The Washington Association of Black Journalists is running for the 2025 NABJ Chapter of the Year.
WABJ champions Black voices, advances newsroom equity, and builds a thriving pipeline of student journalists.
Impact
Chapter Growth
The Washington Association of Black Journalists has experienced rapid growth since January 1, 2025. At the beginning of the year, WABJ had 283 members. Through one-on-one conversations with potential members and significant outreach, the chapter has grown to over 500 members, making the WABJ one of the largest chapters within NABJ.
Voice & Visibility
Advocacy and Community Work
Since January, the Washington Association of Black Journalists hit the ground running in its efforts to advocate for journalists in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.
The Prince George’s County Council preserved funding for Prince George’s Community Television after the station faced budget cuts that would have resulted in layoffs and the end of its news division. Thanks to WABJ’s involvement, with President Phil Lewis testifying at the hearing, helping to garner over 400 signatures for a petition and placing stories in the Washington Post and Capital B, respectively, WABJ played a key role in preserving the news station where our UJW students record their newscasts. This was a significant win for not only WABJ, but for a predominantly Black community that relies on local news.
Read more about WABJ’s advocacy efforts for PGCTV in Poynter and Journal-isms.
WABJ was heavily involved in the effort to support fired Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah. The chapter played a key role in spreading awareness about her firing, and was cited in the Afro, NewsOne, Madame Noire, WZAK Cleveland and the Latin Times. WABJ President Phil Lewis was also cited in the Associated Press, expressing concern for how Black journalists are being treated in 2025.
WABJ came to the defense of member Ebony McMorris, a reporter at American Urban Radio Networks, whom Trump called “really obnoxious” during an Oval Office press conference. HuffPost mentioned WABJ in its story about this encounter. WABJ was also mentioned in Black Information Network and the New York Caribbean News.
WABJ held a “Salute to the Storytellers” reception in September, honoring the careers of the journalists who took a buyout from the Washington Post as the newsroom undergoes massive restructuring. WABJ members stated they appreciated this event, which brought them together at the National Press Club to celebrate their careers.
The WABJ hosted a “State of Black Media” panel as part of Wale’s Gifted Week. The WABJ was happy to partner with the rapper for the impactful discussion as we continue to help community members understand our work. Watch a recap on WUSA9.
Coalitions
NABJ/WABJ Collaboration
WABJ and NABJ leadership met with Nexstar leadership to discuss possible changes to a race and ethnicity reporting role at The Hill.
WABJ hosted an NABJ Elections Candidate Forum in June alongside the Baltimore Association of Black Journalists. At its peak, we had 53 members on the call. Read about the forum in Journal-isms. WABJ endorsed Khorri Atkinson for NABJ Secretary and Melony Roy for NABJ Region I Director, who would both go on to win their races.
WABJ President Phil Lewis met with NABJ and Washington Post leadership to discuss the challenges facing Black employees at the newspaper in September. The statement can be read here.
WABJ and NABJ held a vital “Fair Coverage Now” webinar in October that explored how newsrooms play a critical role in informing the public about missing persons cases.
Training
WABJ Training
In March, WABJ held a “Navigating Workplace Challenges” webinar. USA TODAY’s Monica R. Richardson, Bloomberg Law’s Khorri Atkinson and Justin Madden of The Guardian US broke down the challenges journalists face in the workplace as an early-career, mid-career or senior journalist — and how to overcome them.
WABJ partnered with Lawyers for Reporters and several other NABJ chapters for a webinar called “Reporting on the Frontlines,” an informative discussion for NABJ chapters across the country on our rights and legal tips for covering civil unrest, protests and federal troops.
WABJ hosted a workshop with Northwestern Mutual, in which advisors provided valuable insight and resources with cultural nuances on financial topics, including those tailored specifically for journalists.
WABJ held a panel at NBC 4 Washington that discussed learning about AI-assisted journalism, AI tools, things to watch out for, and more.
Guidance
WABJ / Black and Missing Foundation
WABJ, in partnership with the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc., launched the Media Guide for Reporting on Missing Persons, a comprehensive resource designed to address long-standing disparities in media coverage of missing persons cases, especially those involving people of color. WABJ planned a webinar with NABJ in October.
This effort was covered in Black Enterprise, Black News, the National Press Club’s Journalism Institute, BET and Blavity.
Convene & Connect
NABJ Region I Conference (Hosted by WABJ)
WABJ hosted the NABJ Region I conference at Howard University, with over 200 attendees. This was the first Region I conference in years, and thanks to Melony Roy's leadership, the event was also profitable.
The NABJ Region I Opening Reception was held on Friday at NPR’s headquarters. Despite the rain, over 125 attendees from as far away as California celebrated with us.
Then on Saturday, the NABJ Region I Conference featured stimulating panels, interactive workshops and fresh networking opportunities for attendees. Recruiters from local newsrooms to national outlets were present. Black journalists, media professionals and students convened at Howard University to build community and expand their network.
Read some testimonials from attendees below:
Pipeline
Scholarships and Student Training
WABJ held its 39th successful Urban Journalism Workshop with 25 students. The chapter gave seven UJW students scholarships, totaling $7,000. The success of the UJW program was mentioned in the Washington Informer and Word In Black.
WABJ was proud to partner with NBC Washington/Telemundo 44 for a hands-on 3-day journalism summer masterclass for high school juniors and seniors in August. Students worked with news directors, producers, anchors and more to learn all aspects of the news business. Several of our Urban Journalism Workshop alumni were participants. Watch a recap of the program here.
Milestone
WABJ 50th Anniversary Gala — Gold Standard: 50 Years of Excellence
The WABJ marked 50 years of shaping culture, elevating our stories, and championing Black voices in media with our Special Awards and Honors gala at the Embassy of France. This year’s theme, “Gold Standard: 50 Years of Excellence in Black Journalism,” celebrated the trailblazers who paved the way and the next generation rising to carry the torch. We also awarded two $2,500 scholarships to deserving students. You can read a recap here. View the photo gallery.
What People Say
Testimonials
“The Washington Association of Black Journalists is steadfast in its mission to promote and support Black journalists... For these reasons, I’m proud to nominate WABJ as NABJ’s Professional Chapter of the Year.”
“As co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, I proudly and wholeheartedly support WABJ... mobilizing newsroom professionals to confront long-standing disparities.”
WABJ Recommendation Letter
A main priority of NABJ is to network and help Black journalists find jobs. I know firsthand that WABJ truly lives up to that standard…
WABJ Recommendation Letter
A main priority of NABJ is to network and help Black journalists find jobs. I know firsthand that WABJ truly lives up to that standard. Back in April, I was laid off from WMAR in Baltimore.
Due to my family situation, I was looking for jobs in the Baltimore/DMV area. At a journalism job fair in Georgetown, I connected with Phil Lewis, the president of WABJ. I sent him my resume and explained my situation.
When I applied to work at WHUR, he utilized his WABJ connections to connect me to the hiring manager. Plus, he alerted me of an opening at CTV News in Largo, MD.
Once I applied, he reached out to the hiring managers. Through his help, I was offered a job as a freelance anchor/reporter.
If it wasn’t for Phil Lewis and WABJ, I wouldn’t be working at CTV News. I believe WABJ should be the NABJ Chapter of the Year.
To whom it may concern,
I’m proud to recommend the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) for Chapter of the Year…
To whom it may concern,
I’m proud to recommend the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) for Chapter of the Year. This chapter has poured so much into me. I’ve had the joy of mentoring young journalists through the Urban Journalism Workshop. Being involved in UJW as a mentor has inspired me even more to pour into aspiring journalists through my own organization. WABJ has also allowed me to connect with some of D.C.’s (and our nation’s) best journalists. These members are people who inspire me every day. This chapter has given me real friendships, genuine support, and a family of journalists who lift one another up.
It is a sincere honor to be a member of the WABJ under the leadership of Phil Lewis! He is engaging and supports the work of journalists that he shepherds. …
It is a sincere honor to be a member of the WABJ under the leadership of Phil Lewis! He is engaging and supports the work of journalists that he shepherds. Not only does he support the work, but he has also been an advocate during these challenging times, helping us keep our jobs and find new ones. Phil has been exceptional in his approach, growing our membership from 283 members in January to more than 500 members as of January 2026. He is also committed to speaking up for our membership. Phil and the WABJ executive board have taken the chapter to new heights, and I am so pleased to write this letter as they seek NABJ Chapter of the Year.
I’m proud to nominate WABJ for NABJ’s 2026 Professional Chapter of the Year award. Building on a major transformation, WABJ, under the visionary leadership of Phil Lewis, advanced our founders’ vision through collaboration and fresh ideas. …
I’m proud to nominate WABJ for NABJ’s 2026 Professional Chapter of the Year award. Building on a major transformation, WABJ, under the visionary leadership of Phil Lewis, advanced our founders’ vision through collaboration and fresh ideas. Last year, WABJ’s membership doubled to 500+, programs expanded, and it hosted a sold-out awards gala in celebration of its 50th anniversary. It also awarded over $12,000 in scholarships, and demonstrated real civic impact through advocacy that helped preserve funding for Prince George’s Community Television and prevented a layoff and closure of its news division. WABJ delivers results and sets standards.
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