Following on from our 12 month partnership with News UK (you can read more about it here), We Are Black Journos were delighted to have our first in-person event of the year at News UK’s HQ in London Bridge. We had a range of people in attendance which is typical when it comes to the followers and network members that make up We Are Black Journos; entry-level journalists, full-time working journalists, students, and others in similar industries who work closely with journalists too.
The evening started off with a warm welcome with our founder Hannah Ajala, then News UK’sHead of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Shelley Bishton. Shelley opened and mentioned a strong point:
“I came into work after having my second son and just thought, ‘something isn’t right’. My children aren’t being reflected in the media that I am promoting and supporting. I love the media and I’m glad to work in this role which has allowed me to create News UK’s first network for Black and Asian people.”
Mark Hudson, head of Creative Diversity touched on the importance of using your creative skills and strengths when applying for roles within the media:
“In a cover letter, don’t be afraid to present yourself as a solution! You can share experiences of when you utilised your skills, for example, when curating content and news stories for social media channels that can be engaging to numerous audiences, as well as being active in communities to bring more unique stories to the forefront.”
As if the evening wasn’t already empowering enough, we also got to hear from Crime Correspondent at The Times, David Woode. So many attendees were inspired by his drive and courage in a pretty tough, but rewarding job role which he has being recognised nationally for.
Job roles were shared and many tips were offered, as well as handy contacts shared.
Overall, we are so glad our attendees truly benefitted from this evening, and are sure it will foster the start of more opportunities to come.
