By Rebekah Tsadik
NABJ Monitor Staff Writer

Actor Hill Harper, author of the new book “Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny,” and known for his role in “Lackawanna Blues,” was busy doing more than gambling on the Las Vegas Strip today.

Friday afternoon, Harper participated in the Washington Post’s “Being a Black Man” series at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

He then made the rounds at Bally’s, even getting tripped up by security on his way to the “Is Boxing Down for the Count?” workshop featuring outspoken fight promoter Don King.

I tracked him down on the career fair floor for a little Q&A:

Q. What do you think of the convention?
A: The convention is fantastic…I just love seeing so many intelligent African-American folks that are about integrity in the media.

Q. What do you think of Vegas?
A: Las Vegas is a great city; there’s a lot of energy here, so having this [convention] here is interesting because sometimes reporters can get a little fuddly, and Vegas is not a stuffy city.

Q. Is there any one memory you’re going to take from this experience?
A: Not yet, but I’m working on my next book. It’s coming out June 2008 — it’s called “Letters to a Young Sister” — so I’m going to take a little time to work on that. It’s just great to be here.

Pulitzer Prize winner, and acclaimed Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Cynthia Tucker visited the NABJ student project newsroom Friday afternoon.

The writer, who is nationally known for her columns opposing voter id policies and calling out former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell, answered questions posed by four student reporters.

Tucker reached back into history to explain the importance of journalism to the students, explaining the need for objective reporting during and after the civil rights movement.

“It’s not my job to be the public relations rep of black elected officials,” Tucker told the them while remembering being called a “handkerchief-headed Aunt Jemima” and “Uncle Tom” for reporting on abuses and corruption among black politicians in the south.

Tucker explained to the young writers that in journalism although the rewards are slim the job is necessary.

“The victories are few and far between, but the work is important,” she said.

“I was here earlier and it [turnout] was pretty good,” said Talia Buford, a member of the elections committee an dreporter for the Providence Journal.

Voting had picked up  between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., before Barack Obama made an appearance, and again just before 3 p.m.

Voting ends at 5 .p.m..

Photo by L. Kasimu Harris

Calling attention to socioeconomic issues in other countries is something that actress Alfre Woodard doesn’t mind doing.She was joined by Sharon Gelman, executive director for Artists for a New South Africa at this year’s W.E.B. DuBois lecture at the 32nd annual NABJ Convention and Career Fair at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.National Public Radio’s Farai Chideya moderated the discussion with Woodard and Gelman on how celebrities and others with media power have influenced change in parts of the African continent. “We see our connection to South Africa as part of the change in the continent of Africa,” Gelman said. “Now that people can go to South Africa, there’s been a really great bond between us and [them].”Gelman and Woodard are board members for ANSA, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization working to combat HIV/AIDS, advance human rights and promote democracy in South African regions.Woodard said she believes activism is something that should live within the human spirit “Social activism is an expression of man’s intelligence,” Woodard said. “I think we have to pretty much be asleep to not recognize the need in the world.”ANSA has raised $9 million for programs in Africa and shipped 70 tons of medical supplies and book to the region.

“Africa has the answers to Africa’s problems,” Gelman said. “We just have to provide support to them here in America.”

NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar generated some buzz when he appeared in the lobby at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino on Thursday.

He’s in town to promote his new book, “On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey through the Harlem Renaissance” at NABJ.

“It’s about the Harlem Renaissance and how it’s related to my life,” the basketball legend said.

The 7-foot-2 inch former Lakers all-star said the Harlem Renaissance helped to shape a lot of his values.

“On the Shoulders of Giants” highlights often forgotten pieces of the cultural and racial movement.

“People forget that the Civil Rights Movement started in the 1920’s” he said. “I wrote the book to bring that back.”

He said part of the reason this moment in American history is not covered thoroughly is because 1920’s documentation is not as accessible as that of the 1950s and 1960s.

Renita Burns
NABJ Convention Online Staff

The event, sponsored by ESPN, attracted more than 150 convention goers interested in networking with sports journalists. Steven Smith, a sportswriter and radio personality in New York City, addressed the breakfast crowd.

“When you have a chance to talk to your peers, you wonder ‘what have I done to be here,’ ” Smith said about being chosen to fill in as the speaker at the professional development breakfast.

Robin Roberts, an anchor at ABC’s Good Morning America, was scheduled to give the keynote address, but recently underwent surgery for breast cancer. Roberts announced she has breast cancer to viewers July 31.

Hard work, believing in himself and a demand for criticism were just some of the things that Smith noted as qualities that got him to where he is in his career.
“You are who you are, not what you do,” Smith said.

Aaron Morrison
NABJ Convention Online

Brent Solomon for his poem, “Corporate Brotha.” Solomon won the first place prize, $3,000.

Sheila Spencer’s poem, “We’re the Hands …,” took second place and the $1,5ooo prize.

And, Ronald Clark won third place with his poem “An Epidemic.” He received the $500 prize.

The event was hosted by poet Michael “MIKE-E” Ellison. He had the room roaring with laughter and applause. The ten finalists, also, had their moments in the spolight and gave well received performances.

“All of [the finalists] were really good and it takes a lot to get up there,” said Wale Aliym, University of Missouri senior.

Watch for updates on nabjconvention.org.

As NABJ kicked off its first round of special events on Wednesday – a series on multimedia learning labs – internet glitches slowed down some sessions, turning one interactive workshop into a discussion.

Novices and the experienced alike, went to the workshops hoping to get a hands on tutorial in multimedia software in capabilities.

During the Adobe flash workshop, Apple laptops were in short supply in the room of about 15 to 20 people. While some convention goers brought personal laptops to the workshop, a few of them didn’t have the required software.

Despite the delays and malfunctions, the learning lab hosts forged on, bringing new media skills and information to NABJ members.

Photo by Ana Alvarez
Campaign literature awaits.

By Renita Burns
NABJ Convention Online Staff

Thousands of black journalists are converging on Las Vegas for what NABJ expects to be one of its largest conventions ever.

Kristin Palmer, NABJ communications manager, said 700 to 800 people are expected to register onsite.

Palmer also said approximately 2,500 people have registered for the 32nd annual convention.