The Sidebar by NYABJ

In this very special episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we feature the Winter 2023 fellows participating in First Take, NYABJ's high school journalism program that has opened up the world of journalism to the youths of New York City since 1988. This semester, the students' capstone project was to create a podcast on their experiences in the program. Here's what they shared. ----- For more informatio...

Daytime shows are a valued staple in American culture and, naturally, it's important to people of color that their voices and perspectives are adequately represented in this important media space. Thankfully, members of this community actually do lead the teams behind the production of some of the most recognizable daytime talk shows today. In this episode of The Sidebar, moderated by BONITA SOSTR...

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we feature advertising mogul and UniWorld Group founder BYRON LEWIS and his wife, journalist SYLVIA WONG LEWIS, founder of Caribbean Life Newspaper (formerly known as Caribbean American News), Auntyland Film Festival, and Narrative Network. The conversation, led by our own CAMILLE DANIELS, focused on how both built their careers, why they pursued what they...

Given that food journalism is a field in which the black experience has historically been marginalized, the choice of a career in food journalism wouldn't seem like an obvious one for a person of color, as one might expect. Yet despite the odds, some seemingly intrepid people of color, motivated primarily by their passion and interests, have chosen this career path, made a success of it and are ha...

CARL UNEGBU, a lawyer and a journalist based in New York recently released his newest book "Comedy Goes To Court: When People Stop Laughing and Start Fighting". One of the comedians featured in Carl's book is none other than SUNDA CROONQUIST. Croonqiust has appeared on Comics Unleashed, Premium Blend, and The View. Both go into a deep conversation on the state of comedy and whether or not cancel c...

By all accounts, sports have long been a pretty big deal in American life and culture and, for media practitioners of color, covering sports can be a rewarding career path, not least because of the important place that people of color occupy in American sports. This episode of The Sidebar features five successful sports journalists of color who possess rather diverse skill sets and wear different...

The Sidebar by NYABJ team discuss the first year of the podcast and future plans, as well as what it means to have a platform to share the issues that matter in the Black journalism space. The episode starts with a brief introduction by NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE. The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS.

Salary transparency has become the law of the land in New York City, which now tops the list of most expensive global cities. By requiring employers to include salary ranges on all job listings, the law is being hailed by some as a “transformative step toward wage equity,” but what impact will it have on Black and brown workers trying to keep up with the exorbitant cost of living? In this episode,...

In this episode, producer and host MICHAEL W. RAY discusses diversity within the literary community and much more with Simon and Schuster's Culture and Diversity Officer AMANDA ARMSTRONG-FRANK, who has spent more than 28 years within the organization serving in numerous capacities. Born and raised in the Bronx, Amanda takes the challenges presented by the position personally, utilizing life experi...

In the world of news, Black media makers are taking the world by storm with international coverage. For media professionals on the international beat, news doesn’t stop at America. From foreign desks to embeds, Black journalists are unapologetically bringing multicultural coverage to the forefront. CNN International anchor and correspondent KIM BRUNHUBER is one such soul. Ever since he made the sw...

Today's episode is coming against the backdrop of the current worries about inflation and a possible recession, plus the continuing struggles by members of the Black community with matters of "financial literacy." In this episode, our esteemed guests, who are members of our own community, will tell us what life's like for a Black business journalist, what it takes to succeed in their line of work...

Today's episode of The Sidebar features JACKIE RAE, a journalist of both print and visual disciplines for the Long Beach Post in Long Beach, California, who also serves as the VP of Operations for the Black-owned-and-operated Nitecast Media Jackie sat down recently with NYABJ member MICHAEL W. RAY to discuss her life, from her early years growing up in Colorado to her winding scarcely paved route...

Sustainability has become an important topic within the fashion industry. During this September NYFW, the Conscious Fashion Campaign honored the women who are leading the conversation. In this episode, IMANI LATORTUE speaks with September advisory member TARA DONALDSON (Executive Editor, WWD) about fashion journalism’s role in covering sustainability and highlighting true changemakers. Conscious F...

Networking and mentorship are critical components of diversifying newsrooms, especially with the limited number of black faces at media companies. But as you comb through post-convention herds of business cards galore, making the first step towards meaningful connections seems like a daunting task. Rest assured, The Sidebar by NYABJ has you covered. This week’s episode features MSNBC Senior Produc...

In this episode, NYABJ attended the press screening of "The Lady Makers" starring actress Jasmine Guy ("A Different World", "Harlem"), who talked about her journey in the making of this unique film. For more information on "The Lady Makers", you can visit their website at www.theladymakers.com. // The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who expressed them, and not to NYABJ. Mu...

Summertime offers time for rest and relaxation for most, but news professionals often find it more difficult to disconnect from the 24-hour news cycle and back-to-back crises. In this episode, we discuss the importance of regularly checking in with ourselves and our colleagues, explore how covering distressing stories impact us, and share simple strategies for self-care that you can implement toda...

Thousands of Black and Brown journalists, as well as leaders across other industries, are expected to gather in Las Vegas for the joint convention of the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists. The #NABJNAHJ22 Convention & Career Fair, set for Aug. 3-7, 2022, is the premier conference for journalism education, career development, networking and i...

Have you dreamt of reporting on fashion and lifestyle? Did the looks worn at the Essence Festival in New Orleans this past weekend inspire you? This episode is for you! JAMÉ JACKSON (Fashion and Beauty Creator Manager at Linkedin and Founder of TheBlondeMisfit.com) leads this talk with four women making moves in this lane: KAITLYN WELLS (Pets & Style Reporter at Wirecutter), CHARELL STAR (On Air H...

For Pride Month, NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE has a conversation with actor and producer MUSA JACKSON about his role in "Summer of Soul" (2021), promoting arts & culture in Harlem, and his trailblazing modeling career as a Black gay man. Jackson is the CEO and Editor-In-Chief of Ambassador Digital Magazine and has modeled for GQ, Vogue, New York Fashion Of the Times magazines and walked the runwa...

Nonprofit newsrooms are rapidly growing across the country. So is the gap between trust in local and national news. What does this mean for Black and other underserved communities as they navigate everyday life? // In this episode, Producer CAROLYN ADAMS sits down with AKOTO OFORI-ATTA of Capital B News to talk about starting and scaling Black-led news ventures, engagement journalism, and how repo...

There are many ways to engage in journalism and tell stories outside of a traditional newsroom environment - and we're exploring options in this episode! Bronxnet Reporter ARLENE MUKOKO hosted this conversation with CHRISTINA CARREGA (National Criminal Justice Reporter, Capital B), CYDNEY ADAMS (Editorial Lead, Snap Inc), ALLYSHA RENAY (Host of 'Get Away for A Day with Allysha Renay') and MUTALE N...

In celebration of Women's History Month, we invited four dynamic women to speak about their experiences as producers, directors and writers in the news and television industry! NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE hosts this conversation with NYT best-selling author ATTICA LOCKE (Little Fires Everywhere, When They See Us, Empire), TASH GRAY (Power Book III: Raising Kanan, P-Valley, Snowfall), NKECHI OKOR...

Welcome to The Sidebar by NYABJ, a show about the world of media, through the lens of Black media-makers. Each episode will feature honest conversations with journalists, content creators, advocates, trailblazers and new voices alike - talking about what it really takes to keep our communities informed and engaged. Subscribe now to join us as we look behind the figurative curtain for insights - st...