AAJA Online

Asian American Journalists Association Online

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:40:00 -0700

UPDATED MAY 26, 2012

Phase 1 of the relaunched Web site of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is live. Check it out at AAJA.org.

Become an AAJA member or take a look at membership levels and benefits.

Make a tax-deductible donation to AAJA.

To contact AAJA:

E-mail: national@aaja.org | Telephone: 415-346-2051 | Fax: 415-346-6343
Mailing address: 5 Third St., Suite 1108, San Francisco, Calif. 94103

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AAJA NATIONAL OFFICER ELECTIONS

AAJA members will be electing candidates for the offices of National President, National Vice President for Broadcast and National Treasurer for two-year volunteer terms that begin Jan. 1, 2013.

For more information, click here.

AAJA PROGRAMS

For professionals:

To find out more about opportunities for professional journalists, contact Professional Programs Coordinator Marcia Santillan at marcias@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 107.
Check out AAJA Career Listings for members here.
Have Member News to share? Send a 30- to 40-word write-up with biography and photo (subject to editing) to Professional Programs Coordinator Marcia Santillan at marcias@aaja.org.

For students:

To learn more about programs for high school and college, as well as scholarships and internship grants, contact Student Coordinator Nao Vang at naov@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

UNITY 2012 CONVENTION

Join journalism industry leaders from around the world for UNITY12, Aug. 1-4 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. AAJA and our UNITY alliance partners will present the latest in journalism training, and the convention will offer unparalleled opportunities to expand your industry contacts.

Pre-registration rates expire June 29, so register as an AAJA member and save!

AAJA CAREER LISTINGS

Looking for a job or wanting to post a job? If so, access AAJA’s Career Listings here.

AAJA MEDIAWATCH

MediaWatch is AAJA’s core program to address unfair and inaccurate news coverage about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

An AAJA Media Advisory on News Coverage of Jeremy Lin was issued Feb. 22. We encourage you to share this resource for how to report fairly and accurately on Lin and other AAPIs.

Participate in the MediaWatch discussion by joining the MediaWatch Facebook group.

AAJA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

Membership in AAJA is open to all who believe in our mission, which includes ensuring fair and accurate coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), as well as encouraging the hiring and promotion of AAPIs in newsrooms.

Membership benefits include access to AAJA Career Listings, discounts on UNITY12 convention registration and savings on professional services, such as Poynter training.

Become an AAJA member.

Click here for AAJA Member News.

If you have questions, contact AAJA Membership and Chapter Development Manager Antonio Salas at antonios@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 105.

ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION

AAJA’s Leadership

Executive Director Kathy Chow | 415-346-2051, Ext. 106
National President Doris Truong
National Vice President for Broadcast George Kiriyama
National Vice President for Print Thomas Lee
National Secretary Theodore Kim
National Treasurer Rene Astudillo
AAJA National Board

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit professional and educational organization with more than 1,500 members across the United States and in Asia. AAJA’s 21 chapters are in Arizona, Asia, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Florida, Hawai’i, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minnesota, New England, New York, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco/Bay Area, Seattle, Texas and Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA’s mission is to provide a means of association and support among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists; provide encouragement, information, advice and scholarship assistance to AAPI students who aspire to professional journalism careers; provide to the AAPI community an awareness of news media and an understanding of how to gain fair access; and, research and point out when news media organizations stray from accuracy and fairness in the coverage of AAPIs.

AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY Journalists along with the Native American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

To contact AAJA:

E-mail: national@aaja.org | Telephone: 415-346-2051 | Fax: 415-346-6343
Mailing address: 5 Third St., Suite 1108, San Francisco, Calif. 94103

AAJA Recognizes a Member a Day in Honor of Heritage Month

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:56:00 -0700

April 30, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) will be rolling out 31 profiles of our members in May, which is designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Throughout May, learn more about selected members from our 1,400-member organization in the following categories:

Pioneers (journalism trailblazers)
Emerging leaders (people making an impact on the industry early in their careers)
Movers and shakers (journalism leaders with at least 10 years’ experience)
Fresh faces (college students and other up-and-comers)

AAJA is partnering with the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education to present these daily profiles to a broad audience.

In addition to featuring notable AAJA members during Heritage Month, AAJA plans a series of BlogTalkRadio Q&A sessions highlighting topics of interest to the journalism community.

The BTR series will be on Mondays:

May 7 (2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific): “Standing Out in a Crowded Field of Job Candidates” — Brooke Camp of CNN and Lars Schmidt of NPR will offer expert advice on what grabs recruiters’ attention. They will talk with the Asian American Journalists Association about how to keep your skills and portfolio fresh after layoffs/buyouts, and they will discuss how to make your next move.
May 14 (11 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Pacific): “Getting a Book Deal, Then Marketing Yourself” — Journalist-cookbook author Anupy Singla and mystery writer Ed Lin will provide tips on how to become a successful self-promoter once you have your publishing contract. Topics will include ways to get a publishing house to see the value of your proposal as well as whether you need an agent.
May 21: “Diversity for the Worldwide Leader in Sports” — ESPN Senior Vice President Rob King will be on the line to offer his perspective as a top-level manager for a worldwide company — how diversity among athletes is being reflected in the newsroom, and how sports journalism is evolving in the 24/7 news cycle.
May 28: Guest(s) and topic TBD.

For the full schedule of AAJA’s upcoming BTR sessions (and to find previous programs), go to blogtalkradio.com/aaja.

Join AAJA every day in May to learn more about our organization’s outstanding journalists and to broaden your knowledge of the journalism industry.

The Asian American Journalists Association is a nonprofit professional and educational organization with more than 1,400 members across the United States and in Asia. Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA’s mission is to encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism, to work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs, and to increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY Journalists, along with the Native American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. For more information about AAJA, visit www.aaja.org.

AAJA Announces 2012 J Camp Site and Student Attendees

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 07:47:00 -0700

April 17, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) today announced Loyola University’s sponsorship of J Camp, a multicultural high school journalism workshop. Forty-two high school students from across the country will be selected to participate in the five-day program hosted by the university located in New Orleans, Louisiana from June 19-24, 2012.

“Here at Loyola we are passionate about journalism and journalism education,” said Dr. Sonya Duhe, Director and Professor of the School of Mass Communications at Loyola University. “So we are just thrilled to host these most talented young journalists from across the country.”

Since the program started in 2001, a total of 459 of the nation’s brightest young people have graduated from J Camp, which endeavors to develop the next generation of journalists. High school students from across the country are selected in a competitive application process where academic achievement and journalistic talent are among the strongest considerations. The students selected for the 2012 J Camp are: http://bit.ly/2012jcampstudents

Neal Justin, J Camp co-director and TV critic for the Minneapolis Star Tribune also stated: “We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing J Camp to New Orleans and, more specifically, Loyola University. The facilities, location and staff are top notch, providing a great home base for one of the strongest classes in our 12-year history.”

Students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds attend the program to sharpen their journalism skills and work together in a unique learning environment. The curriculum consists of hands-on training with leading professional journalists, lectures from some of the industry’s biggest stars, and reporting field trips.

“We are really excited for this year’s class of J Campers to get a taste of academic life at Loyola while they are learning more about the profession of journalism,” said AAJA National President Doris Truong. “New Orleans has so many stories, and the students will be privileged to have easy access to the city from Loyola’s campus.”

Help Recognize AAJA's Standout Leaders

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:59:00 -0700

The AAJA National Secretary, on behalf of the executive officers, puts out an annual call for nominees for the Member of the Year, President of the Year and Chapter of the Year.

Here’s what to look for:

Which AAJA member has gone above and beyond, locally or on the national level? Which chapter president has done the most outstanding work? Which one of our 21 chapters sets the standard for excellence?

Consider nominees primarily for the work accomplished in the previous calendar year (2011). But also take into account a chapter’s or individual’s overall body of work on behalf of AAJA.

We’ll honor the winners during the UNITY12 convention in Las Vegas. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, May 15.

To submit a recommendation, simply e-mail AAJA National Secretary Theodore Kim the following information:

Name of the person making the recommendation (self-nominations are accepted).
Name of the recommended person or chapter.
Category (Member, President or Chapter).
Short statement about why the recommended person/chapter should be recognized. Please include examples that demonstrate excellence on behalf of AAJA.

Those recommended for Member of the Year must have been AAJA members in 2011. If you are nominating in the President category, chapter Co-Presidents must both be included. Nominees for Chapter of the Year must be chapters in good standing.

Take a few moments to help AAJA’s officers salute the good work that is happening around the organization. If you need more information or for a complete list of previous award winners, please e-mail AAJA National Secretary Theodore Kim.

Diversity Is Key to Newsrooms' Economic Survival

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:25:00 -0700

April 4, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is disheartened to learn for the fourth year in a row that overall representation by journalists of color in U.S. newsrooms surveyed by the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) has declined.

Down from a relative high of representing 13 percent of print-focused newsrooms in 2006 to only 12.3 percent in 2012, journalists of color are losing ground in representing an increasingly diverse population.

As we have seen through recent news coverage, diversity is more important than ever. Without a variety of life experiences and perspectives in the journalism industry, newsrooms have a narrow lens through which to filter information for a wide-ranging audience.

In February, AAJA issued a Media Advisory to counter harmful stereotypes about Asians and Asian Americans that were appearing in news reports about NBA player Jeremy Lin. Without the benefit of diverse voices to help educate within the newsroom, some news organizations risked losing credibility with their audience.

Not only is diversity in hiring the right thing to do because it mirrors the changing complexion of our nation’s cities, it makes economic sense. Hiring journalists who can speak to a 21st-century audience — one in which people of color will be the majority — allows news organizations to remain relevant.

“Diversity drives dollars, and dollars drive the news industry,” said AAJA National President Doris Truong. “Hiring managers will find a wealth of talented journalists by tapping into networks such as AAJA’s.”

AAJA offers a pipeline of qualified candidates who will keep newsrooms ahead of the curve in connecting with a dynamic society. There is no excuse for the next ASNE census of America’s newsrooms to continue the downward trend in journalists of color since 2009.

“Let’s work together with our partners, including UNITY and the National Association of Black Journalists, to make sure diversity is a business imperative,” Truong said. “And top-level managers who are members of groups such as ASNE can make a real difference with each hire.”

Media Contact: AAJA Executive Director Kathy Chow

E-mail: kathyc@aaja.org
Telephone: 415-346-2051 | Fax: 415-346-6343
Mailing address: 5 Third St., Suite 1108, San Francisco, Calif. 94103

The Asian American Journalists Association is a nonprofit professional and educational organization with more than 1,400 members across the United States and in Asia. Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA’s mission is to encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism, to work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs, and to increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY: Journalists of Color, along with the Native American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. For more information about AAJA, visit www.aaja.org.

AAJA Selects 2013 National Convention Site

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:26:00 -0700

March 28, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is pleased to announce the selection of AAJA’s New York chapter as the 2013 host for the 1,400-member organization’s national convention.

“On behalf of the New York chapter, we are delighted and proud to host the convention in 2013,” said convention co-chairs Brooke Camp, senior recruiter for CNN and truTV, and Michelle Yu, an anchor for SNY (SportsNet New York). “We are excited to marshal the city’s resources and energy to make this a fantastic opportunity and event for all.”

AAJA-New York impressed AAJA’s national leaders with a well-thought-out proposal, which was presented March 24 during the Spring 2012 AAJA Advisory Board meeting. The highlights:

The chapter has a strong base of local AAJA members who are excited to welcome a national convention in 2013. AAJA-New York is the largest of AAJA’s 21 chapters and has a wealth of experience in organizational leadership, including nationally recognized AAJA volunteers and several former national officers.
The chapter has convention-hosting experience. AAJA-New York was responsible for a national convention in Times Square in 2000.
Local news goes global. From 9/11 to Wall Street to Linsanity, what’s news in New York is news for everyone.
The city is the media capital of the free world spanning 6 national broadcast networks, 10 local news stations, 78 cable networks, 6 international wire services, 4 of the 10 largest-circulation U.S. newspapers, 350 magazines and numerous journalism start-ups. Not only does New York have an array of news outlets, it’s a prime hunting ground for AAJA members seeking their next opportunity.

“AAJA is sold on the concept of a convention where everything’s only a Metrocard away,” said AAJA National President Doris Truong. “New York is the city that never sleeps. What’s a better match for today’s 24/7 news culture? I can’t wait to attend our 2013 convention.”

AAJA’s Governing Board has empowered AAJA Executive Director Kathy Chow to move forward with the New York chapter in the exploratory phase of securing a convention site. Details will be presented this summer at the UNITY12 journalism convention, Aug. 1-4 in Las Vegas.

Media Contact: AAJA Executive Director Kathy Chow

E-mail: kathyc@aaja.org
Telephone: 415-346-2051 | Fax: 415-346-6343
Mailing address: 5 Third St., Suite 1108, San Francisco, Calif. 94103

The Asian American Journalists Association is a nonprofit professional and educational organization with more than 1,400 members across the United States and in Asia. Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA’s mission is to encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism, to work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs, and to increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY: Journalists of Color, along with the Native American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. For more information about AAJA, visit www.aaja.org.

AAJA MediaWatch Seeks Committee Members

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:37:32 -0800

AAJA MediaWatch Seeks Committee Members:

Click on the link above for the application. If you have questions, please e-mail MediaWatch Chair Jam Sardar.

AP's Charles Dharapak Wins Photography Award

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:50:00 -0800

AP's Charles Dharapak Wins Photography Award:

AAJA-D.C. member Charles Dharapak of the Associated Press is named 2012 Still Photographer of the Year by the White House News Photographers Association.

To read more AAJA Member News, click here.

AAJA Student Programs, Internships, Scholarships

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:12:00 -0800

For more information:

Contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

Mary Moy Quon Ing Scholarship

Application deadline is Friday, May 4.
$2,000 for a graduating high school senior pursuing journalism as a career.

Download application.

For more information or if you have trouble downloading the form, contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

Vincent Chin Memorial Scholarship

Application deadline is Monday, May 14.
$500 for a college student pursuing journalism as a career.

Download an application.

For more information or if you have trouble downloading the form, contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

INTERNSHIPS:

Broadcast Internship Grants

Application deadline is Friday, May 11.
Sam Chu Lin grant: $500.

Lloyd LaCuesta Grant: $1,000

Download an application.

For more information or if you have trouble downloading the form, contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

William Woo Print and Online Internship Grant

Application deadline is Monday, May 14.
$1,000 toward living expenses for a student who has secured a summer 2012 journalism internship.

Down application.

For more information or if you have trouble downloading the form, contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

Stanford Chen Internship Grant

~~Application deadline is Wednesday,~~ ~~April 4.~~ The application deadline has passed.
The successful applicant interning in a small or medium-size media market will be awarded $1,750.

Download application.

For more information or if you have trouble downloading the form, contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

NBC Universal Partnership

~~Application deadline is~~ ~~Friday, March 9.~~ The application deadline has passed.
NBCUniversal will offer four students the opportunity to become NBC Fellows by joining one of the following NBC programs for summer 2012 as interns:

America’s No. 1 morning news program, “Today”

The top-ranked evening program, “NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams”

“NBC Dateline”

MSNBC

“Rock Center With Brian Williams”

CNBC

Four students will be provided a stipend of $500 a week for 10 weeks to live in New York City, totaling $5,000 for each student.

For more information, contact AAJA Student Coordinator Nao Vang at NaoV@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 102.

PROGRAMS:

2012 J Camp for High School Students

AAJA is pleased to announce the 2012 J Camp students. Click here to see who these talented students are.

Students selected for this unique week-long program demonstrate a keen interest in broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, photojournalism or online media. Participation in AAJA JCamp is not limited to Asian American students; the program is open to all high school freshmen, sophomores or juniors.

Check out the work of the 2011 JCamp class.

UNITY 2012 Convention News Project

Eight of the most promising college students will be selected by AAJA and given the opportunity to hone their journalism skills and build their portfolios during the UNITY12 journalism convention, Aug. 1-4 in Las Vegas. Successful applicants will receive pre-convention assignments to cover issues related to the journalism industry today and/or the Asian American/Pacific Islander community. Students will also report live on convention, with travel and hotel accommodations provided.
Meet the participants.

AAJA Professional Programs

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:01:00 -0800

For more information about opportunities for professional journalists:

Contact AAJA Professional Programs Coordinator Marcia Santillan at marcias@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 107.

Check out AAJA Career Listings for our members here.

Read AAJA Member News here.

2012 Executive Leadership Program Introductory Session

Download an application. (If you have trouble with the form, please contact Marcia: marcias@aaja.org or 415-346-2051, Ext. 107.)

~~Application deadline has been extended to~~ ~~Friday, March 9.~~ The application deadline has passed.

The Executive Leadership Program’s (ELP) Introductory Session is a member exclusive program to help Asian American and Pacific Islander journalists develop their leadership skills to become newsroom leaders and executives. This four-day program will help you gain clarity on your career goals and arm you with the skills to bring those goals to life.

If you have at least five years of professional journalism or journalism industry experience, we encourage you to submit an application to this year’s ELP Introductory Session.

When:
Thursday, June 28-Sunday, July 1

Where:
Yale Club of New York
50 Vanderbilt Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Topics:
•   Career choices and goal setting
•   Understanding cultural values
•   Defining success
•   Negotiation training
•   Dealing with pressure
•   Conquering your excuses
•   Self-management
•   Leadership strategies

2012 Dinah Eng Leadership Fellowship

AAJA announces the first recipients of the Dinah Eng Leadership Fellowship. Read more here.

The Dinah Eng Leadership Fellowship will provide financial aid to mid-career Asian-American journalists (with five years of experience or more) who are seeking to advance their leadership skills as participants in programs like ELP, university-level management programs, and leadership courses at institutions like Poynter, API and journalism schools that charge tuition for attendance. These fellowships are not intended to defray costs for Unity or AAJA convention-related attendance.

About Dinah Eng
Dinah Eng is a columnist and freelance writer for Scripps Howard News Service. Ms. Eng, a past president of AAJA is the founder of the AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program and served as its director for its first 15 years. She has received numerous awards, including the Columbia University Distinguished Service to Journalism Award and the National Association of Minority Media Executives Lawrence Young Breakthrough Award.

Upon Ms. Eng’s retirement as the director of the Executive Leadership Program in 2010, this fellowship was established in recognition of her work and dedication to AAJA’s goal of furthering diversity in the journalism profession and industry, so that AAJA members have the opportunity and the tools to get to the next level in their careers.

AAJA National Journalism Awards

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:23:00 -0800

For more information:

Contact AAJA Professional Programs Coordinator Marcia Santillan at marcias@aaja.org or call 415-346-2051, Ext. 107.

~~All entries are due by~~ ~~Friday, April 20.~~ The deadline has passed. Click on the appropriate link below for an entry form (if you have trouble downloading, please contact Marcia: marcias@aaja.org or 415-346-2051, Ext. 107).

Entry fees are waived for 2012 AAJA members.

National Awards

Enter 2011 work done for print, radio, television or online (including photography) in the categories of Unlimited Subject Matter or Asian American and Pacific Islander issues.

To see the National Awards FAQ’s, click here.

Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice

This award recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights of Asian American and Pacific Islanders and/or issues of social justice for AAPIs. The winner will receive $5,000.

AAJA Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism

This award recognizes groundbreaking work by a journalist or a team that creatively uses digital tools in the role of being a community’s watchdog. The winner will receive $5,000.

To see the Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism FAQs, click here.

AAJA Special Awards

Nominate yourself or someone else for the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Special Recognition Award.

AAJA Media Advisory on Jeremy Lin News Coverage

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:01:00 -0800

Feb. 22, 2012

As NBA player Jeremy Lin’s prowess on the court continues to attract international attention and grab headlines, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) would like to remind media outlets about relevance and context regarding coverage of race.

In the past weeks, as more news outlets report on Lin, his game and his story, AAJA has noticed factual inaccuracies about Lin’s background as well as an alarming number of references that rely on stereotypes about Asians or Asian Americans.

Please give careful consideration to the following tips to ensure fair, accurate and sensitive portrayals of Lin and others who are Asian American.

AAJA and AAJA MediaWatch stand ready to assist any news organizations that have questions or concerns about news coverage and race. We all have the same goal: good journalism.

OUR GUIDELINES
Stop to think: Would a similar statement be made about an athlete who is Caucasian, African American, Latino or Native American?

Use caution when discussing Lin’s physical characteristics, particularly those that feminize/emasculate the Asian male (Cinderella-story angles should not place Lin in a dress). Discussion of genetic differences in athletic ability among races should be avoided. In referring to Lin’s height or vision, be mindful of the context and avoid invoking stereotypes about Asians.

THE FACTS
1. Jeremy Lin is Asian American, not Asian (more specifically, Taiwanese American). It’s an important distinction and one that should be considered before any references to former NBA players such as Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi, who were Chinese. Lin’s experiences were fundamentally different than people who immigrated to play in the NBA. Lin progressed through the ranks of American basketball from high school to college to the NBA, and to characterize him as a foreigner is both inaccurate and insulting.

2. Lin’s path to Madison Square Garden: More than 300 Division I schools passed on him. Harvard University has had only three other graduates go on to the NBA, the most recent one being in the 1950s. No NBA team wanted Lin in the draft after he graduated from Harvard.

3. Journalists don’t assume that African American players identify with NBA players who emigrated from Africa. The same principle applies with Asian Americans. It’s fair to ask Lin whether he looked up to or took pride in the accomplishments of Asian players. He may have. It’s unfair and poor journalism to assume he did.

4. Lin is not the first Asian American to play in the National Basketball Association. Raymond Townsend – who’s of Filipino descent – was a first-round choice of the Golden State Warriors in the 1970s. Rex Walters, who is of Japanese descent, was a first-round draft pick by the New Jersey Nets out of the University of Kansas in 1993 and played seven seasons in the NBA; Walters is now the coach at University of San Francisco. Wat Misaka is believed to have been the first Asian American to play professional basketball in the United States. Misaka, who’s of Japanese descent, appeared in three games for the New York Knicks in the 1947-48 season when the Knicks were part of the Basketball Association of America, which merged with the NBA after the 1948-49 season.

DANGER ZONES
“CHINK”: Pejorative; do not use in a context involving an Asian person on someone who is Asian American. Extreme care is needed if using the well-trod phrase “chink in the armor”; be mindful that the context does not involve Asia, Asians or Asian Americans. (The appearance of this phrase with regard to Lin led AAJA MediaWatch to issue a statement to ESPN, which subsequently disciplined its employees.)

DRIVING: This is part of the sport of basketball, but resist the temptation to refer to “an Asian who knows how to drive.”

EYE SHAPE: This is irrelevant. Do not make such references if discussing Lin’s vision.

FOOD: Is there a compelling reason to draw a connection between Lin and fortune cookies, takeout boxes or similar imagery? In the majority of news coverage, the answer will be no.

MARTIAL ARTS: You’re writing about a basketball player. Don’t conflate his skills with judo, karate, tae kwon do, etc. Do not refer to Lin as “Grasshopper” or similar names associated with martial-arts stereotypes.

“ME LOVE YOU LIN TIME”: Avoid. This is a lazy pun on the athlete’s name and alludes to the broken English of a Hollywood caricature from the 1980s.

“YELLOW MAMBA”: This nickname that some have used for Lin plays off the “Black Mamba” nickname used by NBA star Kobe Bryant. It should be avoided. Asian immigrants in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries were subjected to discriminatory treatment resulting from a fear of a “Yellow Peril” that was touted in the media, which led to legislation such as the Chinese Exclusion Act.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
See AAJA’s “All-American: A Handbook to Covering Asian America”*

Special thanks to AAJA members Ji Hyun Lee, Ursula Liang, Danny O’Neil and Jay Wang for their contributions to this advisory.

NOTE: This post was updated Feb. 23, including a correction to the reference about which schools passed on Jeremy Lin.

* While AAJA.org is out of service, please e-mail mediawatch@aaja.org if you would like a PDF copy of the handbook and its addendum.