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Updated: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Published: Sunday, August 27, 2006

PRESIDENT'S CORNER LINKS Past Messages President's Biography Letter to the FCC On Minority Media Ownership

Tonight, we honor the work and careers of our Hall of Fame inductees. Tonight, we build on our past as we invent our future.

But tonight is also an opportunity to look at the work yet to be done, the journey that is still incomplete.

I've told some of you the story of how I and the team covering Hurricane Katrina almost one year ago today made our way down I-65 from Montgomery, Ala. into Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi the day Katrina hit the Gulf.

As we worked our way down the freeway, getting slammed around by high winds, we were tempted to stop each time we saw destruction and damage along the way. But each time, we had to remind ourselves of our true destination, to get to Biloxi and help the Sun Herald publish. Each time, as we rolled through Mobile or dodged down trees in Ocean Springs, we had to tell ourselves to keep going, were not there yet.

And, my brothers and sisters in NABJ, I submit that, in our jobs, our industry, we've come a long way, but were not there yet.

Each year, we look at the annual newsroom census from the American Society of Newspaper Editors a survey founded by the passions of black legends Bob Maynard and Jay Harris nearly thirty years ago and shake our heads.

ASNE had initially set a goal that newsroom representation would mirror the diversity of America by the year 2000. When it became clear editors had no chance to hit that target, they extended it to 2025.

So last year, 13.43 percent of American newspaper professionals were journalists of color. This year, it was 13.87 percent. America is roughly 32 percent non-white. At the current rate of change, roughly one half a percent each year, it would take the industry at least 40 years to meet the target. And that assumes Americas diversity stands still which we know it wont.

So, despite the energy and efforts, the passions and promises of newsrooms leaders, we still have a long way to go. Were not there yet.

Weve seen similar results with sports editors and reporters nine out of ten of whom are white and within the television industry slightly better numbers but still falling short of parity. Despite all the talk, all the proclamations, the industry is just not there yet.

But there is hope. There is always hope.

I am inspired by those who have come before us... like our Hall of Fame inductees here on the stage. They had to fight and struggle to get us where we are today. And we are grateful. The obstacles faced by Al Fitzpatrick or William Raspberry or Earl Graves decades ago make our hurdles look tiny. We need to listen to their wisdom and learn from their pain.

I also get inspiration from this years Special Honors winners who we will celebrate tomorrow night. The consistent work of Journalist of the Year Cynthia Tucker and the boundless energy of Emerging Journalists Errin Haines and Trymaine Lee fill me with respect and admiration. If you want heroes to emulate, you need to look no further than your NABJ colleagues.

So, tonight, we celebrate the work we have done, the roads we have traveled,. But we know, were still not there yet. Lets keep the fight alive, lets stay on the journey.

As long as NABJ is in the fight, I know we will get there!

Thank you

-- Bryan Monroe