Home - Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA)

The Bay area black journalists association

BABJA has been the conduit through which many journalists have gained successful employment to the Bay Area media market—an area that has a reputation for being one of the most difficult markets to enter.

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History

Founded in March 1982, the Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA) is an organization of African American media professionals and students representing radio, television, print, public relations, online journalism and advertising. The association is the Bay Area’s black media organization of choice with the objective to groom black media professionals for leadership; to enhance the coverage of issues of concern to African American people; to work with Bay Area media in hiring and cultivating more blacks in management and to make the media more responsible. BABJA is an affiliate of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), and as such, has hosted two NABJ Regional Conferences, attracting more than 250 black journalists to the Bay Area. BABJA has been the conduit through which many journalists have gained successful employment to the Bay Area media market—an area that has a reputation for being one of the most difficult markets to enter.

Goals

Develop partnerships with local media companies to ensure the hiring, retention & promotion of black journalists.

Encouraging and mentoring black students with an interest in journalism and media.

To provide a professional and social network for black journalists to cultivate relationships with each other.

The Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that exists to serve as an advocate and beneficial network for journalists, students and media-related professionals. BABJA grooms African American professionals for leadership; enhances the responsible news coverage of communities of color; and works with Bay Area media in hiring and retention of black journalists.

Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Scholarships

Belva Davis Scholarship

Belva Davis has been a fixture in Bay Area journalism for more than five decades. Becoming the first black female television journalist in the West in 1964, she has covered local, national, and international events: interviewed US presidents and other world leaders: and for the past 19 years served as the host of KQED’s must-watch public affairs program “This week in Northern California.” Belva announced her retirement from broadcasting and signed off the air on Nov, 9, 2012.

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