The Sidebar by NYABJ

Audacious, trailblazer stories need enterprising visionaries to tell them. This tie between compelling film and skillful director seamlessly weave together in the novel, five-part, Disney+ docuseries, “Harlem Ice.” Harlem Ice is the delightfully inspiring, feel-good film chronicling the lives of a bevy of black and brown teen girl ice skaters of the “Figure Skating in Harlem” organization. Brookly...

The Sidebar by NYABJ host JEWEL BENTON sits down with TAMARA PAYNE, co-author of the National Book Award-winning biography "The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X". As we commemorate the 100th birthday of Malcolm X, we also pay tribute to Les Payne—Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, co-founder of the National Association of Black Journalists, and Tamara’s late father. Payne shares her journey...

In this powerful episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we dive into the realities of balancing motherhood and journalism. Moderated by The Sidebar's LISA DURDEN, this conversation goes beyond headlines and deadlines to explore the joys, challenges, and lived experiences of mothers who are also journalists, producers, and storytellers. Joining the discussion is ABC News Senior Producer TAIGI SMITH, NBC...

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we go back to our March 2025 panel and uncover the world of sports journalism. New York Association of Black Journalists President BONITA SOSTRE is joined by panelists from all corners of CBS Sports: On-Air Reporter KEIANA MARTIN, Senior Director of CBS Sports' Race & Culture Unit DAVID CUMMINGS, CBSSports.com Basketball Writer JASMYN WIMBISH, and Associate...

Hair has become a political statement in a society that designates what's professional, appropriate, and beautiful. Decades show patterns of hair discrimination in workplaces and schools, especially when it comes to Black and Brown individuals. As policy advocates shed light on hair as a civil rights issue through legislation, media professionals take on the industry to expand the definition of "g...

We're dropping an extra special episode of "The Sidebar by NYABJ" this week, featuring students from our annual First Take program. Since 1988, First Take is our seven-week program for high schoolers across the New York City Metro Area to introduce them to various aspects and careers in journalism. Recorded on the final day of the program, the students reflect on what they learned throughout the e...

Aside from Princess Tiana in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” little Black girls rarely ever get to see princesses that look like them—and princess stories from the Caribbean are rarer still. So when ELDONIE MASON’s 5-year-old niece told her she couldn’t be a princess because they were white with long hair, Mason got to work writing a book with a beautiful Black girl as a princess. The result...

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we go back to our Media Mavericks panel from last December, holding an enlightening discussion on pursuing freelancing opportunities in media and public relations. The panel, consisting of Vice President of Development & Original Production, Scripted ASHLEY MCFARLIN, established hip-hop publicist BEVERLY PAIGE, and freelance communications consultant GABRIE...

Violent and systemic voter suppression has kept communities of color from the voting booth. But perhaps as generations turn to more innovative platforms than years past, voter suppression has taken up a more covert form. The greater accessibility and reach of today’s communication methods allow someone aiming to keep voters from the polls the greater means to do so. Even a casual post on the Inter...

The year 2024 was one of the most memorable years in recent memory whether it was in news, politics, sports, entertainment, and everywhere else in between. This also applied to The Sidebar by NYABJ, in our third season broaching topics within journalism through the lens of Black mediamakers. From the impact of AI on the industry to navigating romance as a journalist, we covered it all. We also wel...

Part of what makes the holiday season sensational are the memory-making, sumptuous meals that are part of family-cherished traditions. For this "Food, Love, Feast Holiday" episode to end our third season of The Sidebar, our own SONJA D. GRACY dishes with Celebrity Chef DELILAH WINDER, creator of the "Delilah's Everyday Soul" franchise and author of "Delilah's Everyday SOUL: Southern Cooking with S...

In this episode of The Sidebar, we revisit October’s PR Power Hour, hosted by TRACEY WOOD MENDELSOHN, President of the Black PR Society of New York. The discussion featured Whit PR founder DREENA WHITFIELD, Dow Jones publicist JADEN JULES, and AVOQ senior associate ARIEL SMITH. From leveraging AI tools and crafting effective press releases to the importance of mentorship, networking, and building...

Good news isn’t always good news. And for audiences fixated on trauma, the news industry provides an on-and-off switch for the consumption of human pain. In a continuation of THE SIDEBAR’s investigation into voluntary trauma consumption, producer KATHRYN JONES speaks with NYU Associate Professor in Media, Culture and Communications KELLI MOORE. MOORE’s research focuses on images of domestic violen...

The star-studded Urbanworld Film Festival is right around the corner, and NYABJ’s GAËLLE GILLES caught up with Festival Director and Head of Programming KAREN MCMULLEN to discuss the exciting details of the upcoming 5-day event. Karen highlighted standout features of this year’s festival, including the adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel "Nickel Boys", the jaw-dropping story of Moses “Shyne” Ba...

In this special episode of "The Sidebar by NYABJ", legendary music producer JAMES "JIMMY JAM" HARRIS and author ANDREA SWENSSON come together to discuss the new book "Deeper Blues: The Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris", which chronicles the life of James "Cornbread" Harris, a pioneering musician and Jimmy Jam's father. Speaking with host MICHAEL W. RAY, Jimmy Jam opens up about reuni...

News doesn’t have a reputation for being cheery. Oftentimes, headlines detail the horrors and hardships of our lives, and audiences are left with reels of human pain and suffering. There’s always news avoidance to filter out the trauma. But not all readers do so. Instead, some eagerly sift through the graphic and gory. Social media’s made trauma retweetable, and news coverage continues to be a mai...

With Election Day coming up quickly and the intense focus on the top of the ballot, the stories of those on the down-ballot tend to be overshadowed, baring controversy. "The Sidebar by NYABJ" producer MICHAEL W. RAY decided to shine a spotlight on New York Assemblyman candidate MICHAEL A. REYNOLDS. Reynolds, a long-time resident of Long Island, growing up in Cambria Heights and currently residing...

New York City, haute couture fashion, and the official extravaganza that IS Fashion Week, blitzed the town this week at the Starrett Lehigh Building in Chelsea. NYABJ's SONJA D. GRACY spoke with trailblazing, iconic Supermodel, author, reality-TV show, and ABC-TV Oscars Red Carpet Fashion Correspondent, ROSHUMBA WILLIAMS, who gives the scoop on her modeling career, the emergence of Black models an...

We took a brief summer break to relax and celebrate our recognition as the National Association of Black Journalists' 2024 Chapter of the Year. Now, we're back with more episodes to close out the year strong. To kick things off, we're excited to bring you a live panel from April focused on meteorology and weather journalism. NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE led a lively discussion with three New York...

In this insightful episode of "The Sidebar by NYABJ", we have a panel packed with expert advice on honing your interview skills, perfecting your resume, and navigating entry-level positions in both print and broadcast media. NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE is joined by ROBIN TURNER, Vice President of Training, Culture & Community at Dow Jones, and MIKE BOTHWELL, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition...

This summer marks 60 years since "Freedom Summer", a movement which sent 1,000 volunteers, the vast majority of them college students from the North, down to Mississippi to register Black people to vote. The movement was met with massive resistance and violence from white residents and ultimately, three of the volunteers: James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman were murdered. The public...

June is Black Music Month, a time to celebrate the rich history and contributions of Black music. In this episode of "The Sidebar by NYABJ," we present our live recording from earlier this month, where we delve into the state of Black music today. Join our host and producer MICHAEL W. RAY as he leads a dynamic discussion with creative director KWASI BOADI, music journalist and media personality BE...

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we're kicking off our two-part Black Music Month series with a special episode honoring the Mother of Black Music Month herself, pioneering radio personality DYANA WILLIAMS. Recently, the New York Association of Black Journalists chose Williams as the namesake of their annual Excellence in Podcast/Radio Program Award, in honor of her incredible career as so...

Back in March, the New York Association of Black Journalists hosted a panel on one of the most crucial and criminally unsung heroes of broadcast journalism: the tech operators and managers that make sure that graphics are prepped, the cameras are ready, the sound is captured perfectly, and so much more. CatchCod co-founder and electronic graphics operator FONDA SANDERS hosted this enlightening pan...

The political sphere constantly calls on motherhood as a vehicle toward gains. From the abortion debate to book bans and school shootings to pandemic childcare, the definition of women and female voters as “mothers” inspires political campaigns, PR stunts, journalistic angles, and social media mobilization. The maternal pull on political communication has caused lawmakers, candidates, lobbyists, a...