membership
If you have any questions about the elections, e-mail us at sajamember [at] gmail [dot] com.
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
SAJA Board Elections for Term 2009-2010
Below are the candidates running for the SAJA Board for the 2009-2010 term. We have a capable slate of candidates whose names and statements are listed below in alphabetical order (by last name). Members will be voting on six board seats this year at the annual members meeting on Dec. 4.
Questions about the elections and your membership status can be sent to sajamember [at] gmail [dot] com.
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APARITA BHANDARI Freelance Journalist When I first arrived in Canada in 1998, a cousin introduced me to SAJA. I logged on and subscribed to the listserv. Within days I was hooked and, although I still lurk more often than I write, I was excited at the opportunity to (virtually) meet peers and mentors from such diverse backgrounds. Over the years, I have participated in workshops at the SAJA conventions, had stimulating offline discussion with SAJA members and relied on the listserv for story ideas. For the past two years, I have been working as the coordinator for SAJA's Toronto chapter. I took on the task because I was eager to re-create a fellowship in one of the most diverse cities in the world. (The most recent census report lists South Asians as the largest visible minority group in Canada.) Although we're slowly reflecting our demographics in our mainstream media, we often work in our own bubbles. We are further disconnected from the ever growing ethnic media. I hope SAJA Toronto can help bridge the gap between the two media solitudes, provide mentorship to upcoming journalists, act as a resource for those interested in covering the region, as well as advocate better coverage. With these goals in mind, and experiences gained working in print and broadcast media, I hope to represent Canada on the SAJA board and contribute as the Chapters Coordinator. URL: http://www.aparita.com
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ASEEM CHHABRA Freelance Writer My association with SAJA started in the 1990s when I first began to attend the organization’s New York events. I had graduated from Columbia University’s journalism school in 1983, and worked as a journalist for a few years. But then for nearly 10 years I moved away from journalism. I have often said that I rediscovered the journalist and the freelancer in me, by attending SAJA’s events. The programs were engaging, but more important I had the opportunity to meet other working journalists. Six years ago I first contested for the SAJA board elections. I am now about to complete my third term as a board member. In the past six years, I have served as the coordinator for SAJA’s New York Chapter, organizing readings, panels, talks, film screenings and web based interviews. Three year’s ago following the Tsunami disaster, I worked with other board members and volunteers, and organized two fundraising events, both readings by leading South Asian authors. Our author’s event held in March 2005 in New York City raised the seed money to create funding for the SAJA Reporting Fellowships program. Last year I judged the SAJA Reporting Fellowship applications and I have also assisted in managing the SAJA students’ scholarship program. In the past six years I have had the opportunity to talk to many young South Asians, giving them advice on how to become freelance writers. In recent years I have managed book writing panels at SAJA’s conventions, where successful authors give inspiring tips to young writers on how to write, sell and market books. As a freelance journalist I continue to gain so much from SAJA, its events, the engaging discussion list and the blog -- sajaforum.org. And I continue to work to make SAJA a vibrant community of journalists interested in South Asian affairs. It is with that intent that I wish to contest for one more term as a SAJA board member.
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KIRAN KHALID
Producer, Good Morning America, ABC News
Adjunct Professor, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
I'm requesting your support for my third term on SAJA's board. I remain the sole board member with any experience working in the trenches of local television news. In fact, I've parlayed that experience into a new workshop that SAJA now offers at its annual convention- the broadcast bootcamp. This workshop allows new and budding reporters to practice their "Live" skills- a unique training tool. While I'm proud of my contribution in terms of the broadcast component of our organization, I still think we need to cultivate programs and events that appeal to mid-career broadcast journalists. I spent the first part of my career working as an on-air reporter in markets all over the country. Now that I have 'graduated' to network news, I hope to continue to serve SAJA's interest as the only board member with any local news reporting experience.
SAJA should represent every medium and as a broadcaster with more than ten years in the trenches, I'm the token TV-head, except for Sree who, to his credit, has managed to carve a unique niche for himself in an industry that's often reluctant to take chances.
Secondly, I think it's important, given SAJA's intent to include journalists from all over the Indian subcontinent, that someone from Pakistan be on the board and I fulfill that role as well. This was part of my platform last time but I think it's still important and worth mentioning. I hope you agree that my presence will give our board the well-rounded composition required for our continued growth and success.
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GAUTHAM NAGESH
Government Executive Magazine, Atlantic Media Company
I'm running to be a member of SAJA's board because I feel strongly that members of the South Asian American media must lend an active voice to highlighting instances of prejudice, bias or mistreatment affecting our community. During the past two election cycles we have seen incidents of bias related to South Asian Americans receive widespread attention (the "Macaca" incident, Obama as a Muslim smears), further proof that our community is finding its voice. As a member of the SAJA board, I would do everything within my power to help strengthen that voice and shine the light on incidents which threaten the civil rights of South Asians both in America and abroad.
I greatly admire SAJA, but I would like to see our organization take a more active role in highlighting and exploring the depiction of South Asia and South Asian Americans in the media. With the rising international importance of South Asia, it is also crucial that reporting on the region and its Diaspora is accurate, fair and tolerant of all groups.It is critical that as South Asian members of the media, we are open to an honest dialogue about the problems that plague our community.
The recent rash of domestic violence by South Asian Americans being reported in the media is a phenomenon which requires further examination and inquiry. As a board member I will do whatever I can to help SAJA foster such a dialogue and support reporters who are interested in doing the good work of covering our community in a frank and revealing manner.
From my job reporting on the executive branch, I've seen what a difference a strong media watchdog can bring. If given the chance, I hope to bring those qualities to SAJA's board. I would be honored to represent you and hope you will consider voting for me.
WEB SITE URL: http://www.nextgov.com
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PRABHA NATARAJAN
Reporter, Dow Jones Newswires
I have found SAJA to be a great resource that offers something for everybody - whether you want to pick up new skills, network with other journalists, or look for a job.
As a board member, that's the message that I want to share and spread to every budding and seasoned journalist out there.
As a student who went to school in Missouri, and as a journalist who worked in the West Coast and Hawaii, I understand how those outside of the East Coast hub may feel left out.
My goal is to explore ways to build on SAJA's reach and chapter programs, and promote activities outside of the New York metro area.
I have contributed a bit to SAJA in the past. This year, as editor of the SAJA convention blog, I had an opportunity to work with students from various universities. I am also a mentor in SAJA's buddy program, which connects young journalists with those of us who have been around a little longer.
But I would like to do more for SAJA as a board member. I thank you for the opportunity.
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JIGAR MEHTA
Video Journalist at The New York Times
SAJA has been a part of my professional career from the very beginning. Now that I have achieved some element of success and matured as a journalist, now is the opportunity for me to give back to SAJA by serving on the Board. I was a graduate student at the UC Berkeley School of Journalism when I first heard about SAJA. In the summer of 2004 I came to the SAJA Convention in New York to accept a scholarship, and at the convention I was encouraged to see so many other South Asians working in Journalism. I met inspiring people and starting thinking about my career in a new way. At the convention, I became a life SAJA member.
SAJA was one of the first organizations to support my fledging career as a video journalist, rewarding my leadership in a 2004 FRONTLINE/World Kashmir report with a SAJA Award, and supporting a 2005 Oakland Tribune multimedia project, Sri Lanka: One Year After the Tsunami, through the Reporting Fellowship program.
Especially since they happened early on in my career, the opportunities and recognition related to my international projects meant a lot to me, both professionally and personally. SAJA support instilled confidence, widened my network and allowed me to continue to cultivate my skills through interesting projects, now at the New York Times.
I welcome the opportunity to give back to the organization that helped to shape my career. If elected, I would use my time on the Board to reinforce, support, and expand the SAJA programs that most benefit those members who are starting out in their career and those members expanding the definition of journalism through their work in new media.
WEBSITE: www.jigarmehta.com
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SREENATH SREENIVASAN
Columbia University journalism professor and tech reporter, WNBC-TV
I have had the privilege to be part of SAJA for 14 years now and am running again to continue to help shape one of the most important groups in American journalism. As a co-founder and former president, I have watched SAJA evolve from a tiny group to a professional organization helping hundreds of journalists across the U.S. and Canada. In the process, dozens of selfless volunteers have helped bring SAJA to a new level.
The current board, in particular, has set high standards for its successors. But there's still plenty to be done. If elected, I would focus on four main areas: bringing coherence to our electronic resources, including SAJA.org and SAJAforum.org; raising funds so we can give out more scholarships; more national programming, at the convention and beyond; and planning and executing events to mark our 15th anniversary (July 11-12, 2009 in NYC - mark your calendars!). In order to succeed in these areas, it will require a lot of time and energy and I am willing to give both, working closely with the rest of the Board, the membership and the larger journalism community to make it happen.
Personal site: http://www.sree.net
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SWAPNA VENUGOPAL RAMASWAMY
Reporter, The Journal News
My association with SAJA began in the late '90s when I was a graduate journalism student at New York University.
The day I was to attend my first SAJA meeting was also the day I was unwittingly recruited by co-founders M.K. Srinivasan and Sree Sreenivasan to host actor Naseeruddin Shah, who happened to be in NYC for the promotion of a play.
And, much to my misery, I was not dressed to meet one of the most talented actors of Bollywood!
Long story short, I so thoroughly enjoyed my first SAJA event that I was hooked! The lively debates on the “discussions list" made me feel like I was part of a thinking community. Now, I am an avid follower of postings on the SAJAForum.
My first year as a working journalist (Staff Writer for The Home News Tribune) also coincided with my serving on the very first SAJA Executive Board from 1999-2000. It was a very fulfilling experience, one that I have missed since.
Soon after, I went on a six-year baby sabbatical from which I emerged in 2006 when I joined The Journal News of Westchester County, N.Y., as a municipal reporter.
Now that I have found my journalistic bearings once again, I am eager to give back. I also am willing to dedicate the time and energy required to do an honorable job.
Given a chance, I promise to acquit myself creditably.
If you want to see a newspaper reporter on the SAJA Board, vote for me!
URL: http://kidnutrition.lohudblogs.com/author/svenugop/