The changing role of Latino journalists

Te National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) will gather to mark its 25th anniversary next week in San Jose and look at the changing role it plays today. Details of the conference are available here.

NAHJ 2007 will convene in the midst of great flux in the industry, with the demise of Knight Ridder and other media consolidations and buyouts. "We believe there will be a fair number of people looking for jobs," said NAHJ executive director Ivan Roman. "There will also be people with jobs who are trying to figure out how they need to reinvent themselves as journalists, given all the changes in the industry."

Issues related to immigration, including anti-immigrant backlash and the language used to describe undocumented workers, take the forefront at this year's NAHJ convention.

In the months leading up to the convention, the May Day immigration rally in Los Angeles that turned into a melee, the events that led to the firing of Don Imus and the rise of hate crimes against immigrants form the context for several panel discussions.

"I think it's important that we bring to light issues that are important to us and at the same time improve the situation for many Latino journalists," said NAHJ 2007 co-chair Veronica Villafane. "We can have some serious conversations and not just affect us but other people."

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton will appear on the panel, "MacArthur Park and Beyond: Can the LAPD, Immigrant Groups and the Media Ever Trust Each Other Again?"