View this email in your browser AAJA turns 40: Learn How the Group Got its Start in L.A. Forty years ago, a group of Los Angeles-based journalists banded together to form the Asian American Journalists Association, a group dedicated to supporting and organizing Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the news media.  On Friday, some of those same founders will describe that critical moment in journalism history, as part of the virtual panel  “AAJA Founders Forum: Origin Story.” The panel, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles chapter of AAJA and the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, will be held at 6 p.m. and kick off AAJA's 40th anniversary.   Friday's virtual panel comes at a critical time, with AAJA serving as a vital resource for journalists reporting on the rise of anti-Asian racism and hate crimes. The panel will feature AAJA co-founders Bill Sing, David Kishiyama and Nancy Yoshihara, all of whom worked at the Los Angeles Times; Frank Kwan, then of NBC4; and Dwight Chuman, then of the Rafu Shimpo. The forum will be moderated by ABC 7 news anchor David Ono. WHAT: Virtual panel:  “AAJA Founders Forum: Origin Story.” WHO: Bill Sing, David Kishiyama, Nancy Yoshihara, Frank Kwan, Dwight Chuman, David Ono. WHERE: Zoom WHEN: Friday, April 2, 6 to 7:30 p.m. PT RSVP: RSVP here. CONTACT: Teresa Watanabe, AAJA-LA President, [email protected] 213-265-6813 or Nathan Solis, SPJ/LA Secretary, [email protected] (323) 285-0347 For more information, please visit spjla.org.    # # # The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s largest and most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to promoting high standards of ethical behavior and encouraging the free practice of journalism. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. The Greater Los Angeles professional chapter celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009   Copyright © 2021 SPJLA, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you asked to be kept up-to-date on SPJ/LA. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list