NABJ meets and greets
By Vonetta Booker
Unity 99 Convention Online Staff

Although the black and brown faces didn't quite fill up the large room at the Seattle Convention Center, the people attending NABJ's Meet and Greet breakfast on Thursday morning didn't seem to notice at all.

Some smiling newcomers sat down for the first time with plates full of cranberry muffins, croissants, mango and pineapple from the continental buffet set up against the wall. Others greeted longtime friends and colleagues with hearty shouts of, "Hey, girl!!!" Whatever the case, the purpose of the Meet and Greet was self-explanatory-people getting acquainted with faces they'd probably run into again and again over the next few days' whirlwind of workshops, luncheons and other events during Unity '99.

But it wasn't all about getting one's grub on. Prominent members of the NABJ spoke, starting with Parliamentarian Robin Washington, who ran down a list of convention plenary topics and other upcoming convention events.

Announcing a "Candidate's Forum" for 4:30pm Thursday, NABJ Vice President/Broadcast Sharon Stevens laid down a tip for the voters. "If you've already mailed in your votes, pul-eeeze don't try to vote on Friday," she quipped amidst laughter from the audience. "This is not my hometown of Chicago!"

NABJ President Vanessa Williams also spoke about her tenure. "I've learned a lot about myself, I've learned a lot about my members," she said. "We had disagreements at times, but we were mature enough to hash them out and move on."

Williams added, "We put together a program that we hope you'll find useful, informative-and also fun." Williams encouraged members to not only attend NABJ workshops, but others as well.

The reasons the crowd gave for attending Unity '99 were almost as varied as the different complexions that graced the room. Siobhan Howard, a broadcast journalism graduate student at American University, had several. Aside from hitting the job fair, collecting business cards and networking with other journalists of color, she wanted to learn more about diversity.

"I think people automatically assume a person of color will be more sensitive to other issues of color, but that's not always true. We're very divided, in terms of the Hispanic, Asian-American and Native American communities. So, it was important for me to come here and learn more about other cultures, and be sensitive when I'm reporting about them." Howard said she's also looking forward to workshops in entertainment reporting.

"I'm here primarily for [NABJ presidential candidate] Robin (Stone)," said Newsday reporter Katty Gray. "But now that I am here, in addition to campaigning for her, I am going to fully try and take advantage of the conference."

Gray said she believed in Unity as a concept, pointing out how different nationalities have much in common. "I hope that people really do take the time to talk about that. I believe that we ought to stay together, but I also believe we are to recognize what our differences are."