Dear AAJA Members,
AAJA will be seeking a slate of new officers for the 2021-2022 term. Electronic voting will begin Wednesday, July 22 at 5pm ET with the final results announced at the first ever virtual AAJA Fest. Ballots will be sent to AAJA members who are eligible to vote in the election.
We will be electing a President, Vice President of Civic Engagement and a Vice President of Finance. The role of each officer is below:
1. President: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Governing Board, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. They shall preside at all meetings of the membership and at all meetings of the Governing Board and Advisory Board. The president shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees, including the executive committee, if any. They shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of president of a corporation and shall be vested with such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the board of directors or the by-laws. The holder of this office shall be a member of the Governing Board.
2. Vice President of Civic Engagement: The Vice President of Civic Engagement shall be dedicated to fulfilling the following two tenets of AAJA’s mission, as well as providing outreach to AAPI communities and leading AAJA’s media awareness efforts:
- To provide to the AAPI community an awareness of the news media and an understanding of how to gain fair access.
- To research and point out when news media organizations stray from accuracy and fairness in the coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and AAPI issues.
3. Vice President of Finance: The Vice President of Finance shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adequate and correct accounts of the properties and business transactions of the corporation, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital and earnings.
This year’s election schedule is as follows:
Friday July 3 – Nomination period starts, 10 a.m. ET
Monday, July 20 – Nomination period ends, 8 p.m. ET
Wednesday, July 22 – Announcement of candidates & voting begins
Wednesday, August 12 – Voter eligibility deadline (must activate or renew membership by this date), 8 p.m. ET
Thursday, August 13 – Accept ballots until/voting ends, 8 p.m. ET
Saturday, August 15 – Results announced
Note: This page was updated on July 27, 2020 to reflect an extended voting timeline.
AAJA NATIONAL OFFICER CANDIDATES
AAJA NATIONAL PRESIDENT
CANDIDATE: MICHELLE YE HEE LEE
Political Enterprise and Accountability Reporter, The Washington Post
Excerpt from Michelle’s candidate statement:
“Four decades ago, a group of AAPI journalists founded AAJA out of a desire to be seen and represented in news organizations and in news coverage. I would like to serve one more term to help set AAJA on a path to greater visibility and impact for the next four decades and beyond — with your vote, support and ideas.”
Click here to view Michelle’s complete candidate statement.
VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
CANDIDATE: JULIA B. CHAN
Managing Editor, Digital, KQED News
Excerpt from Julia’s candidate statement:
“I’m an accomplished journalist who’s spent over 15 years—and counting!—in the media industry. I’m currently the Managing Editor of Digital at KQED in San Francisco. I was the President of the AAJA-San Francisco Bay Area chapter for three years during which time I helped develop “Hella Asian,” a live storytelling event featuring AAPI journos, artists and media makers. It serves as our chapter’s annual fundraiser and has raised over $20,000. While President, I also served AAJA’s national board as a governing board member. I’m an active member of journalism communities like ONA and IRE, and in 2015, I founded Journalists of Color, a powerful safe space for a global community of media folks.”
Click here to view Julia’s complete candidate statement.
CANDIDATE: JONATHAN CHOE
Crime and justice Reporter, KOMO News
Excerpt from Jonathan’s candidate statement:
“I believe in the important work of AAJA, and I know I can play an important role in our collective mission of being strong watchdogs for our communities. For two decades, I have worked in some of our country’s most diverse and dynamic newsrooms. I’ve benefited so much from AAJA mentors who have influenced my career and have instilled in me my sense of community. I would be honored if you would support me as I look to serve you and AAJA as your Vice President of Civic Engagement.”
Click here to view Johnathan’s complete candidate statement.
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
CANDIDATE: JIN DING
Program Manager, International Women’s Media Foundation
Excerpt from Jin’s candidate statement:
“I am running for AAJA’s VP of Finance because I believe not only can AAJA be financially healthier at a time of crisis but also can build up abilities for more meaningful services to our members. I’d like to help AAJA deepen the connection with our AAPI communities, grow its membership, diversify its funding sources, and be more robust in its fundraising and financial reporting. “
Click here to view Jin’s complete candidate statement.
CANDIDATE: RAVI KAPUR
Founder & CEO, Diya TV
Excerpt from Ravi’s candidate statement:
“Today, as one of the only AAPI television station owners in the country, I make…decisions daily and would like to lend that perspective to AAJA as we navigate new territory. I served on the San Francisco Bay Area board of directors for nearly a decade and have been called in to candidly address other delicate situations, like the infamous Asiana Airlines story broadcast by KTVU and media diversity issues before the FCC and Congress. In my view, this is not the time to stand pat. We must evolve to take on new initiatives and develop relationships in media like never before. With your support, we can endure this storm together.”
Click here to view Ravi’s complete candidate statement.
ELIGIBILITY: Only active AAJA members are eligible to nominate a candidate according to the by-laws. If you have any questions about your membership, please contact the AAJA National Office at membership@aaja.org.
ELECTION RESULTS: Election results will be announced during AAJA Fest.
For questions about the election, please contact Shirley Qiu, VP of Communications, at shirleysqiu@gmail.com.
Updated AAJA Election FAQs
With the 2021-2022 elections under way, AAJA is committed to ensuring a free and fair process. We are taking all questions and concerns from members seriously and working hard to address them in a timely manner. Based on common questions we’ve received, we have compiled FAQs on how to troubleshoot issues you may be facing. If your question or concern is not addressed by the FAQ below, please contact shirleysqiu@gmail.com for assistance.
We encourage all members to engage fully with the candidates and to participate in this year’s election. We appreciate your patience and assistance as we work through difficult circumstances in a highly unusual year.
HOW TO VOTE
Why haven’t I seen the ballot in my inbox?
If you are an active member, you should have received an email (subject line: “2021-2022 AAJA Elections: Voting Begins”) containing the link to the ballot and how to vote. If you have not…
- Check which email is in your membership profile (you can find it by logging onto aaja.org). That is the email to which your ballot was sent. Please take the opportunity to update your profile as well!
- Please check any other email accounts which you may have used in relation to AAJA matters.
- Check your spam folders in these accounts.
- Make sure you have not opted out of Constant Contact, which is our email service.
- Double check that you are an active member. If you have questions about your membership, please email membership@aaja.org.
- If you recently joined or renewed your membership after voting started, you likely missed the first wave of emails. Don’t worry, we’ll send your ballot to your email in the next few days.
- If you’ve checked all these points and still don’t know where your ballot is, please contact me at shirleysqiu@gmail.com.
Where is the link to the ballot on the website?
We restrict our voting to current members, so the ballot information is only sent to active members through email. This process helps our staff verify each voter’s membership while tallying votes.
To receive your ballot, please ensure you have an active membership and your most current email on file with AAJA.
Where do I find my AAJA member ID?
You will need your member ID to cast your vote. To find it, log in to your AAJA account at aaja.org. Once you are logged in, click on your name on the homepage to go to your profile. At the top of your profile page, you will find your AAJA member ID listed under “Member Information.” Please include this number where indicated on the ballot.
Are students eligible to vote?
Yes, student members are eligible to vote. Full, gold and platinum AAJA members are also eligible to vote.
What is the deadline to vote?
We have updated the voting deadline to August 13 to allow members to vote during #AAJA20.
CAMPAIGNING RULES
What are the regulations around campaigning on social media?
While you are free to support any candidate on your social media, we ask that you refrain from posting that support in official AAJA online spaces, such as Slack channels, Facebook groups and email listservs associated with your chapter or affinity group. We would like to keep these spaces neutral and inclusive for everyone. You may, however, encourage people to vote without supporting a specific candidate.
Can you change your profile picture in support of a candidate?
Yes, and you may continue to post in official AAJA spaces after changing your photo — as long as the post itself does not endorse any specific candidate.
How can I flag a potentially problematic social media post?
Please report any potentially problematic social media posts to the administrator of that Facebook page or group, or email listserv. If the issue is not resolved, please report it to shirleysqiu@gmail.com.
If you have any further questions, please contact VP of Communications Shirley Qiu at shirleysqiu@gmail.com.
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