June 2023 Newsletter

Welcome to AAJA Hawai‘i’s June newsletter! We hope your summer if off to a great start.

We have a lot of exciting news this month, from riveting member stories to an AAJA Excellence in Journalism award to the chapter’s summer fundraiser.

Part of AAJA Hawai‘i’s mission is to advance newsroom diversity. We fulfill that mission by putting on events to help local journalists connect with one another, sponsoring high school journalism contests, and providing stipends to help members attend the AAJA National convention. Your support will help us continue these programs and launch new ones, like a diversity survey that we hope to release later this summer/fall.

On another note, I started this monthly email newsletter in March 2021 to help the Hawai‘i board better communicate its activities with its members and connect them to local job openings, member bylines, and resources from AAJA National and other journalism organizations. I’m always looking for more member news and bylines to include, so if you have a story, career update or resource you want to share, please let me know athawaii@aaja.org.

–Noelle Fujii-Oride, 2023 chapter president

Chapter Updates

Summer 2023 Fundraiser
Help support AAJA Hawai‘i by contributing to our fundraiser on Zeffy. Your donation will support our upcoming diversity survey, as well as our programs that help student and professional journalists. This includes networking events, student journalism contests, conference stipends, and more. We’ll be fundraising throughout the summer.

Save the Date
We’re also planning a fundraiser pau hana for Thursday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. We’re still working on the venue, but check back in next month’s newsletter or on our social media pages for updates.

Interested in AAJA Trainings?
What journalism trainings would you like to receive?

• Digital reporting skills
• Resume and/or cover letter writing workshop
• Making FOIA requests
• Data reporting
• All of the above

Feel free to email hawaii@aaja.org if there are other trainings you’d like that aren’t included on this list.

Member News

Congratulations to member Thomas Heaton on his 2023 AAJA Excellence in Journalism Award for Excellence in Pacific Islander Reporting!

Member Bylines

This sister-owned jewelry business wants Micronesian women to wear their heritage
Hawai‘i Public Radio’s Cassie Ordonio reports on Sienna Official, a sister-owned business sells gold necklaces in bold cursive letters that read “woman” or “beautiful woman” in more than a dozen Micronesian languages.

Kahuku-born Iam Tongi crowned ‘American Idol’ winner
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Diane Lee reports on 18-year-old Iam Tongi becoming the first American Idol contestant with Hawai‘i ties crowned winner of the show after 21 seasons.

Preparing for Disaster
Building Management Hawaii’s Chris Aguinaldo reports on how homeowners and building managers can prepare their buildings for hurricane season.

Destructive Beetle Could Thrive If Natural Disaster Strikes
Honolulu Civil Beat’s Thomas Heaton reports on how Pacific communities are fighting the coconut rhinoceros beetle – and the lessons learned for Hawai‘i.

Another Honolulu Permitting Worker Pleads Guilty And Faces Deportation
Honolulu Civil Beat’s Christina Jedra reports on Jocelyn Godoy, a 60-year-old Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting employee who pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud.

President Biden Decries Tax Loopholes for ‘Wealthy Crypto Investors’
Decrypt’s Ryan Ozawa reports on a recent Twitter post by U.S. President Joe Biden, who wrote that “MAGA House Republicans” support “tax loopholes that help wealthy crypto investors,” and oppose food safety inspections.

How to tackle affordable housing? This Hawaii nonprofit wants to start a movement
Hawaii News Now’s Emily Cristobal reports on Housing Hawaii’s Future, a local nonprofit that believes the key to solving the state’s affordable housing crisis lies in Hawai‘i’s next generation.

Nearly 90% of Hanauma Bay’s beach could disappear by 2030, says UH study
Hawai‘i Public Radio’s Casey Harlow reports on a new UH study that forecasts that most of Hanauma Bay’s beach will be underwater for a few days in 2030 – during peak high tides or king tides.

Farmers in North Kohala hope water runs again
KITV4’s Jeremy Lee reports on a state appropriation of $10 million to address the Kohala Ditch, which had supplied water to farming communities for over 100 years and has been out of commission since 2020.

A look back 5 years after the devastating 2018 Kīlauea eruption
KITV4’s Marisa Yamane recaps the impacts of the Kīlauea eruption on Hawai‘i Island’s Leilani Estates.

The Transformed World of Tipping: What You Should Know
Hawaii Business Magazine’s Noelle Fujii-Oride reports on how digital payment systems, inflation and pandemic challenges can make tips more crucial for Hawai‘i workers.

Local Job Openings

Honolulu Civil Beat is hiring for a general assignment reporter, education reporter,and opinions editor. Anticipated salary range for the three roles: $75,000 to $95,000. The nonprofit news room is offering a relocation benefit for hired candidates outside of Hawai‘i and a housing assistance purchase option. More information available here.

Resources

Trusting News is holding virtual trainings on quick, actionable strategies to build trust with news audiences. The trainings include:

• May 18: How journalists can explain their sourcing (See replay here.)
• June 1: Writing a reporter mission statement (See replay here.)
• June 15: How to add daily transparency to coverage

RSVP for the last training here.

Hawaii Business Magazine has committed to using traditional Hawaiian place names in its stories, followed in some cases by the common nickname in brackets until traditional names become more widely recognized by its readers. That includes using Mokoli‘i to refer to the islet across from Kualoa Ranch. The magazine cited our March guidance: “referencing the nickname in the media could perpetuate the idea that it is an acceptable phrase to everyone, including visitors to Hawai‘i who will return to their hometowns on the U.S. continent.”

Updates from AAJA National