Contact: Naomi Tacuyan Underwood / naomitu@aaja.org
Jessica Xiao / jessicax@aaja.org
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) announces the launch of AAJA Studio, a speakers bureau which brings the perspectives and expertise of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to the forefront of newsrooms, storytelling, and representation. The speakers listed on the AAJA Studio site represent a broad range of AAJA members, subject matter experts, and community leaders who may be contacted directly as sources or for speaking engagements.
“AAJA Studio fulfills a long-standing need for more AAPI representation on the news and in public dialogue,” said Naomi Tacuyan Underwood, executive director of AAJA. “It meets a key part of AAJA’s mission to ensure accurate and equitable representation of the AAPI community. We applaud the newsrooms who are working hard to ensure AAPIs are visible and heard, through their choices in newsroom leadership, on-air talent, and on-air sources. We can all do more and do better. AAJAStudio.org is a key resource that we encourage newsrooms to utilize.”
“AAJA Studio represents the diverse perspectives and expertise of the fastest growing community in the United States and will amplify the unique stories of the AAPI community that need to be told in newsrooms and shared widely in the media,” said Michelle Ye Hee Lee, national president of AAJA. “With the launch of AAJA Studio, we are making AAPI experts more accessible and addressing the urgent need to diversify news.”
AAJA Studio is a curated and growing list of more than 100 AAPI journalists and subject matter experts who have been influential in their respective fields and issue areas, including but not limited to race relations, political campaigns, Asia-Pacific and international relations, civil rights and voting rights, health policy, immigration, and technology. From pioneering AAPI media leaders, to established policy experts and academics, to connected community leaders, AAJA Studio convenes a range of AAPI perspectives to enrich and diversify news and storytelling.
AAJA will promote the profiles to industry bookers, producers, and other organizations that may seek the expertise of the bureau’s speakers.
If you are interested in reporting on AAJA Studio, contact Jessica Xiao, jessicax@aaja.org
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