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Updated: Thursday, November 17, 2005
Published: Tuesday, October 4, 2005 |
Contact:
NABJ Communications
(866) 479-NABJ
NABJ names members to cover the October elections in Liberia
(Oct. 4) WASHINGTON Six NABJ members are headed to Liberia to cover the upcoming presidential elections through a fellowship offered by NABJ, the United Nations and the Knight Foundation. Its exciting that our members will have a chance to go to Africa on such an important story, said NABJ President Bryan Monroe, assistant vice president/news for Knight Ridder newspapers.
The fellowship winners are:
Millete Birhanemaskel |
Millete Birhanemaskel, of the Greeley Daily Tribune, covers health and religion. Birhanemaskel said she would like the opportunity to cover the election because “we have a responsibility to avoid parachute journalism.
I have a personal interest in African issues, and an understanding of how politics can devastate a family.” Her family fled Ethiopia to keep from being killed, she said. “My father went from a high-profile loved political figure to a nobody cleaning floors in a hospital in Colorado.” She did a seven-part series on her father’s trip home called “Going Home.” |
Liberians go to the Polls
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005
Voters stand in line to prepare to vote at a polling place in a rural town in Bomi County about one hour from the capitol city, Monrovia, Liberia. On left is a voting observers giving the voters last minute instructions. This morning Liberians voted nationwide for the first time after enduring a 14 year civil war in the western African country. Tribune photo by Milbert O. Brown
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Milbert O. Brown, Jr.
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Milbert O. Brown, Jr. of the Chicago Tribune, is a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist. He was part of a team that in 1994 covered South Africa’s all-race elections. His story budget includes interviewing women at the National Women’s Commission of Liberia, which provides support for woman and girls abused during the war. He also plans to show the challenges voters will endure to cast their ballots. Some voters will likely have to walk for miles to go to the polls.
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Jacqueline Charles |
Jacqueline Charles, of The Miami Herald, is a Caribbean Affairs reporter who envisions “writing thorough analytical pieces that go beyond the winners and losers but answer the question: What will it take to rebuild Liberia?” She’s never been to Africa, but writes extensively about Haiti. “It’s an opportunity for me to not just learn more about a place that has always fascinated me, but also a chance to capture first hand, the emotion surrounding a race of this magnitude." |
Sia Nyorkor |
Sia Nyorkor is an associate producer for New Jersey Public Television. Her parents are from Liberia. “For so long, I have dreamed of stepping foot onto my parents’ homeland and to know the place they call ‘back home.’” She said civil unrest has made it a difficult place to visit. “New Jersey has a large Liberian population, many of whom sought refuge after the first civil war in 1989. I would like to be the eyes and ears for my fellow Liberians who are unable to witness this historic event.” |
Femi Oke |
Femi Oke, host of CNN’s “Inside Africa,” has a long list of ideas too. She plans to follow a family as they go home to vote, set up a kids' town hall because almost half of the population is under 15, and do two live specials. “For months, we’ve been planned coverage of the Liberian elections. Then along came Hurricane Katrina sucking up our budget and our Africa correspondent. He’s now on assignment in New Orleans.” |
Marquita Smith |
Marquita Smith, a city editor for The Virginian-Pilot, said the fellowship would give her an opportunity to “fill in some blanks for our readers.” She said they already have a connection because some of Liberia’s early settlers came from Hampton Roads. “People in Hampton Roads remain connected to Liberia and interested in this election.” Some religious leaders have established operations in Liberia while in Chesapeake lives the former U.S. ambassador to Liberia.
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“The upcoming presidential elections mark a turning point for Liberia as it moves along the path toward peace and stability…. Given Liberia’s strong ties to the US and its importance to the security of the West Africa region, UNDP is pleased to collaborate with NABJ, the Knight Foundation and the UN Foundation to allow six outstanding member journalists to cover this pivotal news event for the American audience and beyond,” said David Morrison, Director of UNDP’s Communications Office.
NABJ and the United Nations have previously offered NABJ members fellowships to Senegal, Morocco and Brazil.
“In the last year and a half, we’ve sent a dozen members to Africa and Latin America,’’ said NABJ Treasurer John Yearwood. “These opportunities help our members who want to become foreign correspondents. Too often they are not the first considered when these assignments are handed out.”
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4,100 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.
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