In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we go back to our March 2025 panel and uncover the world of sports journalism. New York Association of Black Journalists President BONITA SOSTRE is joined by panelists from all corners of CBS Sports: On-Air Reporter KEIANA MARTIN, Senior Director of CBS Sports' Race & Culture Unit DAVID CUMMINGS, CBSSports.com Basketball Writer JASMYN WIMBISH, and Associate Director/Associate Producer JUSTIN HALEY.

Listen in for a candid discussion insight one of the industry's leading sports outlets, filled with stories from the arenas, stadiums, and ballparks near and far that captured in the newsrooms and studios of CBS Sports.

(Note: This episode was recorded on March 4th, 2025)

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

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Please join us for the 4th Annual NYABJ Juneteenth Gala and Awards Ceremony on Thursday June 19th from 6-9pm at the ILA Penthouse and Rooftop Garden. The event will be hosted by CBS News' Vladimir Duthiers and NBC 4 New York's Kay Angram. Get ready to mingle with fellow journalists, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and witness the honoring of outstanding members in the industry. Tickets are on sale at www.nyabj.org, with proceeds benefitting our First Take program. Don't miss out on this unforgettable evening!

Hair has become a political statement in a society that designates what's professional, appropriate, and beautiful. Decades show patterns of hair discrimination in workplaces and schools, especially when it comes to Black and Brown individuals. As policy advocates shed light on hair as a civil rights issue through legislation, media professionals take on the industry to expand the definition of "good hair."

THE SIDEBAR BY NYABJ producer KATHRYN JONES speaks to the CROWN Coalition co-creator DR. ADJOA B. ASAMOAH, KSLA chief investigative reporter and anchor ASHLEY GRAHAM, marketing and content strategist SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ-LAMPKINS, and beauty editor and branded content expert JAZMINE A. ORTIZ.

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

We're dropping an extra special episode of "The Sidebar by NYABJ" this week, featuring students from our annual First Take program. Since 1988, First Take is our seven-week program for high schoolers across the New York City Metro Area to introduce them to various aspects and careers in journalism.

Recorded on the final day of the program, the students reflect on what they learned throughout the experience.

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

Aside from Princess Tiana in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” little Black girls rarely ever get to see princesses that look like them—and princess stories from the Caribbean are rarer still. So when ELDONIE MASON’s 5-year-old niece told her she couldn’t be a princess because they were white with long hair, Mason got to work writing a book with a beautiful Black girl as a princess.

The result is “The Adventures of Princess Anyah of Antibarba: The Fishing Expedition” and Sidebar host KIZZY COX spoke with Mason, who’s originally from Antigua, about the importance of telling Caribbean stories, how her company Predestined Media is aiming to bring more Caribbean content to the forefront and how she’s balancing her entrepreneurial ventures with her full-time career as a lawyer in entertainment, business, fashion and estate planning. Her hard work has yielded numerous accolades including the 2025 Caribbean Boss Lady Award from Carib Biz Network for her vision and positive impact in her field.

In honor of Women’s History Month, Mason’s dedication to Caribbean culture, Black representation and Black financial literacy serves as an inspiring example of the myriad ways women effect change.

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we go back to our Media Mavericks panel from last December, holding an enlightening discussion on pursuing freelancing opportunities in media and public relations.

The panel, consisting of Vice President of Development & Original Production, Scripted ASHLEY MCFARLIN, established hip-hop publicist BEVERLY PAIGE, and freelance communications consultant GABRIELLE PICKENS, was moderated by NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE, with a special introduction by chapter Member-at-Large CYNTHIA HORNER (a media maverick in her own right). Listen in and get inspired to blaze your own path in the wide world of media!

(NOTE: This was recorded on December 3, 2024)

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

Violent and systemic voter suppression has kept communities of color from the voting booth. But perhaps as generations turn to more innovative platforms than years past, voter suppression has taken up a more covert form.

The greater accessibility and reach of today’s communication methods allow someone aiming to keep voters from the polls the greater means to do so. Even a casual post on the Internet today can accidentally bring the voter turnout down. A comment by a human-like bot might tell a lie about a candidate. A podcast could exclaim that elections are pointless and all candidates are the same. Or video from a classmate from high school could portray the length of a polling center line. Anti-voting influencers make the polls seem mundane, tedious, and ineffective to those able to cast ballots.

Black Voters Matter Fund’s CLIFF ALBRIGHT and Scripps News national news and disinformation correspondent KADIA TUBMAN join The Sidebar by NYABJ’s KATHRYN JONES to discuss the media actors telling Americans to skip the voting booth.

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

The year 2024 was one of the most memorable years in recent memory whether it was in news, politics, sports, entertainment, and everywhere else in between. This also applied to The Sidebar by NYABJ, in our third season broaching topics within journalism through the lens of Black mediamakers. From the impact of AI on the industry to navigating romance as a journalist, we covered it all. We also welcomed voices from the worlds of comedy, politics, music, fashion, food, and more.

Join host and producer MICHAEL W. RAY as we look back at all of our favorite episodes. Whether you are a loyal listener or just being introduced to The Sidebar, let this episode be your guide to revisit our podcast's most memorable moments of 2024.

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

Part of what makes the holiday season sensational are the memory-making, sumptuous meals that are part of family-cherished traditions. For this "Food, Love, Feast Holiday" episode to end our third season of The Sidebar, our own SONJA D. GRACY dishes with Celebrity Chef DELILAH WINDER, creator of the "Delilah's Everyday Soul" franchise and author of "Delilah's Everyday SOUL: Southern Cooking with Style cookbook, to learn the secrets behind her soulful cooking!

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

In this episode of The Sidebar, we revisit October’s PR Power Hour, hosted by TRACEY WOOD MENDELSOHN, President of the Black PR Society of New York. The discussion featured Whit PR founder DREENA WHITFIELD, Dow Jones publicist JADEN JULES, and AVOQ senior associate ARIEL SMITH.

From leveraging AI tools and crafting effective press releases to the importance of mentorship, networking, and building strong media relationships, this episode is packed with actionable advice for communications professionals. Whether you're new to the field or looking to advance your career, their stories and strategies will inspire you to take your public relations game to the next level.

(NOTE: This was recorded on October 16, 2024)

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

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Join us for our Winter Wonderland Holiday Party on December 11th from 7-9 PM at Manhattan Mirage! Indulge in specialty cocktails, delicious food, an ugly sweater contest and more festive fun! All while enjoying music from our featured DJ, former NYABJ President Vance Lang.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you! Visit the link below to purchase your tickets today:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nyabj-winter-wonderland-holiday-party-tickets-1052976229247?aff=oddtdtcreator

Special thanks to our event sponsors Doc's Cake Shop (@docs_cake_shop) and ButACake (@butacake)

Good news isn’t always good news. And for audiences fixated on trauma, the news industry provides an on-and-off switch for the consumption of human pain.

In a continuation of THE SIDEBAR’s investigation into voluntary trauma consumption, producer KATHRYN JONES speaks with NYU Associate Professor in Media, Culture and Communications KELLI MOORE. MOORE’s research focuses on images of domestic violence, forensics, media’s relationship with legal evidence, and Black screen culture.

The associate professor is also the author of book "Legal Spectatorship: Slavery and the Visual Culture of Domestic Violence". Together, we examine what role graphic images play in the public’s lives and what happens when given the option to willingly tune in.

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The opinions heard in this episode belong to the individuals who made them and not to NYABJ. Music by HoliznaRAPS. For more information on the New York Association of Black Journalists, please visit our website at www.nyabj.org.

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Join us for our Winter Wonderland Holiday Party on December 11th from 7 PM to 9 PM at Manhattan Mirage! Indulge in specialty cocktails, delicious food, an ugly sweater contest and more festive fun! All while enjoying music from our featured DJ, former NYABJ President Vance Lang.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you! Visit the link below to purchase your tickets today:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nyabj-winter-wonderland-holiday-party-tickets-1052976229247?aff=oddtdtcreator