Look out Houston!
The Black Press of America is headed to H-town for the 2016 National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) National Convention, and their presence is sure to be one for the ages.
The NNPA, which represents more than 200 African American member newspapers, websites and media outlets from across the United States, will convene in Houston from June 21st to June 25th at the Omni Houston Hotel, for one of the biggest events on their annual calendars.
Since its founding over 76 years ago, NNPA has consistently been the voice of the Black community and an incubator for news that makes history and impacts our country. As the largest and most influential Black-owned media resource in America, the NNPA delivers news, information, and commentary to over 20 million people each week.
The theme for this year’s convention is Black Press: Penetrating and Sustaining in the Global Marketplace, and as usual, attendees will come together to hear from industry leaders in select areas of focus; network with one another; discuss new developments in the industry; celebrate the year-long success and work of NNPA member publications and publishers; hold informative training sessions; conduct association business; honor the legacy of some of the nation’s most influential people; and introduce and connect the community in the host city to the Black press.
The host publishers from Houston for this year’s conference include: Sonny Messiah Jiles, Houston Defender Media Group; Francis Page, Houston Style Magazine; and our very own Karen Carter Richards, Houston Forward Times.
On Tuesday, June 21st, millennials will be the focus as the NNPA will host Generation Next: The New Black Press at Texas Southern University, where they will hold Journalism Careers Workshops on Technology and Entrepreneurship Opportunities from 10am-3pm. To top it all off, there will also be a FREE Tiger Walk Street Party held on campus from 3pm-6pm.
On Wednesday, June 22nd, the NNPA will conduct key association business and hold their private NNPA Chairman’s Welcome Reception at the Buffalo Soldiers Museum with entertainment by widely-recognized Zydeco artist, Keith Frank and other surprises.
On Thursday, June 23rd, the NNPA will hold an inspirational Prayer Breakfast with the theme – Proclaiming the Good News – where Grammy Award–winning Gospel music icon and television host Dr. Bobby Jones will be honored. Attendees will be blessed with a power-packed performance by Houston’s own Kathy Taylor, who will be doing a tribute to Dr. Jones, who successfully hosted a program called Bobby Jones Gospel on Black Entertainment Television (BET) for 35 years; a program that stands as BET’s longest running series of all time. The day continues with workshops and a STEM Luncheon featuring Houston’s own Dr. Reagan Flowers, founder and CEO of the nationally-recognized C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services. Later that evening, attendees will attend the NNPA Foundation Merit Awards Dinner. Recognized as one of the much-anticipated traditions at the NNPA Annual Convention, the Merit Awards ceremony is an evening awards event which honors the year-long work of the more than 200 African American newspapers and NNPA member publications from across the country.
On Friday, June 24th, the NNPA will hold a Health Breakfast with guest speaker, the Honorable Mary Wakefield, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The day will continue with more workshops and a luncheon focused on politics and the Black Press. To conclude the evening, the NNPA will host its annual Legacy Awards Gala Dinner, where entertainment icon Ice Cube and legendary radio icon Tom Joyner will both be honored.
The convention concludes on Saturday with additional sessions and activities at the hotel for the member publishers.
For more information on how you can participate in select events at the 2016 NNPA Annual Convention, please visit nnpa.org/tickets, and to register for the FREE Tiger Walk Street Party go to generation_next.eventbrite.com.