Love is all around Detroit
On Nov. 24, the Detroit chapters of SPJ and the National Association of Black Journalists co-hosted the “Show the Love” event at PJ’s Lager House to support out-of-work Detroit-area journalists. A full house of supporters jammed to former Detroit News Editor Luther “Badman” Keith, who entertained on the main stage with his guitar. Tickets were $20, and all proceeds went to the cause.
Freelance advice in D.C.
A mix of full-time journalists, work-at-home moms and seasoned freelancers meet monthly to discuss and share their experiences of being freelance journalists in Washington, D.C. Attendees spend their lunch break at the National Press Club for the Washington, D.C., Pro chapter freelancer meeting. The attendees discuss business issues of importance to freelancers, share tools and resources, and support each others’ professional pursuits. “We consider this SPJ-DC program to be a great success and strongly recommend that it be replicated in other cities with a lot of freelancers,” program organizer Hazel Becker said.
Readers delight in Denver
The Colorado Pro chapter joined with the Denver Post to host the Helen Verba Lecture Series, which invites writers to speak with the public about their latest published works. Admission to the series is free and open to the public. Beginning the year’s event were two local writers. On Jan. 21, former Denver Bronco Reggie Rivers spoke about his book, “The Colony,” on political intrigue and military domination. In February, author and historian Silvia Pettem discussed her book “Someone’s Daughter,” which follows the events surrounding an unidentified woman’s murder and the community’s search for her identity and killer.
Drawing out the New Year with cartoonist
The Mid-Michigan Pro chapter rang in 2010 by inviting guests to an evening with syndicated cartoonist and author Jef Mallett on Jan. 6. After working for 18 years at Michigan newspapers, Mallett branched out on his own. Now he is author, illustrator and creator of the comic strip “Frazz.” His most recent publication is “Trizophrenia,” a thoughtful and humorous look into the life of a triathelete. At the chapter event, Mallett spoke about his career, his inspirations and how he transitioned from daily newspapers to the creation of a popular newspaper comic strip.
Arizona State students help homeless share stories
Students at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and its SPJ chapter engaged in multimedia storytelling Dec. 6 when they spent the afternoon collecting and publishing personal stories from clients at a local social service organization. The project, called “Homeless ¬ Voiceless,” paired nine students with 16 homeless men and women during St. Vincent de Paul’s lunch period. Throughout the day, students collected, edited and posted stories on a dedicated project Web site, for which Cronkite School Dean Christopher Callahan served as editor. See pictures, articles and videos at tinyurl.com/yjx5wxy. For information on replicating a similar event with your chapter, contact chapter president Mallory Kydd at
